I live in Annapolis, MD, but my son is in Fort Collins as a CSU student. I was at Driver 8 on Saturday evening. Had a cool chat with Charles; great guy. (Tim, I bought the same JT album you just mentioned in another video, for $8; sounds better than the other two OGs I already owned). Charles: I want buy that Modern Lovers LP!

10 years I had an OG of that in my hands but also a Miles Davis CD box set that I was missing, it was a touch decision but Miles won out. What an amazing collection to have this album

I started collecting Big Star vinyl in the 90s before the prices went insane. You could find originals in NM condition for $20-$30. I was lucky to get several different original pressings (from different pressing plants). I have since picked up multiple reissues, including the Classic and Craft reissues, plus a reissue two-get from the UK in 1978 on EMI. All are fine sounding, but I keep returning to the originals. I think the extra magic in the originals is the mastering and cutting by Larry Nix. These are intentionally very bright-sounding records. From what I’ve read, he made EQ adjustments on the fly while cutting the lacquers. Part of this was to achieve the sound the band and producer John Fry (whose role also cannot be overlooked) wanted… but it was also necessary to keep the cutting head from overheating. They were definitely pushing the technology. Chris Bell also very vocal about how the first album sounded. The band was present when the lacquers were cut. In one humorous story, Chris tried etching a message into the deadwax of one cutting, only to accidentally ruin the lacquer. (There are cuts of #1 Record where he has etched “Prudence” into the wax, as it was the name of his cat.) If someone wants a Classic Records pressing but doesn’t want to pay the high prices, the Concord reissue from circa 2009 uses the same stampers, just on thinner vinyl. Some of those Concord copies also have the thick glossy jackets that Classic used. For any newer fans, I think the Craft versions are perfectly fine. They are analog cuts and sound excellent. (Avoid some of the more recent Concord and Four Men With Beards versions.) While I prefer the original versions, I could happily live with the Craft copies.

Wow Tim what a great video. I think you and Charles should definately do more videos like this featuring vinyl that catches your eye.Such a cool shop. Some great Jazz albums caught my eye. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers on the shelf behind you and Art Pepper in the tour of the shop. Well done guys! 👌

That was great really good to hear both sides of vinyl listening. You both would make a good business partnership loving what you do! Thank You

Augusta Ga. Here. Athens Home of REM and B52's. Awesome Video Tim!

I have the original pressing and I coerced Alex into signing the album. of course, he said to me, it's the ones I haven't signed that are the valuable ones. John Fry who started Ardent Studio was an audiophile recording engineer. He bought the finest studio recording console from England. I think this record sounds so pristine for the era. But the recording is very raw and loud, which matches the heavy emotional content of the songs.

Thanks for the review and comparison Tim and Charles. This is typical results of reissues of not so well recorded albums at times. That is, they tame it out a bit to make it more smooth, fuller and broader on a reissue but in doing so nuances can be unfortunately burried. It isnt so much, for instance, they got rid of the breath of the singer or other characteristics that make the singer who they uniquely are but rather the taming of the highs and other mastering moves that help with one area burries those other more nuanced qualities. My mother use to tell my dad who fancied himself a “mechanic” …“Damnitt John you fix one thing and break something else on the truck!” Sometimes that is the case with reissues Im afraid. This can unfortunately, imo, place a bit of a wall between the listener and the music. That wall, or veil as some would call it, can diminish an important part of the experience: The ability to hear that which makes the band right in front of you more so and that which makes the human..more human. Fiddling around with frequencies too much can do away with that which makes vocals unique to that singer. Concerning the listener then your left with: 1)A listener that likes the reissue because they have aversion to more aggressive hot sound. Or… 2)The listener that is not bothered by that aggressive hot sound or tolerates it for the good of the overall picture. If one is in the later category then the detail and nuances are worth the originals faults. If not and you’ve never heard any different than the smoothed out reissue then one will sing the praises of the tamer more “lush” reissue. I have a theory (me and my theories, ha) that there are those who start out in this hobby going down the reissue and audiophile road who not only have never heard an original of a said album but now are conditioned to like that particular “audiophile” sound. That is not a knock against anyone, just kind of the way it is I think. The qualities the audiophile who likes the house sound or certain modern masterings listen for different aspects of sound qualities than the audiophile who listens for the sound quality parameters of an original. I dont know either one is wrong or right but if things were more standardized as to what to listen for as far as positive sound quality parameters, then the “right or wrong” conclusion might be clearer. I know where I stand anyway;) Thanks again for the video Tim and good luck with your shop Charles!

