I have an original release on vinyl of Led Zeppelin IV...I was listening to it at a higher volume that I normally listen to vinyl at because...well, it's The Mighty Zeppelin! :D

Anyway, I cleaned the stylus before playing the LP, and dusted the LP with a micro-fiber cloth as well. The album sounds...muddy, almost like there's a lack of high end (treble).

Finding this odd, I put on U2 "The Joshua Tree" and sure enough - almost perfect clarity.

Does anyone else have this LP, and is it of the same sound quality? It's not unlistenable, but it's not as clear as I would expect. Keep in mind that my dad bought this LP new back in the day, and gave it to me years ago, so this isn't a TS find or anything. The vinyl is in basically mint condition.

Just curious is all. I'll still listen to it! :music:

Danke!

Well, I don't have any vinyl of Zeppelin, but I've always noticed on my CDs that their recording quality is not as good as other bands. Rush, for example, has flawless recording and mastering of their CDs, Zeppelin's, not so good. If the original master recording wasn't good, then your vinyl won't be either. You could have a bad pressing also, maybe try a different Zoso album. Absolutely amazing album, by the way. Can't get enough of it.

Yep, love it!

Interesting. Oddly, I don't have any Zeppelin on CD, so I've nothing to compare with, aside from other LP's. Not even any other Zeppelin on vinyl (yet!).

You better get on grabbing the rest of Zep, and I mean all of it. I've got all their studio albums on CD, and BBC Sessions. All amazing albums, but you'll find a few duds in their later work, especially on Coda (1982). Hope somebody with the actual vinyl comes in to confirm my suspicion that it's Led Zeppelin's original recording that makes albums sound not so great.

I think there are three vinyl copies at my house; all sound pretty mediocre. I think the consensus internet wisdom, though, is that very early US (and UK) pressings sounded good. Since it was a zillion-seller, stampers were probably used up and then some.

You mentioned it was a -hand me down-.
If everybody is real careful (as they should be), an old album can look perfect, but a vinyl record only has so many spins in it.

Could be a loss of fidelity due to use.

Just a thought


..

That's entirely possible to be sure. It is a hand-me-down, and I honestly don't know how often it got played. It came out when I was 1, so I don't remember a lot of what went on, nevermind how much my dad listened to this LP.

I definitely want to collect as much Led Zeppelin vinyl as I can, and maybe get it on CD as well.

Thanks for the input so far, and others input is welcome as well!

My Zoso is not that "overplayed" but it's an "RCA Record Club" release, so, yes, it sounds like crap, and always has

looking here,http://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/led_zeppelin/led_zeppelin__iv_/ there have been quite a few pressings of this album.
which one do you have, mine is SD 19129 issued 1977 and it sounds great to me.

Mine says "SD 7208" Copyright 1971

Mine says "SD 7208" Copyright 1971

Well from the link above is was an early us pressing, could just be worn. If your looking for good Zep there is a good re release of bunch of there stuff in a box set call Mothership, and it supposedly sounds great. Its on my shortlist of new vinyl to get very soon.

maybe others will chime in, I was at the local record store last week and saw yet another re-issue just released recently, it was going for $34.00. too rich for my blood, lol

Well from the link above is was an early us pressing, could just be worn. If your looking for good Zep there is a good re release of bunch of there stuff in a box set call Mothership, and it supposedly sounds great. Its on my shortlist of new vinyl to get very soon.


mine too as well! :-)

Mine's a later pressing and does sound "less than optimum". So did the cassette original.

Part of this could come from the actual production. Page bounced tracks a bunch, way more than customary at the time I've read... In those analog (tape) days, after bouncing and ping-ponging many times, tape hiss and other issues started cropping up. Also, some of the mixing and mastering folks had issues. If I remember from Hammer of the Gods, one of the albums had to be re-mastered, the EQ sounded so awful.

A thinner stylus might bring it back

I have lots of Zep on vinyl - multiple copies of all the albums. I've found a lot of variation from pressing to pressing. I never really thought they were much for sound from a production end, as previous posts have mentioned. Certainly not what we've become accustomed to. Elton John's records from the same time were much nicer sounding. Though not recorded well, I think the Song Remains the Same is the most open sounding of the bunch (fewer tracks and instruments I suspect.)

I'm not sure I can make a good judgement though. Mine have been played so many times, it's amazing they haven't reverted to being blanks.

Here's the deal.

Look for "Porky" in the deadwax. Many original US pressings have it. That would be George Peckham who did the mastering. A UK pressing will cost you more and may not sound any better.

