Linn Sondek LP12 Support

My Vinyl Records

I am often asked what music I have on vinyl. Well, this is the third time in my life I am starting a vinyl collection. 1980-1988 was the time I was at university, bought my first decent hifi, and then gave in to the CD craze, and sold all my records, about 400 of them. 2004-2011 was the time I had a lot of vinyl, returning to the format in 2004. Then I left to live overseas for 14 years, and sold everything, about 600 titles, most forever out of print. I restarted in 2023 after finding a LP12 for an absolute bargain. I never planned to get back into vinyl. It just happened.

Initially I looked at vinyl fairs as a source for good music. While I found some gems, there were also a few mishaps. Few second-hand sellers seem to understand how grading works, and the last straw was when a "VG+/NM" was sold to me, and it was in such poor condition, even after going through a VPI scrub/suck cleaner as well as an ultrasonic, that I returned it to the seller, but still lost 600 bucks in the process. I vowed never to buy pre-owned vinyl again, unless I know the source of the record. VG+/NM to my mind means the cover will be OK, but the vinyl must be as good as new.

My Stereo System

My stereo system is quite basic. I have a Linn Sondek LP12, circa 1982 (the one on the main page of the website), with a Valhalla power supply and pre-Cirkus main bearing. I have no need for 45 rpm and while I am sure the highly specced 45 rpm versions must be excellent, I just do not want to get up every ten minutes (or less in some cases) just to turn over a record. The LP12 has a Ittok arm, with a Benz Micro SL Glider MC cartridge. This drives a little iFi Zen phono stage which really is way better than its price or shape suggests. I have a Valve Audio Predator stereo amplifier dating from 2007 and a pair of Bowers and Wilkins 703 loudspeakers which I purchased in 2005, connected with a pair of Ecosse MS 4.45 cables, biwired.

My upgrade path is simple. First, I want to get the Dewaudio Starmap and Startrail modifications, simply because I find it unacceptable that a supposedly high-end turntable such as a Linn Sondek should have such a flimsy bottom cover that does not in any way assist with ventilation for the power supply. The Valhalla board does heat up. Linn's old tin subchassis can also do with an upgrade. Second, I may get the Minos power supply from Valhalla Electronics in the UK. While it adds 45 rpm, using the same 33/45 type switch as the Lingo power supply, my reason for getting it is merely to get a more modern power supply. My Valhalla board was recapped in 2023 and it works well but it may serve in another LP12 side project. Lastly I guess I may need a new belt at some point.

What I show below is a collection I am slowly building up, with some comments.

Album Cover	Comments
	ABBA's Super Trouper was released at the end of their career, when things were going downhill for the group. This is a local pressing, and a title that I will definitely look at replacing with a decent copy soon. ABBA's music is much deeper than it appears, many of the songs filled with the bitterness of relationships breaking apart while still performing together. An interesting thing about Side 2 is that the runout groove in the deadwax contains sound as well, and you can hear the applause, part of the last track, continuing until you lift the arm. Unusual but nice.
	ABBA, Voulez Vous. Hey man, I grew up with ABBA in the house. This 1979 release is very disco oriented, but the music is top notch. My copy is knackered, but I saw a reissue the other day that I may just buy. I may be in the market for more of ABBA's titles.
	Billy Joel, 52nd Street, was one of my favourite LPs of the eighties. Back then I had a CBS Halfspeed Mastered Mastersound copy that sounded excellent at the time compared to the standard pressing (CBS import). Many years on, I managed to track down an Impex Records pressing which is said to be the best sounding version you are going to get of this title. It is also a special limited edition pressing, now out of print, and I have number 966 of 2500. I just love this album. Based on the music scene in New York in the late seventies, this is a jazz-oriented album. The intro song, Big Shot, starts off the album as a very sarcastic and accurate look at rich people of the time, spending their time in clubs, snorting cocaine, and living the high life. Boozing to excess in the evening, all they have left the next morning is a massive hangover. Joel would have seen this while playing in clubs himself. What follows is an unusual string of successive hits – Honesty, My Life, and Zanzibar. There is not much of a bad track in sight. The title song ends the album. It is short but emphasises the jazz mood set from the second cut. I have read some reviews that say this cut should not even have made it to the final production, but it sounds awesome and is a great way to run out a brilliant album. Absolutely worth every cent I paid for it. The pressing is absolutely outstanding. Quiet surfaces and not a single pop or tick to be heard could make you think you are listening to a CD, but the all-analogue warmth is clearly evident.
