An awesome experience!

madmax

I liked Led Zepplin when I was 12 years old. At about 13 I was getting tired of them. After hearing their songs over the last 30 years in a passive fashion over the radio I really have little use for them even though the sound of the songs are engraved in my head. A few years ago I bought some CD's and quickly realized there was very little "lifelike" sound as you hear with live music.

Last night I pulled out an LP I had when I was 12, the one with Whole Lotta Love. It was all scratchy sounding, over played and not very well taken care of. I threw it on the table anyway. This is the first time I've played this on the Avantgardes and I had my 1 wpc Transcendent amp for power. Believe it or not this gets fairly loud. I dropped the needle and sat back in the chair. What a mess the lp was with massive amounts of snap, crackle and pop not to mention other horrid noises. Funny, after a few minutes I didn't hear any of the noise anymore, I had become used to it. Holy **** what an audible experience the performance gave me. This music is so complex it creates its own world of magic. It was breathtaking. Not like a live performance, more like a fantasy world. I was in THEIR space, not mine. Absolutely amazing!

Bottom line, I'm going to order some audiofool pressings of this stuff. I never dreamed there could be this much magic in a recording!
madmax

dkg999

While the audiophool pressings of LZ vinyl are very good, they are also really expensive. I've got clean copies of the original releases, that when well cleaned sound amazing. If you've got a good RCM I would search out clean first or second generation pressings. The 5 LP box set of the Song Remains the Same that was remastered and released a few years ago on 180g vinyl is nicely done. Stay away from MotherShip, it is horrendously remastered.

heiney9

Led Zep is my favorite band of all time. For the exact reasons (and more) you describe. I have over 350 bootlegs and each one creates it's own special mood. They rarely played the same thing exactly the same way twice and they were about as organic as a band of 4 different people could be. They lived, played, and enjoyed in the moment and would/could shift gears on the fly. They were never stagnant and always pushed each other to the limit. I know of no other group of 4 individuals who could play together as one, at will.

H9

headrott

I completely agree with you Brock. They were one of the best, if not the best live bands ever. I also have quite a few bootlegs of them (not 250, but probably over 150). Do you have "Listen to this Eddie" (L.A. June 21st 1977)? I mean, Bonham is absolutely on fire this night!!! From the beginning of "The Song Remains The Same" he is absolutely driving the band like a madman. You must have it with 250 boots, right? Listen to it again. It's one of my favorite boots of them.

Greg

madmax

I'll have to look through my collection to see if I have any other Zep albums. I'm sure if I ever ran across one I would have bought it just to have but don't remember. I'm seeing prices of $100 to $150 for the audiophile pressings so I see your point dkg. I don't necessarily mind paying that much but don't wish to either. After all I've been known to find 150 great like new lp's for $150...

On another note I think my system is becoming one of those that can sound like exactly what is on the recording without adding or subtracting anything. To a point obviously. Previously I always went after a "live" sounding system and used that parameter to point to how good it was. I'm rethinking this perspective. After the addition of the new amp I notice very often that instead of bringing their music into my space I'm letting them bring me to their space. Some recordings don't have their own space and fall flat on their face in this system.

heiney9

Yep, I have atleast 3 versions of LTTE. The most recent is from Genuine Masters and while my copy is std cd, they released a DVD-A version of it. With the advent of technology many of the older boot sources are being resurrected and with careful knowledge about mastering, sound a whole lot better than before. But, sadly these are very limited runs and pretty much impossible to get a physical copy. If you do have an opportunity to get a genuine copy they are over $200 a piece.

I could write volumes about Led Zep bootlegs as I have been collecting them since the early 80's. I still have boxes and boxes of cassette tapes all of which I have repalced with the latest digital copies and then everything in between.

Before you joined I started a blog where I was uploading shows for people to DL. I stopped because it just got too time consuming. I'd like to start it up again one day.

