analogue blogue

I recently picked up the Ramones Rocket To Russia test pressing and made a rip of it. It sounds quite different than the version I have known all these years, and in doing some comparisons with another vinyl rip from a US first pressing, it is clearly cut at a faster speed than the final released version. Yes, I have double checked my TT speed is stable and accurate (using PlatterSpeed + 3150hZ test track). Most of the songs are from 5-15 seconds shorter than those on the standard pressing! So, am curious, is it likely, or common, that the test pressing was done in error at the wrong speed, or perhaps it was being tried it out at a faster speed and dialed it back on the final? The release in question is here. http://www.discogs.com/viewimages?release=4415037 The photos are mine, and yes, it came with that cover (photo from first album) and the promo sheet. I have had very few test pressings before (Chuck Mangione, Joe Jackson), none were this different than their standard rele...

So after posting up the article below and doing some research, I dropped into another local shop and what do I find? A VG+/VG+ early pressing (black label) of volume 2 for $7. Naturally, I had to have it. At The Black Hawk 2 [140 gram] Side 1:   STEREO LKS 135 D2 ( stamped ) Side 2: STEREO LKS 136 D3 ( stamped )

I have loved this set of LPs for ages, but started some research on the lineage to discover what might be the best sounding version(s). The original mono pressings command a pretty large sum, but I keep my eyes open. I did happen upon the whole set for $4 each, they would appear to be late 60s stereo reissues, but figured I couldn't go wrong. Doing some research on the deadwax and searching online has helped some, but there are still some questions. Not sure how concise this site is , but it claims the yellow-label stereo (which I have) is a 60’s era reissue, yet the deadwax is confounding, listing SLM (likely Sheffield Lab Matrix), which did not exist until 1979?