	Allison Moorer's Blood was a special import, handled by Echo's Record Bar. A mix of blues, pop, gospel, in a typical southern US style, Blood tells the story of singer Allison and her sister Shelby Lynne, dealing with the trauma of one parent killing the other, and then himself. The pressing was done on a budget. I believe Moorer deserves a contract with a company that can do her work justice and promote her much further than she is known at the moment. Nevertheless, it sounds good. The sleeve and artwork are simplistic but then more is not always better. If you have never heard of Allison Moorer, search for the theme music for the movie The Horse Whisperer, called A Soft Place to Fall. Also find the excellent track, Carrickfurgus, recorded as part of the BBC's The Transatlantic Sessions. Unbelievably good music by artists you may not have heard of – Jerry Douglas, a famous dobro player; Amos Lee; Alison Krauss; and more. The album ends with the beautiful song "Heal", a desperate plea for guidance and faith, even as an adult, as the trauma she endured so long ago is still with her.
	Die Briels, Op Trein na Pretoria. Afrikana at its best. My son found this at a vinyl fair and bought it for me on the spot, purely for the memories. I explained to him that we should see the Afrikaans music of those years in context. It is the same tear jerker as many American country songs.
	Cat Stevens, Foreigner. My son bought this for the stunning quality of the cover, and the embossed title. Side 1 has a factory flaw on it and no amount of cleaning will take care of it. It is a well-known problem with the pressing. I am not a huge Cat Stevens fan but can enjoy the artistic quality. Many of his songs were covered by others.
	Cat Stevens, Tea for the Tillerman. Have you ever bought a LP you should have bought years ago but never got around to it? Tea for the Tillerman is one such for me. Back in the eighties it was available from MFSL, today called MoFi, and I never thought of investigating it. My fondness for Cat Stevens actually came from artists who did covers of his music, such as Mathys Roets. My copy was bought brand new, a birthday present from my son. It is an Island EU reissue, 180 gram, and sounds fantastic.
	Cat Stevens, Teaser and the Firecat. Somehow this album should partner Tea for the Tillerman, but I am really having trouble settling down with it. It is just not on the same level. I have a local pressing, given to me by a friend, to test it out. I am not sure if I will spend money on a new copy. It has a few good songs, but not the depth of Tea for the Tillerman.
	Chris Jones, No Looking Back. You may not be familiar with this title unless you have heard of the German Stockfisch label. Chris Jones, who passed away in 2005, was their number one guitarist. Apart from his own album for Stockfisch, Roadhouses and Automobiles (45 rpm DMM), some of his older material was released by Stockfisch as a double CD, with Moonstruck and No Looking Back spanning two discs. The vinyl version is a classic and a true analogue recording. As with all the other Stockfisch titles, the presentation alone is worth the money. Each LP comes neatly packed in a paper sleeve with antistatic inner. A close look shows ample space between tracks and it just looks professional. These records are usually as flat as a pancake and a casual visual inspection shows this is something out of the ordinary.
	Coenie de Villiers, Kruispaaie. Bought this one new. Afrikaans music has tremendous depth, if you discount the rugby, brandewyn, and "en jy soen my nie meer nie" rubbish. De Villiers is one of the outstanding artists in South Africa and I often wonder what a really well-produced album such as Hart van Glas would be like on vinyl.
	Coenie de Villiers, Die Reisiger. How I wish his later stuff such as Hart van Glas and Emoji was available on vinyl. De Villiers' earlier work had a few songs that were politically inspired, but I ignore these. I enjoy the music for the fact that these titles will never be re-issued.
	Coenie de Villiers, Skoppensboer. I bought this one as it had never been opened. You do not often find a sealed record that is 35 years old. Do I like everything on the record? Not by a long margin but overall his music speaks to me. I had the pleasure of seeing him in Montecasino, with the show Karoo Nagte, and it was exceptional.