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67971&highlight=led+zeppelin

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=68493&highlight=led+zeppelin

Here's the link to my Blog...........which hasn't been updated in over a year or more. I enjoyed writing the descriptions too.

http://thedancingavocado.blogspot.com/

H9

sda2mike

'in my time of dying'.....definite desert island pick for me:cool:

headrott

heiney9 wrote: »

Yep, I have atleast 3 versions of LTTE. The most recent is from Genuine Masters and while my copy is std cd, they released a DVD-A version of it. With the advent of technology many of the older boot sources are being resurrected and with careful knowledge about mastering, sound a whole lot better than before. But, sadly these are very limited runs and pretty much impossible to get a physical copy. If you do have an opportunity to get a genuine copy they are over $200 a piece.

I could write volumes about Led Zep bootlegs as I have been collecting them since the early 80's. I still have boxes and boxes of cassette tapes all of which I have repalced with the latest digital copies and then everything in between.

Before you joined I started a blog where I was uploading shows for people to DL. I stopped because it just got too time consuming. I'd like to start it up again one day.

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67971&highlight=led+zeppelin

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=68493&highlight=led+zeppelin

Here's the link to my Blog...........which hasn't been updated in over a year or more. I enjoyed writing the descriptions too.

http://thedancingavocado.blogspot.com/

H9

Thanks for the links. I think you should start it up again. People would be crazy to not want to DL some great Zeppelin concerts for free. There is some interesting studio stuff available too. Like "Sugar Mama", "Jenning's Farm Blues" and "In the Morning" as a few off the top of my head. You could post some of those alternate and/or unreleased songs for people. Thanks for the link to the blog. I will be checking out some of those shows on there as there are a couple I don't have.

Greg

jm1

madmax wrote: »

On another note I think my system is becoming one of those that can sound like exactly what is on the recording without adding or subtracting anything. To a point obviously. Previously I always went after a "live" sounding system and used that parameter to point to how good it was. I'm rethinking this perspective. After the addition of the new amp I notice very often that instead of bringing their music into my space I'm letting them bring me to their space. Some recordings don't have their own space and fall flat on their face in this system.

I have all the latest audiophile pressings unopened as my efforts for the past three years have been devoted to room optimization, speaker placement as well as seamless subs integration. There have also been substantial TT enhancements during this period. I have patiently waited to achieve a performance level I am content with and believe this moment is close at hand. After reading your experience, it makes me all the more eager to open the LPs. I have older copies from my previous analog life which I will start playing now. Thanks for the reminder to revisit this group! Tonight I will take a break and spin a few of their LPs.

Your above comment is the attribute I have been driven towards and optimizing for quite some time. Well said!

madmax

jm1 wrote: »

Your above comment is the attribute I have been driven towards and optimizing for quite some time. Well said!

I've never pushed for it, just happened along the way. It hit me like a ton of bricks when going to their space first started happening. As I tweak it along it keeps getting better and better. Their space and my space are different and it depends on my mood as to which I would rather have at the time. I am finding lately that their space is more interesting but not always as real sounding as a live performance. It depends totally on the material though and I guess that is the point of it all. I like letting the producer of the material pull me into their world!
madmax

inspiredsports

madmax wrote: »

I liked Led Zepplin when I was 12 years old. At about 13 I was getting tired of them. After hearing their songs over the last 30 years in a passive fashion over the radio I really have little use for them even though the sound of the songs are engraved in my head. A few years ago I bought some CD's and quickly realized there was very little "lifelike" sound as you hear with live music.

Last night I pulled out an LP I had when I was 12, the one with Whole Lotta Love. It was all scratchy sounding, over played and not very well taken care of. I threw it on the table anyway. This is the first time I've played this on the Avantgardes and I had my 1 wpc Transcendent amp for power. Believe it or not this gets fairly loud. I dropped the needle and sat back in the chair. What a mess the lp was with massive amounts of snap, crackle and pop not to mention other horrid noises. Funny, after a few minutes I didn't hear any of the noise anymore, I had become used to it. Holy **** what an audible experience the performance gave me. This music is so complex it creates its own world of magic. It was breathtaking. Not like a live performance, more like a fantasy world. I was in THEIR space, not mine. Absolutely amazing!

Bottom line, I'm going to order some audiofool pressings of this stuff. I never dreamed there could be this much magic in a recording!
madmax

After 30 years in the audio desert, welcome back! Zeppelin simply has no equal.

bopicasso

What is the best quality led zeppelin on cd format?
I own every album when they were first released on cds.

hearingimpared

Just saw this Chuck. I know how che . . er um thrifty you are but I gotta tell you, the Classic Records 200 gm pressings of all the LZ studio recording will give you a spiritual experience. They are now however very expensive but they are worth every nickel.

