seek recording: Nic Jones 'Ballads and Songs'

Subject: Nic Jones 'Ballads and Songs'
From: GUEST,jaz
Date: 02 Apr 23 - 05:24 AM

Hi, I'm looking to buy a copy of this album, and having looked on Discogs there are numerous pressings... I already know to stay away from the (unauthorised?) CD-R version, but the most affordable copies seem to be re-issues on the 'Highway' label - can anyone comment as to whether these are worth getting? None of them are cheap, and I'd rather not make an expensive mistake!

Cheers, Jaz

Subject: RE: Nic Jones 'Ballads and Songs'
From: GUEST,Ed.
Date: 02 Apr 23 - 11:45 AM

According to this discussion the Highway labels are '80s reissues, as you suggest.

I can't comment on 'Ballads and Songs' directly, but I do have a copy of 'Bright Phoebus' on Highway (which somewhat negates the idea that only 1000 useable copies were ever issued, but that's another matter...)

It's a good quality record that plays well with a decently made sleeve, so if that's what your looking for then I'd say go with a Highway. Obviously it won't be nearly as collectable, if that's your thing.

Hope that helps.

Subject: RE: Nic Jones 'Ballads and Songs'
From: GUEST,jaz
Date: 02 Apr 23 - 01:47 PM

Thanks for that, Ed. Not bothered about collectability, I would just like to hear it in better fidelity than the MP3s I have, and from what I can gather it's unlikely to ever be re-released so I'm just after a viable listening copy.

Subject: RE: Nic Jones 'Ballads and Songs'
From: DaveRo
Date: 03 Apr 23 - 03:19 AM

What is responsible for the poor fidelity of your mp3s?

When I recorded my vinyl LPs 20+ years ago - several by Nic Jones, but not that one - I made both mp3s (128kbps because disk was expensive then) and CDs (CD-DA). The CDs are probably as good, quality-wise, as the LPs: I had an expensive deck in those days. They do have some of the the surface noise from the LPs.

Whether the mp3s sound as good as the CDs from which they were originally encoded depends on what I play them on. If I use my main computer, which has a powerful CPU and good decoding software (but crappy speakers) the mp3s sound as good. On the puny media player attached to my hifi, or on a tablet played through a bluetooth speaker, they don't.

Subject: RE: Nic Jones 'Ballads and Songs'
From: The Doctor
Date: 03 Apr 23 - 05:52 AM

I have a copy of the original LP, which I am not looking to part with. But if you're not getting anywhere I should be happy to let you have a CD copy which I made.

Subject: RE: Nic Jones 'Ballads and Songs'
From: GUEST,jaz
Date: 04 Apr 23 - 05:52 PM

That's very kind, Doctor, but I've just ordered an apparently near mint copy of the Highway pressing... fingers crossed!

Subject: RE: Nic Jones 'Ballads and Songs'
From: GUEST,jaz
Date: 04 Apr 23 - 05:55 PM

"What is responsible for the poor fidelity of your mp3s?"

Low bitrate... 128Kbps MP3s always sound worse than the source to me, whether I play them on my Philips Streamium system or from the computer through my old Beomaster 900. Now go up to 256Kbps, and I can't tell the difference.

Thanks again for the replies!