	Dave Brubeck, Time Out. Bought this one new online. No sooner did I get it, and I was blasted by some online "audiophiles" that I committed an unpardonable sin by purchasing a DOL pressing. According to them, this is the worst, the pressing was done from bad digital sources, pressed in East Europe, and so the ranting continues. You know what? Let them buzz off. This is a great sounding LP. I remember what previous pressings I had sounded like, and there is nothing wrong with this one. The gatefold sleeve is excellent, the vinyl is perfectly flat and centred, and there is little to no surface noise. Most of all, the music is just gorgeous. I have many other expensive records that do not sound nearly as good as this one. I get really annoyed with the attitude of so-called audiophiles that blast anything they consider less than their super expensive pressings. How about we start listening to the music and leave others to enjoy what they were able to get and can afford. My take on comparing different pressings is this: If you happen to have two different pressings of the same title (quite possible), and if you have two identical turntables, cartridges, and phono stages (unlikely) and you can compare the two pressings side by side so that each is a reference point for the other, then you can say one is better than the other. However, if you are listening to one copy only, you are not really going to pick out which one you are playing, and it sounds merely like music, as it should.
	David Gilmour, On an Island. To me this is one of Gilmour's best solo efforts. The album cover sets the tone for what is to follow. Gilmour was able to maintain a solo career while still with Pink Floyd, although with their later work, the last album being Endless River, the lines between the individual and the group are blurred. For much of their later work, David Gilmour was the Pink Floyd sound. Thankfully by this time it had been years since Roger Waters left the group. This is a UK pressing and sounds superb. A small thing though – the gatefold jacket is larger than the standard, and your outer sleeve needs to be large enough to accommodate it. Nevertheless, the gatefold sleeve is superb. It is also very thick. One thing I have found it that it is difficult to get the LP in and out of the gatefold sleeve. This is one well-protected LP! That many of the songs were written or co-written by Gilmour's wife Polly Sampson may irk some, I see no problem here. Will I purchase the other Gilmour albums? Probably the new Luck and Strange. There are certain albums that I have on CD, and they are just fine. This one however, deserves to be in the vinyl format even if only for the fabulous presentation.
	Diana Krall's The Girl in the Other Room ranks up there as one of the best titles I own. I love the intro, and years ago I bought my first copy based simply on the first song. What a pleasure this album has turned out to be. Spread over four sides, this is an album in a new direction, no doubt heavily influenced by Krall's husband, Elvis Costello. There is nothing wrong taking a new path. There are some darker elements and no doubt the moody tone of Departure Bay is the highlight of the album. I fondly remember the late Heinz Zazek, who would let us sit in his demo room with the huge Magnaplanars and Clearaudio turntable, lights and air conditioner off, and we would be carried away by the haunting piano work on this song. I tracked down this item for a reasonable price locally and it is an anchor in my collection. One gripe I have with the sleeve is that, the same as the release of 2004, the double album is forced into a single cover. How much better the presentation would have been, had it been presented in a double gatefold, with one LP in each side.
	Dire Straits, Brothers in Arms. I was doing my national service in 1985 when this album was released. I bought a tape copy on a visit to town, and my buddies in the bungalow were just simply blown away. The tape did not last long before it was completely worn out from being played by so many, so often. After I bought the LP12 in 2023, this was my first LP, given to me by a friend so that I could at least hear what the turntable sounded like. It is a local pressing but it sounds good. I will probably get a better copy at some point but I have no need for the 45 rpm edition on two discs.
	Dire Straits, Love Over Gold. I have owned four copies spanning 40 years. Got a pre-owned one in 2023 and promptly ruined it while attempting a clean. Had to fork out lots of money for a new one, a 180 gram remaster. It has not lost any of its appeal and Side 1 with Telegraph Road and Private Investigations certainly stand out. I play this when it is really quiet in the house and I can turn up the volume just a little bit more and enjoy a spectacular sonic presentation.
