For Those Rolling Stones Completists!

[MylesBAstor]

[JCOConnell]

I thought I read somewhere that this is being released on Lp in addition to CD.

[Rob]

Last week John Rabe of NPR interviewed Teri Landi about this box set, she gives an insightful walk through of comparing the mono mixes vis a vis the stereo mix. it's an interesting discussion and piqued my interest with regards to this release. the provenance of the tape was confirmed to be the 'best' copy, unfortunately it did go through the proverbial meat grinder (digital processing) during the preservation process. open the link and go to the blue button that says "listen to this story"

http://www.scpr.org/programs/offramp...glorious-mono/

[MylesBAstor]

Yeah well lately that seems to be the rule.

[Bill Hart]

I think the DSD vinyl released a while ago for the Stones is pretty well regarded. I'm not a huge Stones fan, but have a compilation (Hot Rocks?) somewhere in the stacks that is DSD. I never compared it. I think the digital to vinyl stuff is getting better, particularly if the original recording are "iffy" to begin with. My experience with the Stones, at least for the peak Mick Taylor era stuff, is that none of those records are great sounding, e.g. Exile, Sticky Fingers. My best sounding copy is an early UK of Let it Bleed, but I haven't really spent the time to sort through myriad pressings, particularly of the early stuff.

[jazdoc]

You definitely want the unboxed Decca monos for early Stones recordings. They suffer because Andrew Loog Oldham had no idea what he was doing behind the control board but by the time you reach "Out of Our Heads", the sound of the original pressings is more than acceptable. Indeed, you haven't heard "Under My Thumb" until you've heard an original mono pressing. I hear no difference between the unboxed and boxed Decca stereo pressing for "Let It Bleed" and have never heard a mono version. The early stereo pressing of "Get Your Ya Yas Out" is revelatory and certainly a contender for greatest live album of all time.

The early recordings on RSR are another matter. I have a "Sonic" pressing of "Sticky Fingers" and it lives up to the hype. The hi rez digital of this record has a different mix, not better just different but the organic flow of the music is better served by the vinyl. The original Unipak pressings of "Exile" are amazing. This is actually a well recorded album but most people have only heard later pressings. I have mono and stereo first pressings of "Beggars Banquet"...the mono mix of SFTD is wayyy better than stereo but for the rest of the record, I prefer the stereo (which makes sense as the rest of the mono mixes are supposed to be fold downs).

Of the later RSR releases, "Goat's Head Soup", British pressings of "Some Girls" and "Tattoo You" are quite excellent sounding. "It's Only Rock n Roll" absolutely sucks and I've never been a big fan of the sonics on "Black and Blue". Best sonics are on "Emotional Rescue"...I use "Down in the Hole" as a demo track. Original pressings of "Stripped" are also outstanding for sonics and performance.

[Bill Hart]

Doc- how did you find out about the Sonic pressing of Sticky Fingers? The go-to for the Hoffmanites was the Monarch and a neighbor had picked up on the Sonic pressed ones--Sonic, was, as I recall, a small plant owned by Viewlex, which also owned Monarch. I have both for Sticky Fingers and the Sonic is better. On Exile, i have an old Artisan mastered copy, but don't remember where it was pressed. ( I think it is a first US pressing, but can't check deadwax right now). I don't know if that's the same as the Unipak you are referring to? The UK copy of Let it Bleed I have --boxed Decca as I recall, is probably the best sounding of the bunch, though admittedly, I don't have many of the early ones as UK pressings.

[jazdoc]

Bill-
The Unipak refers to the packaging, with both records in a single sleeve. Took me a year to find a Sonic pressing of "Sticky Fingers" but as you are aware, it's the real deal.

[JCOConnell]

I think the DSD vinyl released a while ago for the Stones is pretty well regarded. I'm not a huge Stones fan, but have a compilation (Hot Rocks?) somewhere in the stacks that is DSD. I never compared it. I think the digital to vinyl stuff is getting better, particularly if the original recording are "iffy" to begin with. My experience with the Stones, at least for the peak Mick Taylor era stuff, is that none of those records are great sounding, e.g. Exile, Sticky Fingers. My best sounding copy is an early UK of Let it Bleed, but I haven't really spent the time to sort through myriad pressings, particularly of the early stuff.

Well, this MONO box set covers the ABKCO years which is up to 1968 or so, so its pre Mick Taylor. and generally the recordings are cleaner except for maybe the very earliest stuff from '64-'65

[Bill Hart]

Thanks for that. You are up early...

[JCOConnell]

Best price I saw online so far was around $350 for the 16 LP box set, I don't think I will be getting it.

[Johnny Vinyl]

I'm only a marginal Stones fan, so I'm personally not interested. I have about 6-8 albums and that'll do me.

[mep]

I have the DSD? to vinyl LPs. They are clean in the way digital always sounds clean, but they sound like digital in a way that I don't associate with DSD. I have yet to hear a Stones LP that knocked my socks off sonically. They are all pretty meh in my experience.

[JCOConnell]

I once heard a Japanese pressing of Some Girls on a high end system that was stunningly good. That's a good stones record.

[Gusf]

I have it! I agree!

[tom_hankins]

My Stones mono box set got here today. Cleaning them, and will start listening tonight.

[tom_hankins]

Sure will. Hope they're decent.

[Metamatic]

For the price, one would hope so

[tom_hankins]

Unless you're a huge Stones fan (I'm not) I doubt they will be worth the money. The production is very good on the few I have listened to so far, for Stones records.. I like collecting records, and like good mono's a lot and I'm glad to own these.

[mkuller]

I'm not completist by any means but a big fan - I like their best stuff. So I pre-ordered their new album of blue's covers to be released on 12/2 and I'm looking forward to it. https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Lonesome...rolling+stones

Here's the story about it. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/fe...nesome-w450645

[Metamatic]

Picked up the box set from amazon france for 146 euros today. Cheapest price by far I have seen it.

Fingers crossed it ships.

[Johnny Vinyl]

I saw that deal as well. I've ordered from Amazon France before...you should have no issues. Personally I passed as I'm not a big enough Stones fan, but it's an awesome deal!

[Metamatic]

I figure I now have enough mono records to justify a mono cartridge. Incoming - I wonder whether the Stones box or the cartridge will arrive first?

[Metamatic]

The mono box arrived today.

WOW - I absolutely love it.


Packaging is first class and the flip top cover to open the box is the best I have seen.

All of them are in my fav, worlds best covers33 polylined cut corners paper sleeves.

The pressings are perfect to what I have seen and listened to so far. I am having a hard time believing that GZ media has pressed these - they are way better than anything I have seem them press before. They look more like Optimal pressings.


From the 3 albums I have played so far, they are the best I have heard these albums. As Fremer says - looks like these will be my go to copies.

[Johnny Vinyl]

Nice! Did you receive your AT Mono cartridge yet?

[Metamatic]

Not yey Johnny. Hopefully next week.

[JCOConnell]

How much did you pay for the set and where did you get it from?

[JCOConnell]

damn, that's a great deal. if I only had a little spare cash Id buy one too. But I already have two stereo boxes of the same era so maybe its overkill.

[Metamatic]

I have all the Stereo releases as well. These are a lot better sounding. Buy the mono box and sell one of the Stereo boxes.

[JCOConnell]

I have Rolling Stones - The Collection by Mobile Fidelity which includes some mono stuff as well as a mix of US and UK stereo LPs. I also have "The Rolling Stones Story"- on german decca labels which is a mix of mono and stereo Lps. BOTH Boxes sound excellent but I still love to have the new mono box to go along with both of these stereo boxes.