NationStates Jolt Archive

Well, I went and bought Queen's A Night At The Opera (original 1975 U.S. pressing) last week, which cost me about $13. I got it yesterday, played the parts that had scratches, and they were inaudible. Satisfied, I gave the eBay seller great feedback.

So, I got home about thirty minutes ago, and I decide to put the album on and listen. And what do I find when I pull the record out of its sleeve? A rather deep, though very hard-to-see scratch near the end of side one. Along with it is an even less visible stylus mark. I didn't panic, as I thought it might be inaudible like the pressing error on the first half of side one.

I put the sylus down, and I let it run. It seems fine --- but wait! The song starts crackling and popping, but not much. Okay, one pop and some crackling is fine with me --- Shit, it's popping like mad, now! Okay, I can deal with thi --- FUCK! It skipped!

So, I paid $13 for a "near-mint" original pressing of a classic album. Yeah, not nearly worth the price, so I'm going to buy a better one from a dealer who specialises in vinyl for collectors. It will cost me close to $40, but I figure it'll be worth it. It's from the original pressing run, made in the U.K., complete with inner picture sleeves and all.

I guess this is what happens when you give feedback too early...

Oh... the funs/evils of eBay. :)

Oh... the funs/evils of eBay. :)

Yeah, but at least a friend of mine will receive yet another record, free of charge. Hardly free for me, but so what? :p

I hate it when shit like that happens but it seems to happen all the time. I remember my Uncle bought a shit load of viynl records off of e-bay that claimed to be in perfect condition, they all came without the sleeves. What kind of shit is that? :confused:

Sorry it's messed up. Hope the next one will be to your liking.

I ordered an expansion for an mmorpg I play week before last from someone on ebay. I'm a superfast payer .. so they were paid after it ended, almost immediatly. Haven't recieved an email .. or my game yet. If I do get ripped off.. this will be the first time. And I'll only be out $4.00 total. But the seller has great positive ranking. Not sure what's going on. I have yet to leave feedback.. I'm giving him til end of this week. He will get a big fat Negative if I don't recieve my game.

I hate it when shit like that happens but it seems to happen all the time. I remember my Uncle bought a shit load of viynl records off of e-bay that claimed to be in perfect condition, they all came without the sleeves. What kind of shit is that? :confused:

Were the records in the stated condition, though? And did the seller say they included the original sleeves, if any? You have to read carefully that way... It's one of the reasons I don't go on huge sprees.

Sorry it's messed up. Hope the next one will be to your liking.

I ordered an expansion for an mmorpg I play week before last from someone on ebay. I'm a superfast payer .. so they were paid after it ended, almost immediatly. Haven't recieved an email .. or my game yet. If I do get ripped off.. this will be the first time. And I'll only be out $4.00 total. But the seller has great positive ranking. Not sure what's going on. I have yet to leave feedback.. I'm giving him til end of this week. He will get a big fat Negative if I don't recieve my game.

I didn't receive any conformation or e-mail for this record, either. I guess the slime of eBay have a little something in common, eh?

Were the records in the stated condition, though? And did the seller say they included the original sleeves, if any? You have to read carefully that way... It's one of the reasons I don't go on huge sprees.

It was way back in the day when ebay just starting to get going but if I remember correctly the picture showed sleeves, but I don't know if there was some type of statement that said there wouldn't be any sleeves delivered. Anyway I just don't deal with e-bay because of all these reasons would rather use the penny saver.

I didn't receive any conformation or e-mail for this record, either. I guess the slime of eBay have a little something in common, eh?

I even sent this person an messgae through ebay a few days ago to confirm that I payed and for exactly what item. They are a powerseller and I know they ship out loads of stuff daily and all, but that's their problem not mine. I'm hoping it's on the way now .. but not receiving a message back.. isn't a good sign for me.

I wanted 'Oh Bother' to be the Mod title edit. :(

Just checked the sellers feedbacks. He's recieved quite a few, but hasn't left any for buyers since Oct. 11th. Somethings up, hope nothing has happened to them.

I wanted 'Oh Bother' to be the Mod title edit. :(
It's not too late.

Well, I went and bought Queen's A Night At The Opera (original 1975 U.S. pressing) last week, which cost me about $13. I got it yesterday, played the parts that had scratches, and they were inaudible. Satisfied, I gave the eBay seller great feedback.

So, I got home about thirty minutes ago, and I decide to put the album on and listen. And what do I find when I pull the record out of its sleeve? A rather deep, though very hard-to-see scratch near the end of side one. Along with it is an even less visible stylus mark. I didn't panic, as I thought it might be inaudible like the pressing error on the first half of side one.

I put the sylus down, and I let it run. It seems fine --- but wait! The song starts crackling and popping, but not much. Okay, one pop and some crackling is fine with me --- Shit, it's popping like mad, now! Okay, I can deal with thi --- FUCK! It skipped!

So, I paid $13 for a "near-mint" original pressing of a classic album. Yeah, not nearly worth the price, so I'm going to buy a better one from a dealer who specialises in vinyl for collectors. It will cost me close to $40, but I figure it'll be worth it. It's from the original pressing run, made in the U.K., complete with inner picture sleeves and all.

