Hot Stampers? Is it for real?

[Ghog]

I was searching for an album and ended up on a website that sells used records. They were selling "Hot Stampers" and "Super Hot Stampers" and several other derivations of such. They appear to be getting phenomenal prices for these records, and they aren't audiophile pressings. Best I could tell they search through dozens of copies of a particular album and find one or two that are better pressings than the norm. These they sell as "Hot Stampers".

Is this legit. I've never heard of this before, and certainly wouldn't be willing to pay 15 or 20 times the price for a fairly common album just because someone says it's worth it on their website. Surely some of you guys have seen this before. Thoughts?

Ghog

[jcmjrt]

It's not really that new. I will sometimes pick up a record already in my collection just to have a play off between the two. It's the same basic idea but you are paying someone to do the work for you. Time is money. Would I pay the sums of money being asked for these hot stampers? No. But I can't afford multiple homes, a private jet, yachts on both coasts, ferraris, etc but some folks can and do.

[PaulParrot]

It's 99% b.s. Money is the motivating factor: How can he get $100 for a $1 LP, or $500 for a $5 LP.

He's a very sure-of-himself guy, talks a great game, and sometimes is persuasive. But look at what else he sells: The "room tuning" $1000 glorified coat racks, that make a bigger improvement in a system than anything else. Yeah, right.

Oh, I almost forgot, he thinks all CDs should be re-cut on their outer edge because we all know how out-of-round they are, right? And that will make a HUGE improvement in the quality of sound you get from your CDs. That machine is only $700.

[PaulParrot]

There are a couple funny comments on this subject at audio asylum. Here's the first post of the thread:

http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/vin...69/690524.html

[edwinr]

Originally Posted by PaulParrot

There are a couple funny comments on this subject at audio asylum. Here's the first post of the thread:

http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/vin...69/690524.html

Thanks for the link, Paul. This is an interesting thread. I must have had my head in sand - I had no idea this rort was going on...