“When I got the test pressing for my new record Spilling A Rainbow, I unwrapped it like a Wonkabar with a golden ticket inside, or like the birthday gift from my favorite person.”
“To get my ear acclimated, I put on one of my favorite albums, Gabor Szabo’s Bachanal, hoping that my record would sound as clear and full. This record was originally released on Gary Mcfarland’s label, Skye, and was pressed on standard vinyl (nothing too heavy).
As I listened, I took the 180gm Spilling A Rainbow vinyl in my hands and held it to the light to make sure there was no residual dust. When I had gotten enough of the Gabor to know where I stood with my record, I plopped the platter and dropped the needle.
The gleaming pie of vinyl was about half the volume of Bachanal—no exaggeration. I thought, “Well let’s just turn it up and see how we are fairing,” but basically no dimension came through and none of the details were there. The overdubs, the sizzles, and the throbs were gone; It was a pale emaciated hostage. Now I am thinking, “I’m going to miss my release date… I don’t want to be a pain in the ass, but this sucks.” I didn’t want to have a vinyl release just so to be able to say, “Hey my records on vinyl.” So… Fuck it! I called off the pressing and called my friend for some inside advice. How could my album sound smaller and flatter than a record from 1968?
Come to find out there are many reasons, and one of which is that long records are difficult to press because the shorter the record, the deeper and louder. But it’s more than that; turns out since the lathes are old, very few people have good ones that are maintained or operated properly. And finally, plastic is not what it used to be! Maybe it’s environmental, or maybe it’s just lack of knowledge.
I wanted my record on vinyl and I wanted it to sound somewhere in the world of one of my guitar heroes. I just think of all the folks who are getting duped by the whole allure of vinyl. They get their test pressing back and I wonder if they listen to them!
I pushed back. I sent it to another vinyl mastering guy to press the master, and when I got it back, low and behold, the sound had opened up and the clarity was back! The volume had come up to about 85% of Gabor’s record. I could live with that. I just got my test pressings and now my record sounds great! So I am gonna miss my release date, but at least I won’t have a piece of vanity vinyl when its all over.”
—Michael Andrews