	Donald Fagen, The Nightfly. A 1982 Warner pressing from the USA, this copy sounds unbelievable for one that is already 43 years old. Mastered by Robert Ludwig, this was also one of the first titles to be digitally recorded. For me there is a close resemblance between The Nightfly and Gaucho. I have no problem with digital steps finding their way to vinyl. There is no way we can eliminate digital steps, and there is no need to. I have had three copies, one a Japanese pressing, and this one, R200.00 at a vinyl fair, is way above the Japanese pressing in terms of presentation. It is certainly one of my most treasured LPs and a fitting transition from his Steely Dan career after Gaucho and the start of a solo journey. There are so many good tracks that it is difficult to single out any, but Ruby Baby just has so much punch, you want to turn up the volume even more. The New Frontier's theme is similar to that of a 1962 poem, Your Attention Please, by Peter Porter. Fagen lives the dream of a young man in the eastern United States, with visions of a great future, but with thoughts of the Russians pushing the button on the US. The Hunt for Red October, the 1991 movie, portrays this very well. Today, Fagen is much older and his last two albums have moved on from the youthful innocence of The Nightfly, to one of acceptance with the reality of old age, depicted on the cover of one of his last albums, Morph the Cat.
	The Everly Brothers, The Very Best of. Bought this while waiting for some records to be professionally cleaned. Excellent Warner Brothers copy pressed in Germany. Classic stuff and contains all of their hits. Makes for really relaxed listening. I will definitely get the cover done by Norah Jones and Billy Joe, Foreverly.
	Frankie Lane, Greatest Hits. I grew up with this music. My copy is battered, but it is an important part of the collection. It takes me back to the sixties and seventies when we watched home movies on 8 and 16 mm and my father would take out two at a time, one shorts and the other a feature film. Many were westerns.
	Friends of Carlotta, Live in Studio is not only a D2D (Direct to Disc) recording but also uses DMM (Direct Metal Mastering) done by Gunther Pauler who is also responsible for the sublime sound quality of Stockfisch Records, together with Clearaudio. Originally issued by B&W as a CD with a run of only 2000 copies released, the vinyl version was produced from the original master tape. This was a must-have when I saw it and it sounds phenomenal. There is virtually no surface noise, unless you crank up the volume way above what is necessary. There are only eight tracks, all covers of popular songs, and it is great for demonstrations. Clearaudio did a sterling job with this. Definitely recommended if you can get hold of it. Track listing: How deep is your love (Gibb) Hello (Richie) Nothing ever happens (Currie) Fever (Davenport/Coley) In the air tonight (Collins) Ain't no sunshine (Withers) Walkin' in Memphis (Cohn) Time after time (Lauper/Hyman)
	George Benson's Breezin' is an MFSL title I picked up for a mere R70.00 and it sounds fantastic. Those first MFSL pressings were not always the best, but this one is not one of them. It is a gem. The sleeve needed a bit of TLC and the original inserts are long gone, but I had many of these in the past, so I know the technical details. My musical tastes have changed somewhat over the years. I do not want to have to sit down and meticulously absorb every little detail a record offers. Sometimes, like with George Benson and Gino Vanelli, I just want something I can enjoy in the background.
	Gino Vanelli, Powerful People. I had always known about Gino Vanelli and then one day I stumbled upon an absolutely mint copy of the Mobile Fidelity Soundlab release. It was way too cheap not to take it. The cover needed some work, but the vinyl is perfect, almost unplayed. I like restoring covers that have seen better days, and after a bit of TLC, and a black and red permanent marker, it looks as good as it can get. This is the sort of music I am into lately – something calm and relaxing that I can enjoy without thinking. These MFSL pressings are now over forty years old and finding this one was just great. It is also quite a short album, some 31 minutes. Technically the LP is virtually new. There is no surface noise between tracks and maybe this is because of the "super vinyl" that was used at the time when these pressings were almost translucent. Before I bought it, I read a review and someone mentioned the awesome dynamics. Well, that was no lie. This LP sounds just great and many more modern pressings I own do not sound nearly as good. It still has all of the original paperwork – the still folder to protect the record, the list of titles as of November 1980, and a certificate of authentication. This is definitely a prized addition to my collection.
	The Greater Good is a collaboration of two of Stockfisch Records' artists Eugene Ruffolo and Dennis Colen, and Shane Alexander. Together they form a formidable team. This is a brand new 180 gram DMM, expertly mastered and pressed. Stockfisch's catalogue may not be to everyone's liking, but then it opens new horizons. I have the CD too and it sounds fantastic. Just listen to It's a Looking Fine on Side 2. Clearly all the links in the chain – recording, mastering, cutting, plating, and pressing – are of an extremely high quality.
