I bought an LP of ‘Solid Air’ a few days ago, but I don’t remember seeing any half speed mastering stickers on it. I wonder if I boobed?
The Church With One Bell was from eBay ( new), and Solid Air was from Juno
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Hi Graham, I bought the original press at the time it was released which was good
I then bought a Back To Black copy a few years ago which was very good and an improvement on the original
I bought The Church With One Bell which is fabulous so thought I’d try Solid Air
By far the best version I have ever heard, amazing sound quality and a brilliant pressing
I don’t think you did. I have an original pressing and an expensive half speed master. Guess which sounds best?
I’d guess by ‘original’ release you mean first or very early press. And I’d agree.
For me the question is more: AR half-speed vs a later (usually much later) pressing…assuming no remaster has been done, as below.
I’d certainly prefer a first/second press in most cases above modern pressings as above (unless remastered by CB, BG, KG, and… perhaps Miles)
Half Speed mastering = marketing promotional blurb or real sound quality improvement?
Kevin Gray doesn’t think much, if anything, of the value or need for half-speed mastering.
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The Pineapple Thief - Give It Back…
Newly rerecorded re-worked classic tracks from their catalogue now featuring the distinctive drumming of Gavin Harrison… 
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Abbey Rd Half Speed Mastering has been very hit and miss in my experience and certainly divides opinion but to say it’s marketing promotional blurb isn’t correct it’s just another way of remastering that some like and others do not.
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I just wondered if it was all blurb as some of these Half Speed Lp’s don’t appear to be anything special, which makes me think that it is just marketing rather than an actual sound quality benefit, but I am happy to be proved wrong.
I agree some are not very good and I myself have returned several whilst others I’ve kept and am happy with so I’m by no means championing them and rather than trying to prove you wrong it’s really down to personal preference. I honestly think it is a genuine attempt by Miles Showell to improve the sound quality rather than a marketing ploy it just doesn’t work for me sometimes.
Large record companies and huge artists keep going to him though and so enough people must be buying them or else they’d go elsewhere wouldn’t they. The Who for instance always use him and have done so for going on ten years so you would think the people must be happy with them or they wouldn’t buy the next one in the series.
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Arrived here today from Amazon:
Given them all a clean on the Keith Monks and all look very nice 
I was a bit worried about this Lee Morgan album but this copy is 2023 Optimal and looks fine so guess the earlier warp issues are now sorted.
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Just finished listening to Prince Fatty’s free live listening party of this new lp on Bandcamp was really interesting to read his comments on each track chatting with us too, can’t wait to get my vinyl copy later this month another excellent record from one of the U.K’s best Reggae producers.
Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto -Yevgeny Kissin/Berlin PO/Herbert von Karajan (1989)
(I was rather surprised to see a note ‘The Berliner Philharmoniker appear by kind permission of EMI Records Ltd.’)
Although it’s not by any stretch my favourite jazz album nor even my favourite Miles, I couldn’t resist this near mint (vinyl, cover is a VG+) Japanese third or fourth press. Despite having the Classic Records issue (has a very slight scratch), and the UHQR (just sold that), this was a nice find that had to be bought. It does sound rather good, certainly more than sufficient for the occasional play.
Miles Davis
Kind of Blue
Sony Japan
1972
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‘Kind Of Blue’ is an absolute classic. It was the first Miles Davis record that I ever bought, and - sucker that I am - I have just bought a new copy pressed on blue vinyl.
Other Miles Davis records to buy might include ‘Sketches Of Spain’ and the rather wonderful ‘In A Silent Way’.
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