Mallette Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 (edited) Lots of discussion in the past couple of days about the Scout vs Aries. So, as soon as I got home today I had the urge to listen to my Scout/2M Black to see if it was as good as I thought. Flipping through my "special" discs I found the Audio Fidelity 1962 recording of "The Wonderful Belgian Band Organ." I put it on and was instantly in a grand old amusement park watching the carousel, brilliantly lit and shimmering as it spun and the horses dipped and swayed in the night. Incredible recording with a presence that has to be heard to be appreciated, a great example of that analog SOMETHING many of us just find better than the best digital. Wanted to write about it, but was too lazy to shoot a pix of the cover so I ran it. Rotten with hits. Paul Eakins collected a lot of these automatons and restored them. He had a tourist attraction called "*** 90's Village" (isn't that auto censor an affront to EVERYBODY!!!!) in Sikeston, MO until he sold his collection to Walt Disney World in the 70s. My guess is a LOT of people bought these LPs as souvenirs and never played them, as they are 6-9 bucks all over the internet in excellent condition. And one of the finest technical achievements I've ever heard in an LP pressing. This particular device was built in the late 19th century and has 418 pipes, bass drum, cymbal, snare drum, double castanets and 22 xylophone bars. Its effect is similar to that of a 60 piece orchestra. Well worth the price even if you don't like the music just as an incredible example of fine recording. Of course, I don't know how many runs were made or what others sound like but my copy is awesome. BTW, there are a number of later volumes available, and CD sell for 15 bucks. Bet they don't sound as good as this LP at 5 bucks! Dave Edited February 3, 2015 by Mallette Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 RCA red label recordings are fairly spectacular... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted February 3, 2015 Author Share Posted February 3, 2015 Yes, they are...but I didn't describe it well. This one is SPECIAL and as close to perfection as perhaps two or three other LPs I've ever heard. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 So I see one on EBEY, looks dusty but what I can see is not damage (fingers crossed); what'da think? http://www.ebay.com/itm/1962-The-Wonderful-Belgian-Band-Organ-Stereo-LP-Audio-Fidelity-AFSD-5975-/111505166323?pt=Music_on_Vinyl&hash=item19f639cff3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted February 4, 2015 Author Share Posted February 4, 2015 As Pogo the Possum said decades ago in the funnies "You pays yer dollar and takes yer choice..." Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eth2 Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 Hope there are a lot of those $5 great albums because that is all I can afford now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 Although not cheap here is one that I would suggest to any folk new (or not) to vinyl. http://www.discogs.com/Various-Thorens-125th-Anniversary-LP/release/2323296yl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 Now don't shoot but another album I find to be well recorded is Michael Jackson Thiller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muel Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 Although not cheap here is one that I would suggest to any folk new (or not) to vinyl. http://www.discogs.com/Various-Thorens-125th-Anniversary-LP/release/2323296yl. There are some good recordings on there! Worth buying the individual albums (or cds). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted February 4, 2015 Author Share Posted February 4, 2015 I have one other Audio Fidelity record, and it is wonderfully recorded. So, at least on that, I bet this one is too!. I probably wouldn't enjoy the music here though. Probably not many would. In my case it's a matter of mood. Seems everything was right for it yesterday and I sat and listened to an entire side with thoughts ranging from nostalgia for a period I never knew, to audio engineering and mastering, to the work of Paul Eakins restoring this thing and such and it was delightful. I have quite a few Audio Fidelity recordings. All are extremely well engineered 2 mike efforts, though some seem to have been in overly bright environments and tend to be a bit too "in your face." Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted February 4, 2015 Author Share Posted February 4, 2015 Now don't shoot but another album I find to be well recorded is Michael Jackson Thiller. Holding fire and would certainly give it a try, but my bet is I'd find it easier to get through a full side of Belgian Band Organ than Thriller... Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kent T Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 Many of the best sounding LP discs I own cost less than $1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebes Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 Many of the best sounding LP discs I own cost less than $1. Such as? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted February 5, 2015 Author Share Posted February 5, 2015 I'd have to dig around, but he is right. I've purchased of incredible pressings in the 50 cents to a few dollar range over the years. It's getting harder, though. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebes Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 He Dave, just trying to see if Kent had any great suggestions in mind for cheap albums. I'm always on the hunt for good music. Oh, the bulk of my collection cost less than a buck a piece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted February 6, 2015 Author Share Posted February 6, 2015 Well, the glory days of easy pickings are long past. In the mid-90s, I was living near Denton, TX, home of the second largest music school in the US. On one corner of the square downtown was (and is) Recycled Books and Records, two stories and half a city block of books and records. With the huge music faculty and students as well, the record collection grew rapidly as everyone went digital. Archiv, Telefunken, DGG, Living Presence...you name it, 50 cents and a dollar. I probably purchased 200 or more of my better records there during that period. However, Ron (Lonelobo) and I still occasionally go looking for that elusive lost recording of "No Longer Indian Summertime Blues" as he likes to call our hunts. The title is from a dream I detailed here that I had in 2005 or so that he remembers and still references. Without going into it in detail, I find a record by that title in the dream will digging through boxes in a junk store and am totally blow away is I recognize it as once in a lifetime find. I don't mind digging through the stacks of well worn wax, as you never know when you'll find a mint copy of "No Longer Indian Summertime Blues" in one. Dave 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 (edited) Recycled has discovered people will pay more. They had some P-Funk come in and were asking $40. I balked. I sometimes wish I had gone ahead and splurged since I never see the things anywhere anymore, but it is just against my nature, just like I won't pay $100 for a Japanese pressing of Meddle. Sometimes I think the recycled guy asks too much for the things he would rather take home. Edited February 7, 2015 by oldtimer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kent T Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Command LP discs are superb in popular and classical. Many great easy listening LP discs go for little money, some of the RCA Living Strings/Living Marimbas/Living Guitars albums are superb and go cheap. Liberty's Premier LP series with Felix Slatkin and Tommy Garrett's 50 Guitars are recommended. Lots of great classical LP discs in superb condition get dumped en mass for free or cheap. Many a fine DGG, Philips, Erato, Telefunken, and more goes for near nothing. Kapp made many fine records in the 1960's with Jack Jones, Roger Williams and many more. Just to name some fine and unsung bargains. Opening your mind and horizons gains you musical pleasure of a bygone, kinder, gentler era. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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