	Jean-Michel Jarre is an exponent in electronic music and The Concerts in China was my first introduction to this artist. Back in the early eighties we here in South Africa did not know much about China and for the most part China hid itself from the rest of the world. I have a German Polydor pressing which I picked up for next-to-nothing at a secondhand vinyl store. It sounds sublime and on first inspection it did not look like it had been played at all. This is a real gem and one I had wanted for a long time. I spent a bit of time removing some superficial blemishes on the cover, and a red permanent marker did the job just fine. You have to look really close to see that this is not a new purchase. The opening sequence is just amazing. Recorded in Peking (Beijing today), Overture starts the album in a spectacular way. The crowd's applause is initially almost amusingly underwhelming, as one could expect from a society closed off from the rest of the world. What were they to make of these strange sounds? Once the music starts, the crowd warms up to the strange electronic sounds. Side 3 and 4 were recorded in Shangai, and while the music is well-known Jarre works, I really enjoy the background sounds and scenes from typical life in China. Excellent collaboration with local artists allows more traditional music to get an electronic spin, enjoyed by the audiences. All in all, a treasured part of my collection.
	JJ Cale, Troubadour. If ever there was a musician that deserved way more credit than he got, it must be JJ Cale. Many probably know him only for Cocaine or City Girls. In many cases Cale's music was made popular by Eric Clapton. This is my first-ever JJ Cale album and I intend to buy more of them. His collaboration with Clapton on The Road to Escondido in 2006 showcases the musical brilliance of both. This 180 gram EU/German pressing by Mercury Records is superb and it shows again that good vinyl as as important as a good turntable. A good turntable is hardly going to make up for a bad pressing. I am not saying we should all go out and buy the most expensive pressings, just that we should find out about a particular pressing before buying it. If your budget allows, get the pressing you can afford. Keep your fingers away from the surface of the record and it will serve you well for many years.
	Kim Carnes, Mistaken Identity, international alternative cover. I think I have outgrown this. Bought it from a vinyl fair and the EMI Germany pressing is in mint condition, but it just does not appeal to me anymore. Wish I could find a buyer for it.
	Koos du Plessis, As almal ver is. Koos Dup influenced many artists following him. Some of the local pressings were not done too well, but there are exceptions. This one was in the garage for many years until I took it out last year when I restarted my vinyl collection. While I am not really a fan of his voice, like Leonard Cohen, the lyrics are brilliant. Many other artists have done covers of his work. Mathys Roets does this artist justice and Theuns Jordaan's rendition of Koue Vuur is one of those recognisable Koos Dup songs that leave you moved.
	Koos du Plessis, Skadu's Teen die Muur. It belongs to my wife, and to get her to listen to my music with me, its inclusion is vital. It is a classic in terms of Afrikaans music. Again, I feel there are others that covered his songs better, but that is merely my opinion. Mathys Roets is an example of an artist who covered Du Plessis and Leonard Cohen with great success.
	Leonard Cohen, Songs from a Room. Beaten, and probably one of the oldest records I own. I had it cleaned with an ultrasonic machine, but years of wear on the record have left their mark.
	Leonard Cohen, Various Positions. Classic Cohen. I still think some artists did a better job than the original (Mathys Roets' covers in English, and Koos Van Der Merwe's Afrikaans translation are excellent examples), but it takes nothing away from the magic of a gifted sing writer. I got this from a friend, a UK CBS pressing, in great condition. It can do with a scrub and suck or ultrasonic clean, but it is not urgent.
	Lincoln Mayorga and Amanda McBroom, Growing Up in Hollywood Town is a Sheffield Lab Direct to Disc recording from 1980 and a true "audiophile" record, as much as I hate the term. Got this one as a box edition with all of its liner notes for R120.00 from the secondhand store that has since ceased to trade. Those Sheffield Lab pressings were ultra thin with not much music on each side, but this is what makes it sound so good. I also have Thelma Houstom, I've got the music in me, the original take, and not the Treasury Series that came out later, as well as Michael Newman's Italian Pleasures. There are many highlights on this recording. The Rose is a standout, and Mayorga's dynamic piano and low bass make it feel they are recording the music right here in your room. In order to give vocalists a chance to catch their breath between songs, each vocal is separated by an instrumental before the next song starts. What I like about these recordings is that anything that happens in the studio is recorded – feet tapping, sheet music turned over, chairs moving. This just makes it so real. Ending Side 1, Dusk is a stunner and you can hear movement in the studio, probably a slight move of a chair. Side 2 starts with the title song, Growing Up in Hollywood Town. I like the catch phrase "Don't call us, we'll call you". It still works like that today.
