Discovered Led Zeppelin

[Miyazaki]

Having not really listened to them significantly before, and not being of the generation that listened to them the first time around, I think they are amazing.

I've just spent the last several hours listening to LZ: I-IV, Coda and Physical Graffiti. I have absolutely no idea how I haven't really sat down to listen to them before, but I even like them more than the 'Rolling Stones' now, which I personally never thought possible!

Still can't convince myself to like 'The Beatles'. I just consider them to be toe-tapping music rather than anything else. Still obviously I honour them in their context and what the achieved, but i've always prefered the R&B of the 'Stones'

 

[karkus30]

Hey hey, great stuff Zepplin, if you want to hear them at their best, buy, how the west was won. Its a live album of Zep at their peak. The sound quality leaves all the other Zep albums for dead, that includes the vinyl, the re issues et al. Hours of fun from three discs, truly exceptional value, the DVD is supposed to be brilliant as well.

 

[Miyazaki]

i've got that one too!

Immigrant Song and Heartbreaker sound phenomenal!

 

[karkus30]

Your one step ahead.....

 

[wilber]

The DVD is superb - some of the filming and "choreography" is poor to say the least but the sound is stunning. Worth getting for "In my time of dying" which one critic described as "akin to a religious experience"

 

[Gambit]

How the West Was Won: Since I've Been Loving You.

To me, this represents everything that is so great about Zep. Suble but complex drumming a bass, OTT guitar and fantasic vocals. Zep rule.

 

[paulr]

Its hard to image now how big Led Zep were in the 70's.Apparently they are the second biggest selling act after the beatles in the states.

Was there ever a band with more stage presence or a lead singer with more charisma?

 

[Ian J]

They arose from the ashes of The Yardbirds whom I used to go and see at Eel Pie Island at Twickenham every Sunday night in the early sixties as they were the resident band there.

 

[Zone]

Originally posted by paulr
Apparently they are the second biggest selling act after the beatles in the states.

Had to check that one out and ya right

Must say I was never a Led Zep fan which is strange as my favorite group is Rush who claim Zepplin were their no1 influence, maybe give em a go one day

Just noticed Celine Dion at no27 having sold over 45 million is there not a god

 

[overkill]

The sound quality leaves all the other Zep albums for dead, that includes the vinyl,

??? Not sure about that, depends on a) equipment b) when the vinyl was from. The original vinyl is as good as it gets Led wise. Having said that, i also rate "how the west was won", it's sound quality is first rate, and it's a cheap way of getting much of the material previously only available on quality bootlegs - which cost £100 upwards! *coughs* Not that i would ever get so grievously ripped off over my favourite band!!! Erm, yes!!

 

[karkus30]

Originally posted by overkill
??? Not sure about that, depends on a) equipment b) when the vinyl was from. The original vinyl is as good as it gets Led wise.

Oracle Delphi, RB300, Ortofon MC20 supreme. Naim pre-power etc etc.

 

[Alan_W]

My kids 12 and 15 both have electric guitars and have discovered my old Led Zep albums.

"They" bought "me" the West was Won DVD last Xmas and are obssessed with it

My son is convinced he can see me in one of the crowd pans at Knebworth. I can't tell cos I was off my face at the time.

They will never know that

 

[Floodedstatue]

OK - here's a debate for you - best Zeppelin album??

I is class, but IV is the one for me. Stairway To Heaven and Going To California just push it past the others.....

Rock on.

 

[karkus30]

2 and 4 and Graffiti and I refuse to split them, theres something great on all of them. Even one of the worst albums IMO 'Prescence' has, Achilles last stand which showcases some of the best of Bonhams percussion work. I would nominate Coda and The Song remains the same as the worst, everything else was great.

 

[overkill]

Oracle Delphi, RB300, Ortofon MC20 supreme

Yeah and? Oracle, (MKIV) yes please, MC20 supreme, no thanks, you ain't gonna dig nothing out with that!!!! Also the RB300 and Oracle combi? Bit like having an F1 car and sticking and beetle engine in it!! Reliable yes, pokey no!!!

Hasn't changed my view one bit kark old son!

Best Led Zep album. For me it was the first i ever bought - II. Every time I play it reaches me on levels no other album (by anybody!) did or has since.

After that IV and Physical Graffiti, then III. I'm sad enough that I like Presence (it's on now!) and 'in through the out door' too. Many Zep fans disown them! Can't understand it me.........

 

[karkus30]

Originally posted by overkill
Yeah and? Oracle, (MKIV) yes please, MC20 supreme, no thanks, you ain't gonna dig nothing out with that!!!! Also the RB300 and Oracle combi? Bit like having an F1 car and sticking and beetle engine in it!! Reliable yes, pokey no!!!

No Oracle MkII, sorry to burst the bubble, I do feel the same about the RB300, sort of rugged but toneless. MC20 supreme is OK, a bit smooth but delivers on the bass. I just Dont want to spend any more on turntables, you might have a go at the MC20 , but its bloody £400 and they wear out. I tried that nutters turntable, made out of steel and some sort of plaster of paris, with a trough full of silicon and a Decca Gold cartridge, now that was impressive, but the cartridge was probably eating the vinyl alive. Ive lived with Pink Triangles and Linns, with various arms and many more faults.

