Steppenwolf - Magic Carpet Ride

I mentioned this a while back, but the Varese compilation On The Radio has the song "Magic Carpet Ride" by Steppenwolf mastered from vinyl. They didn't even bother to take out the clicks throughout their dub.

The reason I mention this again is because the database does not note that it's a vinyl remaster. While it is the only CD that currently has the 45 version, the sound quality is so poor, it's not even worth picking up for this song.

You'll note Pat Downey's name (and mine) on the credits of that Varese CD. (along with other people that probably frequent this board.. My contribution was winning an arguement about the existance of a stereo single version of Sky Pilot.. I knew there was one but a tape couldn't be found, so they used a 45) I remember talking to Dick Bartley about Magic Carpet Ride and I Saw Her Again, both on that CD. He said Magic Carpet Ride was from the best 45 they could find, and got them to EQ it a bit so it wasn't so muddy. So it's an equalized 45. On I Saw Her Again, he pushed them to ADD bass because it was so thin. Interestingly, he told me I Saw Her Again was from a tape source. Although the original mono tape was thrown out with all the ABC Dunhill mono mixes in the early 70's, a tape was found overseas on I Saw Her Again as part of some compilation album, probably from the late 60's. Though it's probably a fifth generation removed from the master, at least it's a tape source. I think they've used that on the other mono issues of I Saw Her Again.

TomDiehl1 wrote: Did varese use an original ABC Dunhill pressing 45 for Magic Carpet Ride of one of the Goldies 45 reissue 45s? The reissue 45s on that label existed on both vinyl and styrene, and a rather clean copy could've been pulled from a mint styrene copy and sounded slightly better than a mint vinyl copy would've sounded. My reissue however is on vinyl but I have no doubt a styrene pressing also exists.

But, I understand that all reissue 45s are not the actual 45 mono single mix.

All of the original ABC/Dunhill 45s sound bad.

Yes, I concur with Jim. Styrenes are junk compared to vinyl. If I had to conjure up a guess (since I don't know the facts), I'd say using polystyrene was a way for record companies to save money.

I'm not saying I've never heard a nice sounding styrene, because there are a few that exist; however, many of the ones I've encountered tend to distort on the loud parts, as if someone were scraping a rock across concrete. They just don't hold up as well as vinyl does.

That's not to say that there isn't crappy sounding vinyl out there, too. Jim was kind enough to loan me four copies of "Hair" by the Cowsills--three on vinyl and one styrene repress. That MGM vinyl is pure garbage; it sounds like a hail storm against a window, even in mint condition. The styrene repress had hardly any surface noise at all, but it was terribly distorted.

jimct wrote: TomDiehl1 wrote: The reissue 45s on that label existed on both vinyl and styrene, and a rather clean copy could've been pulled from a mint styrene copy and sounded slightly better than a mint vinyl copy would've sounded. Tom, with all due respect, EVERY time Aaron K and I hear someone "make the choice/sing the praises/tout the advantages" of selecting a styrene 45 transfer OVER a vinyl styrene transfer, we both shake our collective coconuts like bobbleheads, in TOTAL disbelief! I've sent Aaron MANY mint styrenes, and MANY mint vinyl 45 for him to work his audio magic on, and time after time after time, Aaron reiterates to me that his vinyl transfer results blow the DOORS off his styrene transfer results. This has also been my long-time personal observation. Different strokes for different folks, I suppose....

Maybe i should send him some of the Diamond label 45s i have on vinyl and styrene....the styrene copies sound so much nicer, especially when cleaned up, and then folded back down to mono so that there is not any stereo record noise (a lot of the distortion disappears that way too....and i dont think they did that for Magic Carpet Ride on cd or the result wouldve sounded different).