	Manhattan Transfer, Live. What a great find, and one that I took without thinking twice. Had the title many years ago. Some rhythm and blues, swing, jazz, and a brass band for a great live performance recorded in 1978 three different locations, this is really easy listening. There is plenty to get excited about. Java Jive, Chanson d'Amour and Cuentame are well-known melodies. With these old MFSL records we know that it was all analogue. I have nothing against digital processing though. Music is music and we should enjoy it for what it is, not the format it is presented in. The thing is just that with every passing year these pressings become older, the master tapes deteriorate, and so the first pressings will probably be the best versions of these recordings. If you can lay our hands on these older pressings, grab them. I have been lucky to find two excellent sounding MFSL LPs in a short space of time.
	Michael Card, Present Reality. Got this at a vinyl fair and it shows that Christian/Gospel music can be well-recorded and pressed equally well. It just sounds phenomenal, putting many of my "high quality" stuff to shame. It has become my go-to demo LP for visitors. Just listen to the incredible but controlled bass on "That's What Faith Must Be" on Side 1. It is pressed on thin 120 gram vinyl but man, this just sounds super. It cost me only R70.00. The album ends with "Flesh of His Flesh", reminding us about the closeness of our relationship with Jesus Christ. I would be great to find some of Card's other albums on vinyl. The Ancient Faith Trilogy comes to mind, but it would have been very expensive to produce, requiring four sides or more, and replicating the artwork as found on the box set CD which I have, would have been some undertaking.
	Michael Card, Scandalon. I bought this along with Present Reality and it sounds equally good, with the same dynamics. Awesome stuff. Christian music deserves to be available on as many formats as possible, spreading the good news of salvation to as many people as possible.
	Michael Newman, Italian Pleasures. An absolute classic D2D (Direct to Disc) recording by Sheffield Lab. I bought this pre-owned online without seeing or hearing it first, but I trusted the seller. Sheffield Lab's direct to disc recordings have always been stellar. I also have Thelma Houston's I've got the music in me and Lincoln Mayorga's collaboration with Amanda McBroom, Growing up in Hollywood Town. This is how music should sound. Newman is a fantastic guitarist and this album brings to life an older style of music not too many of us would be familiar with. Now the hunt is on for the other two Sheffield Lab recordings Newman did, Classical Guitarist and Guitar Pleasures.
	Norah Jones, Feels Like Home, A great record, one I had as a 200 gram Classic Records pressing back in the day. Bought this 180 gram pressing from Echos Record Bar. For me the first two albums were outstanding, and I really must buy Come Away With Me again. Her later work deviated somewhat from the innocence of the first two albums.
	Pink Floyd, Dark Side of the Moon. I bought this sealed in 2024, a 2003 30th Anniversary remaster, probably the best sounding version of the title ever on vinyl. It was expensive but it is worth every cent. It is one of those seminal albums that just goes beyond anything else. I enjoy the quality of the sleeve and accompanying artwork. Taking out the posters when I received it took me back to 1981 when a friend and I begged and then borrowed money from his mother to purchase "our" copy of Dark Side of the Moon on MFSL's original master recording series. It cost us R56.00 back then when standard imported LPs cost about R16.00 but translated to today it would be about R1545.00, an absolute fortune. I inherited it from him later. This is a sort of album where you cannot really isolate one song and call it a single. The entire album functions as a unit. I have a thing for vinyl records with black covers. Over the years I have owned a few, DSOTM being one, and then others such as The Police's Ghost in the Machine, Sara K's Water Falls, Friends of Carlotta's Live in Studio and Michael Newman's Italian Pleasures. The simplicity of the DSOTM cover is about as recognisable as the corporate logos of Apple, Nike, and the like. I have an audiophile dog, and he pays attention when this album plays. I renamed it to Dog Side of the Moon.
	Pink Floyd, Meddle. Fearless, on Side 1, and Echoes, the whole of Side 2, are the two outstanding tracks on this early Floyd work. I wish there could be a combination of Atom Heart Mother (Side 1) and Meddle's Echoes (Side 2) that would give you 46 minutes of some of Pink Floyd's best work on a single album.