So to put this into some sort of perspective I need to upgrade my tt (its original cost was about £1200.00), get a new arm, something like a nice £2000 unipivot should suffice and get a top of the range cartridge (mate of mine had a nice one made out of some sort of japanese wood, which had been breathed on by van der hull himself, around £3000 kching). So if I spend around £7000.00, then my Zep albums should make 'How the West was Won' positively tinny.

Well if you wish to donate said amount to The Karkus hard up fund, then I shall take your challenge gladly. Otherwise.............

 

[overkill]

Well if you wish to donate said amount to The Karkus hard up fund, then I shall take your challenge gladly. Otherwise.............

Don't be sarccy/sniffy now!!!

I have to admit to being a dreadful turntable snob, and i also confess to not liking the Linn/Pink triangle sound. Sadly, the Oracle II minus a SME 3009/IV/V Airtangent, sounds very similair. All rose tinted and no "getting at the heart of things". Hence many colourful discussions with friends who I worked with in the trade, some pro, many against. Personally i blame (and i'm not alone!) the Linn for driving many people from Vinyl to CD. I want to hear the music dammit, not what the turntable manufacturer thinks i should hear!!

On the sensible side you don't need to spend anything like £7,000 to get a sound digital can't touch. Sadly, it would involve dumping you're current vinyl kit................ and you're right, money don't grow on trees! (don't i know it!)

For me I have just about given up on digital having spent a fortune (and a half!) to get exactly where i was when i started in hi-fi a long time ago - back to crappy old vinyl!! Even my SACD, DVD-A, player isn't what i'd hoped for, and i had such high hopes for the digital dream............

Maybe one day..................

 

[paulr]

Looking at Zones' list.....Billy Joel?????

 

[rhoamish]

Garth Brooks is scarier...

For some reason, my favourite Zep album is Houses of the Holy. No-one else seems to agree, though.

 

[karkus30]

Originally posted by overkill
Don't be sarccy/sniffy now!!!

On the sensible side you don't need to spend anything like £7,000 to get a sound digital can't touch. Sadly, it would involve dumping you're current vinyl kit................ and you're right, money don't grow on trees! (don't i know it!)

Go on then, Im listening I'll stop sucking this sheep for a moment It probably wont make a lot of difference dumping my vinyl kit , now that the cleaner has bent the stylus arm anyway

 

[overkill]

I'll stop sucking this sheep for a moment

Erm, um, who is this Karkus fellow anyway, *coughs*never heard of him..........


*coughs again* Anyway, yes, err, House of the Holy, no, not one of their best, but it has some good stuff on it. No quarter, Over the hills..... & The Ocean for example. Sort of falls between their early material and the new direction they took with Physical Graffiti. It and Led Zep I are the albums I play the least though.............

 

[karkus30]

So back to the sheep thing..............which turntable, which arm, which cartridge ?? Dont be coy, you can have this sheep when Im done

 

[jimcarney]

Anyone remember Led Zepplins first apperance on TV when they replaced The Flying Burrito Brothers at the last min, If so what programme was it ,Id just like to know ,they played Communication Breakdown cant remember the another songs..Jim

 

[overkill]

Er, hi Karkus, um yes, *coughs*, anyway....................

If you want CD like precision, but want the advantages Vinyl can offer (superior 3d, Timing, extreme High and low frequency responses etc, etc ) then something like a Roksan Xerxes, (old, 2nd hand, or a 10), a new(er) Gyrodeck, or of course splash out and get an ORBE when one comes up on ebay!Cheaper alternatives, but not in the same leauge as the above, the Rega P25 and Audionote TT1. Tonearms: Rega RB300 (re-wired!) Artemiz, or a 2nd hand SME 309/4/5. Cartridges, well these are very much according to taste. Sumiko blue point special, Denon DL304 (yes they're still around!), AT OC9ML, Ortofon Kontrapunkt series, MC25FL.....

These are, from the Xerxes onwards the "new" breed of turntable, low on colouration, finely detailed, and precise. Linns are "nice" but that's their problem, who wants nice? Espically when CD/SACD/DVD-A can give you :- No surface noise, superb ergonmics, low distortion, great dynamic response and fairly durable software - plus unmatchable ease of use. (See, i DO like digital!)

As a Turntable manfacturer these days you HAVE to do better. Linn aren't, nor are the other "old" school marques.

If you listen to the newer turntable marques like AVID and Project they are not aiming to offer a different sound, but an equal or better one, to digital. Hence turntable sales are on the increase - and not just in the DJ market.

In the end it's up to the Digital manfacturers to offer me a sound i can live, without costing the Earth, & software that's realisticly priced. It ain't happened so far..................

 

[Gambit]

Could we stop all this HiFi talk and get back to music please, this is neither the time nor the place

K, FYI, the Roksan Radius 5 is a nice TT for sub a grand and comes with a decent cart. Or so I think....