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I've recently purchased five CCR studio LPs. I only wasn't able to find "Willy and the Poor Boys" and "Mardi Gras". On listening to those LPs, one thing jump at me -- some LPs deliver incredibly high quality sound, while some are quite the opposite, with murky, dull and wimpy sound.
The best sounding of those 5 LPs is "Bayou Country". That record just bites, it has incredible presence and is an enormous pleasure to listen to. One of the absolute best sounding LPs in my collection.
Next to that record in terms of sound quality is their first LP (the eponymous "Creedence Clearwater Revival"). Also very lively sounding, with a lot of bite and presence, but not as brilliant as "Bayou Country".
At the other end of the sonic spectrum is "Pendulum". Such weak, wimpy sounding LP. It's really heartbreaking. "Cosmo's Factory" isn't much better, to be honest; neither is "Green River". Dull, murky overall sound, feels like someone had stuffed cotton pads into my ears.
So my question is: did I get bad pressings of these LPs, or were those albums in general recorded/mixed/mastered in such a wimpy way, while "Bayou Country" was prepared in a much better way, sonically speaking?
Follow Ups:
And they were pressed by RTI (I presume). The sound quality of every one is VG to superb. They are pressed on heavy weight vinyl, so if your tonearm does not have VTA on the fly and your VTA is set to optimize standard weight pressings, you will not get the best possible SQ.
If the above is true you can get a dull and murky sound because the VTA to too low due to the heavier weight vinyl. The difference in thickness between a standard weight pressing and a 180 or 200gm pressing is approximately 1.25mm. That is enough to change the change the resulting SQ.
All of the above is based on the usage of line contact type stylii. If you are using a conical stylus the difference in SQ won't be that apparent.
Ed
We don't shush around here!
Life is analog...digital is just samples thereof
I'm using conical stylus (Denon DL-103), so VTA shouldn't be much of an issue. My ultra thick heavy pressing of "Bayou Country" sounds absolutely stunning on my turntable, so that's how I know VTA isn't an issue for me.
...won't be found even as an original in my stacks.
I gather you don't have any Beatles or Stones or Dylan albums?
+1 This is an excellent comeback to yet another old man yelling at kids to get off his lawn. I am not a young man, by the way, but everyone is welcome on my lawn other than the dog walkers who don't scoop that poop.
are excellent. Bayou Country, Green River, W&TPBs, Pendulum and Cosmos Factory. All great.
Opus 33 1/3
For CCR original issues, SQ can be inconsistent, so many bazillion were pressed. I finally have my used CCRs pretty much with best SQ I've been able to find & am happy. The ones you're happy with, you likely found keepers. Rules of thumb that I've gathered over the yrs:1. Deep groove, heavier vinyl: First four CCR albums were pressed with 2.75" deep groove around spindle hole. In 1970+ RCA pressing plants, which Fantasy used, changed to having 1" perceptible discs centered around spindle. Early pressings w/deep groove, you may have a better shot that stampers may not have been overused yet.
2. Initial in deadwax, one of three: H, I, or R. RCA pressing plants located in Hollywood, Indianapolis, & Richmond, NJ. "H" is generally thought to be best for SQ, but my CCR collection has rekkids from all three, majority H, a few I, & I think one R that have good SQ.
Regarding Cosmos Factory, when I found a regular used issue but one that had been remastered by Brian Gardner, I finally found a keeper with decent SQ. BG remastered CF in 70s. You can find his symbol etched in the deadwax: 2 small etched wings, like 2 birds in flight. Better bass, detail, dynamics. Before finding that copy, I was glad I had a MOFI copy that had much better SQ. BG also orig mastered Mardi Gras, so no worries with SQ there, just find the etched birds are in the deadwax.
I think you'll find Willy & Poor Boys has great SQ, esp if you find a DG "H" copy.
Hope this helps.
Jim
"If less is more, just think how much more more would be!" - Frasier Crane.
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Russco Studio Pro B/Syntec S220/Empire 2000E/3-Technics SL1210mkII/DL103R/Yam C-4 pre-Yam M-4 amp-KLH 5 spkrs-Outlaw sub
Edits: 06/06/17
1. Deep groove, heavier vinyl: First four CCR albums were pressed with 2.75" deep groove around spindle hole. In 1970+ RCA pressing plants, which Fantasy used, changed to having 1" perceptible discs centered around spindle. Early pressings w/deep groove, you may have a better shot that stampers may not have been overused yet.
I think my "Bayou Country" falls into that batch. It is heavier vinyl, and the sound is nothing short of amazing! Thanks.
You need to acquire the Steve Hoffman mastered reissues put out by, I believe, Acoustic Sounds. The master tapes, based on the sound quality from these reissues, are stunning. The original pressings of all CCR releases pale in comparison.
I remember a while back looking at my old Fantasy pressing of the original first CCR LP and noticing the "H" in the deadwax, which led me to believe that Fantasy must have had these pressed by RCA at the Hollywood plant. That might contribute to the sound quality....
to check the system for as long as I can remember (the rain been coming down).
Whether LP or CD, it's a killer tune in ALL regards.
"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination" -Michael McClure
I agree -- "Born on the Bayou" is perfection. Perfectly performed, perfectly recorded, perfectly mixed, perfectly mastered, and hopefully perfectly pressed. A killer combination!You're right -- if I want to test any change to my system, I can hardly come up with a better track to test the new configuration. Also, if someone comes over to my place for a visit, and is not convinced that vinyl can sound better than digital, I'd play them that track, and then watch their jaw drop to the floor!
Edits: 06/06/17
Later Gator,
Dave
I have only Cosmos Factory. Absolutely horrible. Sounds like I'm listening through a cheap transistor radio. Very disappointing as I love the music.
I had Cosmo's Factory also. I think my Victrola sounded better.
Have the original Cosmos Factory and it sounds great, if ignoring the wear and tear of almost 5 decades. This was one of three albums I purchased as my first step into the world of music way back when, you know, when too young to know the proper way to handle records. Not to mention the ahem "great" phonograph I was using lol.
Martin
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