	Pink Floyd, The Wall. This is a 1979 original CBS USA issue. It is absolutely mint and when I got it pre-owned in 2024, the clingwrap had not yet been taken off. I was the first one to open the gatefold since its purchase about 43 years ago. It is a standard pressing and it sounds sublime. There is the odd pop and click, and a small scratch, but these are masked by the amazing dynamics this LP has. I played it for visiting friends who had never heard vinyl before, and they were absolutely stunned. I am not sure if there are other versions that will sound better, but this one is just superb. My copy does not have the title printed on the cover but is on a sticker on the plastic wrapping. For me, Side 3 is easily the best part of the album, especially with Hey You and Comfortably Numb. Maybe it is because I do not like Roger Waters, but he really overcooks things sometimes with the permanent references to his father, a WW2 pilot. Aeroplanes and crashes are a recurring theme, from Dark Side of the Moon, The Wall, and The Final Cut. This then carries over to The Final Cut. I really find Water's public statements annoying. Maybe the time will come that I will purchase a new copy, simply to not hear an annoying scratch that lasts for about three or four rotations. As someone said the other day, a scratch will always appear on the quieter sections of a record. Yet another law of Murphy.
	Pink Floyd, Wish You Were Here, Pink Floyd. I own two copies. One is a 1975 CBS USA original, still in shrink wrap and with a promo sticker. My newest acquisition is a 2011 remaster, done by Bernie Grundman, and pressed in the UK. It comes with the original posters and more, and in the original black outer sleeve with promo stickers on the front and back. It sounds sublime but beware: if you buy the 2011 edition new, the LP is in a very tight and thick paper inner. I struggled to get mine out and in the process it was scratched, although this could also have happened when it was packaged in the factory. This is an example of an album that should be in a gatefold cover, like Dark Side of the Moon, one sleeve for the record and the other for the artwork. The quality of the pressing is unparalled. All UK/EU Harvest pressings show the original photo, with the burning man leaning forward, whereas the American CBS pressing's artwork shows him standing upright. I love the way the album winds down towards the end, on Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts VI–IX). It sounds like the pace is slowing down, but at the same time, the timing does not. Definitely very close to The Dark Side of the Moon and probably my favourite Pink Floyd album.
	Paul O'Brien, Long May You Sing. Paul O'Brien has done three albums for the Stockfisch label, Walk Back Home (CD/SACD); a 45 rpm high resolution vinyl version with four or five songs that has been out of print for a long time; and Long May You Sing (CD/SACD and 180 gram DMM vinyl). A great list of songs by Canadian artists, O'Brien does not falter in his rendition of any of them. While it would not be possible to fit all the songs on the CD/SACD version on a single 33 rpm vinyl pressing, the most important ones are there. O'Brien is a great story teller. Just listen to Cold Missouri Waters, a tribute to an actual event of fire fighters dying trying to put out forest fires. I have also never appreciated Joni Mitchell's Big Yellow Taxi more than with the way O'Brien sings it. Sonny's Dream is a powerful way to end the album. This is a phenomenal collection of music, the pressing is top notch and super quiet, and it is completely out of print, but you may still find copies at Acoustic Sounds. You may have to fork out a lot of money for it but it is worth every cent.
	Roger Whittaker, Live with Saffron, was a record my parents played often. To this day for me it is one of the outstanding live recordings with lots of interaction with the crowd. A double LP, I would love to get a new copy if any were available. This is lively and enjoyable recording with lots of audience interaction. It is not meant to be listened to in silence and it is not an "audiophile" type album. Just listen to an artist with an exceptional voice, the ability to whistle, and to let the audience make fools of themselves trying the same.
	Roger Whittaker, Collection. A five-disc Readers Digest set, covering most of his work. I am not going to play this every day, but it is a welcome addition which was given to me by someone who needed the space in his collection. Most of the records have never been played.