Great video and education. Saying, I love this album, doesn't say enough. I own the Craft records release too. It's one of my heavy rotators. Great episode 🙌🏼

one of the nicest gifts I ever received was an original pressing of this from my crew at the record store. It's gotten to be crazy expensive since then. I will go with the original all day long ;)))

Tim-Great video and collaboration! I have loved Big Star for decades- what an incredible find to score two Big Star OGs! Charles-Here's to continued success with your record store. I'll certainly check in on your website.

Great job Tim at guiding an interesting and informative conversation. Big Star hold that rare distinction of having recorded three masterpieces in as many years (although the third album wasn't officially released until 1978). That third one titled 'Third/Sister Lovers' is an extraordinary album that completely transformed what we understand to be pop music. It was very interesting that mention of the notch cut out and discount sticker on the OG copy of 'Radio City'. It unfortunately confirms that Big Star records just didn't sell when they should really have been million sellers!

Great album and an interesting shoot out. I haven’t heard the original but I do prefer the Jeff Powell cut to the Classic reissue. Jeff’s mastering room is actually located inside Sam Phillips Recording, not at Ardent. He’s a great engineer.

The saw cut in the Big Star album could also indicate that it was a promo

Yes, the high end is certainly tamed quite a bit on the craft reissue. So much so that it loses some of the energy of the Classic/cheaper Ardent pressing from the same plates. It sounds great in it’s own right but definitely subdued. Haven’t heard the OG as I suspect most haven’t.

What a nice little shop! Man, I had forgotten how frigg'n beautiful Colorado is, I used to live just 20 miles or so below in New Mexico about 20 miles north of Taos. Just that quick shot outside, and even the lovely older buildings... Beautiful! I liked that Parliament album on the wall. I have the US original of that one (and others of theirs and Funkadelic since I was really into them back at that time) BTW, the link for his website is showing a 404, just so you know... Heh... Mazzy sure would like all that Americana on display 😊

I own the trinity, all original, purchased just before the prices went sky high. Love all three equally. Of course nothing touches the magic of #1 Record. I believe Jody Stephens was present during the Classic remastering. My Classic pressing of Radio City has noise in the run in groove too. The rest is fine. "Alex Chilton" by The Replacements caused me to investigate in 1987. Wasn't easy pre Internet!!! A lot of store owners here had no idea who Big Star was. A few referenced Box Tops which didn't help.

I also performed a shootout and found the following #1 is the 1978 UK two fer #2 is the original press They were both very very close. As for the other 3 (classic, craft, concord) I found them to sound digital or slightly veiled. I recommend the all analogue OG or the 1978 UK 2 fer FYI. Both LPs were cut hot and high on the top end. That is how they wanted them to sound

it looks like that owners music taste is very similar to yours judging by the albums he has for sale! a great match.

Good video, cool shop, great album. Interestingly, the three copies I have are different than the three you reviewed, and would be interesting to compare to the three you did. I have a 1978 pressing that was sold as a two album set with #1 Record (though #1 Record is missing from my copy), a mid 80s pressing that is likely a bootleg, and a 2009 Classic pressing on black vinyl. I presume the one you listened to is on clarity vinyl as that's the version that goes for a fair amount.

Is the 200 Gram Clarity SV-P II the Classic Pressing? Any info on Sonic Pressings out of Holbrook N.Y.? Thank You