If the reissue you see for sale is the Classic Records reissue (on Quiex vinyl), it is worth the $$$. The Classic Records reissue series is out of print and IV sells for usually twice that. Not all of this series are keepers, but IV nails it. It is stunning and arguably better than even a "Porky."

If you are patient, you will find a "Porky" prime cut for less than $10.00. They are not at all rare.

As for CD, look for the "old" CDs, not the "digitally remastered by Jimmy Page and George Marino..." CDs. The newer ones are a little "hot" on the treble side.

Ken

OK - my LP says "Pecko Duck."

maybe others will chime in, I was at the local record store last week and saw yet another re-issue just released recently, it was going for $34.00. too rich for my blood, lol

If its the Classic records Quiex version, grab it now, they sell for 100.00 + on fleabay. If its the german reissue (which I suspect it is) then offer them $25.00ish, see what they say. I've read that up until classic did theirs that these german pressings were the best reissues available.

A thinner stylus might bring it back

I'd agree with that if DJ's pressing wasn't released in 1971. Very probably the less-than-crisp mastering has been even further muddied by decades of play.

I have two US copies - the '71 original and the '77 reissue. Both say "Porky" in the deadwax on Side 1 and "Pecko Duck" in the deadwax on Side 2.

SD 7208 ~ 1971 "PECKO" on side one / "PECKO DUCK" on side two.
Decent recording although not much bottom.

Just listened to Going to California and When the Levee Breaks. Sounded pretty good to me.

Side 1 on mine says ST-A-7122 85-JHJ, with the H looking like it got crossed out and a couple more letters after that I can't read.
Side 2 says Pecko Duck, ST-A-7122 86DD.

Labels on both side, ST-A-7122 86-MO

I've got an early pressing (though no Pecko Duck, just PR ) though it appears to be an RCA Music Service pressing, and it sounds ok but not great. It looks new so could be a played out copy. But I have to say most of my Zepp albums are ok but not great.

MASSIVE EDIT: (I looked at my numbers)

Although the music is monumentally great, Ive found [EDIT] Zep 1-3 are mediocre at best as far as "quality"

EDIT: my copies of theses are the SD19726/7/8 Re-Issues)

EDIT ADD: My Zep 4 (ZOSO) is original and sounds very good as does my Houses of the Holy.

EDIT ADD: I think this confirms that the 1977 reissues sound like turd compared to the orig. pressings

And all this time I wondered why I could never get a good "sound" set up for Zeps 1-3! Always some muddy crap here or harsh overkill there, etc. Very frustrating. When at the same time Zep 4 and Houses sounded so much better

On Zep I and HotH, look for AT/GP (George Piros) in the deadwax. There are also Robert Ludwig ("RL" in the deadwax) HotH pressings that rock.

Of course, the "RL" pressing of LZ II is legendary.

Got a later US press SD 19129 (probably '80) with Pecko, and a UK K50008 with Pecko.

I think the US press sounds better.

Also have a NM 1971 45 of Black Dog/Misty Moutain Hop. Beats both LP's.

Mine has Pecko Duck on Side 2 only. It's on deck for a serious listening evaluation. BTW I just started reading Whole Lotta Led. Anybody else read it?

Update - Sounds terrific on my #2 system with my HP-1s. The Battle of Evermore reminds to be thankful that Page had a real affinity for traditional Engilish country music. OK Stairway is starting and I have to fill my Zippo.

In my most recent memories of Zeppelin have been primarily on cd.Moving up to better gear I noticed that their recordings to me could have been better.

You better get on grabbing the rest of Zep, and I mean all of it. I've got all their studio albums on CD, and BBC Sessions. All amazing albums, but you'll find a few duds in their later work, especially on Coda (1982). Hope somebody with the actual vinyl comes in to confirm my suspicion that it's Led Zeppelin's original recording that makes albums sound not so great.

"Coda" was a collections of tracks that didn't make it on to earlier albums, going back over more than 10 years, so obviously the material is not going to be quite as good.

LZ is not known for their high quality sound, most of the mixes are compressed and lacking in resolution of subtle detail. I have given may demonstrations of hifi gear to audio folks and am very hard pressed to find any LZ recording that shows of a hifi system really well. The "remasters" compilation albums are definitely better however.

Similar rock bands like Rush, Pink Floyd, Dream Theater have done much better quality recordings than LZ. If I had to pick an album, "Presence" has the best overall sound.

I have all LZ's vinyl and all the recent CDs, so obviously I like the music of the band, but the sound quality sucks at times.

Glenn.