	Sara K, Water Falls. Someone lent me a copy of this album in 2005 and the rest was history. This is easily the best ever example of direct metal mastering (DMM) as done by Stockfisch Records in Germany. It was out of print for a few years but was recently made available again. Spread over four sides, Sara K's weird style guitar playing, together with the awesome guitar skills of Chris Jones, make this a must-have. Of course, spanning a standard length LP over four sides means I have to get up every few minutes to flip over a disk or change it. I sometimes forget I am not listening to the CD where I can listen to the entire album in one take. By the way, Stockfisch's ability to produce high quality CD/SACD recordings is absolutely above anything I have heard before. That their catalogue of artists is not commonly known puts off some, when it shouldn't. It is a good way to expand your horizons. If there is one wish I have, it is that Stockfisch Records will release Sarak K's later album, Hell or High Water, on vinyl as well. I have both CD/SACD and XRCD and the recording is truly phenomenal. It will do the vinyl format proud. Water Falls probably represents the best of what the Stockfisch catalogue can offer. The bass is unbelievable without ever becoming muddy and the entire presentation is first class.
	Sky, 2. A classic record of classical music, with a modern spin, at least when it was released. This is just nice music to relax to. As an ex-drummer in a military style, I appreciate the offbeat and alternating beats used on Fifi, the first track on Side 2. It cost me only R90.00, an Ariola pressing from Germany.
	Steely Dan's Gaucho has been a favourite of mine for some 42 years. I recently found this 180 gram gem, remastered by Bernie Grundman. Not a pop or tick to be heard, and the presentation is simple but effective. Done by Geffen/UME in 2023. A deviation from something like Aja, it took a long time, and a lot of money for the time, to produce. Fagen and Becker were simply pushing for the best possible production, and they delivered. The pressing is absolutely sublime and easily ranks close to the top of the list of my collection. This is why purchasing new vinyl makes so much sense, especially if care was taken in the mastering, plating, and pressing process. This made me decide that unless I absolutely know who owned a vinyl record before me, and I can trust them, I will not buy pre-owned records again. Much as I would like to get Aja, for me it is not a patch on Gaucho.
	Stevie Wonder, Original Musiquarium 1. Easily the best first 20 minutes of funk/soul ever. Side 1 is a treat, explaining life as a black man in the USA, and serving in Vietnam. Thought provoking – "Now I'm standing at the back of the line when it comes to getting ahead." America never learnt anything from Vietnam. Even today, those who went to the Gulf Wars have all been but forgotten. I love all four sides of this incredible album.
	Thelma Houston, I've got the music in me. This is already my second copy of this classic Sheffield Lab Direct to Disc recording. It is the original, made from the original stampers after the studio recording, not the Treasury version that came out later made from the tapes recorded during the session. You can hear everything going on in the studio during the recording. Nothing is filtered. This is how music should be. I found it at a second hand record store for R120.00. Easily one of the most sought-after D2D pressings of all time.
	Theuns Jordaan, Roeper. One of only two Theuns Jordaan albums on vinyl I know of, the other being Tribute to the Poets. Apparently pressed in the EU, this one cost me R400.00, pre-owned. Great pressing and excellent music. I had to use, of all things, COVID sanitation gel to remove pen markings from the cover to get it looking like new again. I had the pleasure of attending one of his shows a few years ago. We lost a true gentleman the day Theuns passed away. If you have ever listened to Jordaan's music, on this album "Net Voor die Storm Kom" stands out because it was a commercial hit. But just listen to the last song, Bloutrein. It was written long before his death but somehow sounds like his swansong. I am still trying to find out where the record was pressed. Some say it was done in the EU, but this could be anywhere in Europe. Nothing is visible in the deadwax. Nevertheless, if it was actually done in South Africa, then kudos for the pressing plant here.
	The Travelling Wilbury's Volume 1. I bought on a whim after hearing it played at a vinyl fair. This is great music. It does not require intense listening and is just nice to enjoy. A local Warner Brothers pressing, there is nothing wrong with it. Not sure if it warrants a new copy, but I must look out for its successor.
	The Sweet, Biggest Hits. I just loved the seventies, school, and garage parties on a Friday evening. The Sweet formed good a part of the music we played. This was classic bubble gum rock, and I enjoy it to this day. It certainly beats the AI-generated junk we get nowadays under the guise of music. My German RCA copy is at the end of its life, and it is time to source a new one.
	Willie Nelson, Stardust, Columbia Halfspeed Mastered audiophile pressing. Some of these pressings sounded great, others not so much. I got this one for only R200.00, in absolute mint condition. Why did I never discover this awesome collection of songs back in the eighties? Maybe I was not ready for it back then. Now I appreciate the laid back style so much more.