Wow Gary, that seems almost fraudulent on the behalf of QRP. They are advertising this LP as a 200 gram pressing!
Ultimate Cat Stevens
- Thread starter Ki Choi
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Wow Gary, that seems almost fraudulent on the behalf of QRP. They are advertising this LP as a 200 gram pressing!
I am very satisfied and impressed with my UK all-pink label pressing. Voice of Cat is one of the best male vocals I've heard on a record, and the instruments are fantastic. Full bodied as well, and the soundstage is topnotch. Again one of the best I've heard from a studio recording. Very involving. It is interesting that HP picked this album as one of his Golden Dozen LPs in the June/July 2007 issue of TAS but he did not mention if his desired copy was the UK all-pink or the pink-rim pressing. He just said that the UK imports were 'more luscious' than the A&M USA issue. Anybody knows which copy he had? Myles?
Phil, Have you heard the new QRP re-issue? I own the all pink and the pink-rim UK pressings, they are IMHO both superior across the board to the QRP
. OTOH, I don't really think of them as some of the great recordings in my collection. Oddly enough, I own several original Vertigo UK pressings of Black Sabbath and Uriah Heep that are far more impressive in the realm of creating the sound of real guitars ,etc. None of these LP's are considered as highly as the Island UK pressings of Tea...
Phil, Have you heard the new QRP re-issue? I own the all pink and the pink-rim UK pressings, they are IMHO both superior across the board to the QRP
Hi Davey,
No, I haven't heard the new QRP re-issue, and judging from the comments here, I am not inclined to order one till I hear good results from a friend around town. I feel I have to crank up the all-pink level to it's max point, which is a notch or 2 beyond my normal 12 o'clock to make it sound best, and also, HP talks about using this LP to play around with the VTA settings for best effect. Maybe it's just me, but since I grew up with my first strumming lessons playing 'Father and Son', that cut gives me great enjoyment among all the songs but still, the other cuts sound pretty consistent. On my Maggies, the soundstage is filled up with everybody playing music. And just to add, HP mentioned that Cat Stevens once used Magnepans to check his recording sessions, so maybe they really sound special on Maggies.
Here's the link to HP's thoughts on this album:
http://www.my-hiend.com/leoyeh/200710/tas172-hp-lp.pdf
Well, I guess I'll just stand pat with my 2 early pressings and leave it at that. FWIW, I have the reissue 2 lp 45rpm Fleetwood Mac and am very much underwhelmed by it. It's not bad in any real way, it's just not as advertised. I don't think it sounds any better than my original pressing which is unfortunately a bit noisy and slightly scratched. (Too much drunken partying back in those heady days of youthful indescretion)
Well I know that Myles has not been too happy with Tom Port and Better Records, but here is a Hot Stamper that is being offered; I know it is quite expensive:
http://www.dccblowout.com/product.aspx?pf_id=steveteafo_0911
I have purchased quite a number of Hot Stampers from Tom including Teaser and the Fire Cat and it and they are superb, but expensive.
Rich
Sorry, can't help you on this one
No problem, Myles. Maybe we should invite HP to join What's Best and say a few words.
I listened again to the QRP Tea LP again today. This time I had extensively cleaned it on my VPI cleaner.
Unfortunately, my initial impressions of this pressing are still the same.
The whole LP has a hard ss sound that is akin to glare. If one hadn't heard significantly better pressings, then it may initially impress, but after several listens, this would become annoying.
I then played my MFSL I Robot Lp, this was just in a different league and SMOKES the Tea Lp....
Chad needs to listen to this LP and see what a 70's LP can actually sound like.
Unfortunately, my initial impressions of this pressing are still the same.
The whole LP has a hard ss sound that is akin to glare. If one hadn't heard significantly better pressings, then it may initially impress, but after several listens, this would become annoying.
I then played my MFSL I Robot Lp, this was just in a different league and SMOKES the Tea Lp....
Chad needs to listen to this LP and see what a 70's LP can actually sound like.
Am currently listening to my newly delivered release of this album. Well, compared to previous cd releases and a euro lp reissue, this ones a lot better. At least there's body behind the voice. Unfortunately I don't have and have never heard any of those original pink island pressings so I have no basis of comparison. Regarding that glare in cat's voice, it is indeed present specially when he hits the higher notes. Philip I can't wait to do a comparison with your original pink island issue.
George Marino speaks about this reissue: "I think we've gotten something quite a bit better than what was originally issued. I think this version is much more representative of what was on the tape. And thats not a criticism of what was originally done."
I'll make it a point to bring my pink island when I'm in your area, Gerry. I'd like to find out too.
Hi jadis!
HP listed "Tea For The Tillerman" in The Absolute Sound' Volume 1 #3 Fall 1973 issue. It's most likely that he had a solid pink Island label. I can't say when the first label change to the pink rim label occured. HP claims that "one can tell what kind of picks the guitarists are using"
Hi Leslie,
Thanks for the bit of info. I can imagine the details coming out from a high resolution and full range system. My pink copy has to be played at higher than average volumes to achieve its potential. I'm eager to bring this to Jack's or Dafos' place.