I guess this is what happens when you give feedback too early...

The bigger the difference between what it costs and what it should cost generally, the bigger the chance theres something 'afoot'.

It's not too late.

Go on. You know you want to. ;)

Man I feel stupid right now. I have read every reply written on this post, yet when I went to look for it in the general screen I couldn't find it and thought that it got deleted. I hate my life.

You're a legend, Fris. :D

What was the original title? :confused:

Also: I've found eBay to be useful, as I've been lucky enough to get off with perfection each and every time I've purchased from there. :D

What was the original title? :confused:

Also: I've found eBay to be useful, as I've been lucky enough to get off with perfection each and every time I've purchased from there. :D

The original title was "Shit!", as I thought it was within the rules of the forum. Sorry. :p

I usually get quality stuff from eBay (especially my Rush LPs). This is only the second time I've gotten something that's not quite (in this case, not nearly) what the seller said it was.

I know that my cuz used to buy and sell guitars through ebay. That website is like a legal black market you know.

The original title was "Shit!", as I thought it was within the rules of the forum. Sorry. :p

I usually get quality stuff from eBay (especially my Rush LPs). This is only the second time I've gotten something that's not quite (in this case, not nearly) what the seller said it was.
Why would you buy a vinyl record anyway? I'd imagine that even in the best of cases the sound quality would be far inferior to a modern-day computerized recording. Honest query, not mocking.

Ahh ebay.

I don't use it much anymore. Got defrauded out of about $100 on separate purchases.

Unless they changed it, they have a limit of $25 on returns, but they will "get" the bad guy for you! :rolleyes: Basically all they do is suspend the account.

Why would you buy a vinyl record anyway? I'd imagine that even in the best of cases the sound quality would be far inferior to a modern-day computerized recording. Honest query, not mocking.
You lose quality. Put simply, if a piece of music was recorded, mixed and produced to be played almost exclusively on vinyl, then it will sound better on vinyl than it does in digital form. This is the case with most music from before the age of cds. Now that music is recorded, mixed and produced to be played in digital form, it sounds better in a digital format than it does on vinyl.

But vinyl is classic and we have to remember the classics

The original title was "Shit!", as I thought it was within the rules of the forum. Sorry. :p

I usually get quality stuff from eBay (especially my Rush LPs). This is only the second time I've gotten something that's not quite (in this case, not nearly) what the seller said it was.

Hail fellow Rushite! :D

You lose quality. Put simply, if a piece of music was recorded, mixed and produced to be played almost exclusively on vinyl, then it will sound better on vinyl than it does in digital form. This is the case with most music from before the age of cds. Now that music is recorded, mixed and produced to be played in digital form, it sounds better in a digital format than it does on vinyl.

The first part is true, but the second part isn't.

Bob Mould's Body Of Song was mixed on digital and analogue equipment, so both the CD and vinyl versions would have optimal sound quality. And you know what? The vinyl issue still sounds better. The vinyl version has a full audio spectrum, and the percussion doesn't break up (the ride cymbals sound excellent). Now, the CD version isn't quite as good, as the bass has too much presence, the midrange is harsher, and the percussion breaks up (again, the ride cymbals).

It's all about frequency response. Vinyl (as well as reel-to-reel tape) is virtually limitless in that respect, whereas digital audio is currently hard-limited to the 20hz - 22.1khz range. Note that along with this, CDs have 16-bit audio and a 44.1khz digital audio envelope, which cuts off evern more sound. DVD's are better, as they have 24-bit audio and a 192khz digital audio envelope, though that still cuts sound, making the recordings seem more "closed".

Do a test for yourself. Get a reel-to-reel tape and record your voice (I would say record your voice to a blank vinyl disc, but reel-to-reel is easier to find, though still kind of rare). Then, record your voice on your computer (if you have a professional grade sound card, which costs around $100). The reel-to-reel tape will sound better, as its frequency response is so much higher, and isn't limited by digital envelopes.

Keep in mind, there's a niche market specifically for analogue equipment, because it is that much better than digital equipment. Take a look at ClearAudio to see what some of the real high-end stuff is like.

Why would you buy a vinyl record anyway? I'd imagine that even in the best of cases the sound quality would be far inferior to a modern-day computerized recording. Honest query, not mocking.

Vinyl has a much wider response range, as it is storing the impressions made by actual sound waves, rather than data of the waves. That is the simplest way to put it. Vinyl may not be have a crystal clear sound (stylus noise) but it also has a much more authentic sound. So it all depends on what you're looking for.

Vinyl has a much wider response range, as it is storing the impressions made by actual sound waves, rather than data of the waves. That is the simplest way to put it. Vinyl may not be have a crystal clear sound (stylus noise) but it also has a much more authentic sound. So it all depends on what you're looking for.

Actually, that's not stylus noise that makes the hiss (unless you have a really cheap, poorly-crafted stylus). That's reel-to-reel tape bias, transferred to the vinyl disc in the pressing process.

Back in the late 1960's, some inventive record producers decided to use vinyl discs themselves as masterdisks. They found that the sound quality was actually even better, and the hiss was gone (though it was almost inaudible to begin with, anyway)! This process was more expensive, though, and the big labels didn't want to spend more money, so it became extinct.