Jesse an ardent vinyl hater:D was completely blown away when I played LZ I for him.

I have their LZ I through IV. I wish I would have bought all of them at the time I did because they ran from $29 to $59 (Physical Graffiti) and now they cost in the hundreds.

They are truly ear candy and will give you eargasms!

BTW; I second what Dougy said! Mothership is just outright garbage. It's recorded so hot that even if you had a 120 band equalizer to tone it down it would still sound like crap.

hearingimpared

bopicasso wrote: »

What is the best quality led zeppelin on cd format?
I own every album when they were first released on cds.

If your rig doesn't lean towards the bright side, then I would recommend the LZ Full Studio Recording box set. I've heard it sound terrible on rigs that tend to be on the bright side but when I finally got my rig to where I like it that box set sounds awesome and I'm a vinyl guy so that's saying something. It is so well done you can hear Bonham's crash cymbal and kick drum pedal squeaking on many recordings.

strider

hearingimpared wrote: »

Just saw this Chuck. I know how che . . er um thrifty you are but I gotta tell you, the Classic Records 200 gm pressings of all the LZ studio recording will give you a spiritual experience. They are now however very expensive but they are worth every nickel.

Jesse an ardent vinyl hater:D was completely blown away when I played LZ I for him.

The version Joe has of Zep I is phenomenal, hearing it on his system was the first thing that came to mind when I read the OP. If you've got the system that'll do it justice, the price for a copy is well worth it.

hearingimpared

strider wrote: »

The version Joe has of Zep I is phenomenal, hearing it on his system was the first thing that came to mind when I read the OP. If you've got the system that'll do it justice, the price for a copy is well worth it.

Thanks Ben, I believe that was before I bought the ZYX Airy 3 SB cartridge. You should here it now.

Did I have the Tri-Vista then?

madmax

I almost bought them way back when they were at those prices but figured I would never listen to them anyway. What a mistake!

hearingimpared wrote: »

Just saw this Chuck. I know how che . . er um thrifty you are but I gotta tell you, the Classic Records 200 gm pressings of all the LZ studio recording will give you a spiritual experience. They are now however very expensive but they are worth every nickel.

Jesse an ardent vinyl hater:D was completely blown away when I played LZ I for him.

I have their LZ I through IV. I wish I would have bought all of them at the time I did because they ran from $29 to $59 (Physical Graffiti) and now they cost in the hundreds.

They are truly ear candy and will give you eargasms!

BTW; I second what Dougy said! Mothership is just outright garbage. It's recorded so hot that even if you had a 120 band equalizer to tone it down it would still sound like crap.

madmax

So in order of mind blowing sounds can you list best to worse from LZ I through LZ 5?

hearingimpared

madmax wrote: »

So in order of mind blowing sounds can you list best to worse from LZ I through LZ 5?

Chuck there is no best to worst. If you are just going to pick one, pick the one you like best. LZ I is incredible, LZ II boggles your mind. LZ III gives you a little of everything, LZ IV has all well known songs, "Houses of the Holy" is a masterpiece. They all raise inch high goosebumps and I can only imagine how they would sound with your horns with the 1.2TLs the soundstage is wider than my 19.5' room wall they reside.

I can't make up my mind. Each time I listen to one of them I think, "oh yeah this is the best," then I play another and think the same thing . . . soooo the advice above is your best bet.

heiney9

madmax wrote: »

So in order of mind blowing sounds can you list best to worse from LZ I through LZ 5?

No such thing as a worst LZ album. Just get them all

hearingimpared

You are sooo right Brock but I think he meant the SQ of the Classic Records 200 gm pressings and how expensive they've become.

I hope I'm not stating the obvious here, if I am well then I deserve a big DUH!!! Feel free! LOL!

One more thing, I truly regret not getting all of them when they first came out, $29 a pop was a great price. What galls me though is that the Classic Records releases of the LZs sold out so fast and when they came back they decided to gouge everyone with the high prices they now demand.