Listened to my solid pink label just now and I must say I do not hear 'glare' in Cat's voice although there is a bit of sibilants in the recording which at worse it not that bothersome to me and at best, by lowering the VTA a bit, can tame it to almost nil. Going back to HP's comment about playing around the VTA on this LP, I chose to use Father and Son as basis to set my VTA at the 12 o'clock mark in my ET2 arm. That setting makes my Rosewood's base parallel to the record surface. Next, I listened by lowering it to the 2 o'clock level wherein the tail of the Rosewood is a little lower than the front. Very slightly though. But the sonic differences can be heard. At the 12 o'clock setting, the sibilants can fly around and the images in the stage are a bit 'wild'. Cat's voice is higher than eye level and the drums are a bit bloated with other instruments wrapped around the entire stage in a cluttered manner. Lowering the VTA at the 2 o'clock area, and the sibilants are greatly reduced and the images are placed in better perspective in the stage. Everything is more evenly spread and the height of Cat's voice is not overblown, and so are the drums. At around 3/4ths of the cut, where the crescendos go high, this is where the magnificence of this setting becomes apparent. Hard to describe it, but I just feel it. The impact of the drums, bass, merging with the vocal harmonies and guitars is just fantastic. I want to play it again but I recall one thread wherein it was mentioned not to play a cut repeatedly as heat is present, thereby risking groove wear. I've waited years for a near mint playing copy so I will just be good to it.
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Talking about the ultimate Cat Stevens, I'd like to point out that aside from the various re-issues that have come about till today, there are at least 3 UK pressings: The solid pink label (first pressing):
The Pink Rim label (2nd):
And the 3rd (Rainbow Rim):
This 3rd pressing has this indicated at the back of the jacket's lower
right hand corner so we know it's really a UK pressing.
I only have the 1st and 3rd right now, and I shall make comparisons of the Father and Son track, plus I just recall I also have the Cat Stevens Greatest Hits which was remastered on Half Speed by A&M in Canada. It also contains Father and Son, so I hope to compare these 3 pressings soon.
The Pink Rim label (2nd):
And the 3rd (Rainbow Rim):
This 3rd pressing has this indicated at the back of the jacket's lower
right hand corner so we know it's really a UK pressing.
I only have the 1st and 3rd right now, and I shall make comparisons of the Father and Son track, plus I just recall I also have the Cat Stevens Greatest Hits which was remastered on Half Speed by A&M in Canada. It also contains Father and Son, so I hope to compare these 3 pressings soon.
Just listened to 'Father and Son' 3 times.
1.UK Rainbow Rim pressing - There was a time when I really liked this pressing. That was when this was my only pressing of Tea for the Tillerman. Of these 3 pressings, the overall sound here is subdued and a lot of detail missing. You cannot hear the 'pick' of the guitar here. Probably just a semblance. Everything on the stage sounds anemic is there is not much bass. Cat's voice is just like a ghost of himself. I cannot use the words 'glare' or 'nasty' here. It's just too polite.
2. Half Speed Audiophile Canadian pressing - This is better than the Rainbow overall. But 'thin' when compared to the solid Pink label. The 'pick' is now noticeable on the strumming. There is bass but not much weight compared to the pink. There is a little sibilants that intrude into the music though not every often. Overall it's ok, that is, if I did not hear the Pink label.
3.Solid Pink Label UK - When I heard it again now, I got to appreciate it even more than yesterday as I did not compare it with the 2 others till today. Well, this is how a good recording should sound if you want all the parameters done well. Start with the 'pick', and it comes with full definition. I'm not into brands of picks but if HP could tell what brand it was, I believe him. It's that well defined. Cat's voice is solid and full bodied. You can hear him up to his chest. And probably his soul too. The bass is deeper, I imagine on a full range it would be staggering. Drums are fantastic. Each whack is full of energy. The harmonies come in as a duet with Cat and the entire stage is almost magically 3 dimensional, and it comes out of the box, even if the Maggies were not boxes. I'm eagerly awaiting dafos to visit and bring the QR re-issue for comparison. But as of now, I'm calling my birds in the UK to find me a second copy.
1.UK Rainbow Rim pressing - There was a time when I really liked this pressing. That was when this was my only pressing of Tea for the Tillerman. Of these 3 pressings, the overall sound here is subdued and a lot of detail missing. You cannot hear the 'pick' of the guitar here. Probably just a semblance. Everything on the stage sounds anemic is there is not much bass. Cat's voice is just like a ghost of himself. I cannot use the words 'glare' or 'nasty' here. It's just too polite.
2. Half Speed Audiophile Canadian pressing - This is better than the Rainbow overall. But 'thin' when compared to the solid Pink label. The 'pick' is now noticeable on the strumming. There is bass but not much weight compared to the pink. There is a little sibilants that intrude into the music though not every often. Overall it's ok, that is, if I did not hear the Pink label.
3.Solid Pink Label UK - When I heard it again now, I got to appreciate it even more than yesterday as I did not compare it with the 2 others till today. Well, this is how a good recording should sound if you want all the parameters done well. Start with the 'pick', and it comes with full definition. I'm not into brands of picks but if HP could tell what brand it was, I believe him. It's that well defined. Cat's voice is solid and full bodied. You can hear him up to his chest. And probably his soul too. The bass is deeper, I imagine on a full range it would be staggering. Drums are fantastic. Each whack is full of energy. The harmonies come in as a duet with Cat and the entire stage is almost magically 3 dimensional, and it comes out of the box, even if the Maggies were not boxes.
I'm eagerly awaiting dafos to visit and bring the QR re-issue for comparison. But as of now, I'm calling my birds in the UK to find me a second copy.The QR reissue is actually quite good especially to someone like me who does not have the original pink label. In the cuts where do the children play and wide world, Cats voice is as Philip described it, solid and full bodied. Guitar pics are clearly but very naturally presented. Its really only when Cat raises his voice to hit the higher notes does the sound get somewhat edgy and hard, but still very tolerable and in my opinion probably system dependent. Maybe the Koetsu that Jadis uses blunts some of this edge. I'll probably be at his place this weekend to compare the original with the reissue.
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