(Hard Rock) [LP] [24/96] Led Zeppelin - II - 1969, FLAC (tracks+.cue)

Companies etc▼

Mastered At – Sterling Sound
Pressed By – Columbia Record Productions
Manufactured By – Atlantic Recording Corporation
Copyright (c) – Atlantic Recording Corporation

Credits▼

Artwork – David Juniper
Engineer – Andrew Johns*, Chris Huston, Edwin H. Kramer*, George Chkiantz
Executive-producer – Peter Grant
Mastered By – Robert Ludwig*
Performer – Jimmy Page, John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Robert Plant
Producer – Jimmy Page
Technician [Director Of Engineering] – Edwin H. Kramer*
Written-By – Jimmy Page, John Bonham (tracks: A1, A3, B1, B4), John Paul Jones (tracks: A1, A3, B1, B4), Robert Plant (tracks: A1 to B3, B5)

Notes▼

First press information...

If this doesn't have "SS RL" etched in the run-outs then it is a repress - remastered at Atlantic, rather than Sterling Sound.
Around 200,000ish pressings were done of Robert Ludwig's 'high mix' which, like Hendrix's 'Ladyland' 1st masters, caused some poor-quality phonograph needles to 'skip'. Thus, a repress ordered by Ertegan at Atlantic.

Barcode and Other Identifiers▼

Matrix / Runout (Run-out area A-side, Etching): T ST-A-691671
Matrix / Runout (Run-out area B-side, Etching): T ST-A-691672
Label Code (Center Label A-side): (ST-A-691671 CTH)
Label Code (Center Label B-side): (ST-A-691672 CTH)
Matrix / Runout (Runout Area A and B Side): RL SS

Vinyl Ripping Process/Equipment

VPI 16.5 RCM
Turntable: VPI Scoutmaster
Tonearm: Trans-Fi Termninator
Cartridge: Audio-Technica AT33PTG/II
Phone Stage: Cinemag SUT feeding a Marantz 2220B
Digital Interface: E-MU 1212
Recording Software: Adobe Audition 3.01
Recording Bitrate/Sample Rate: 192/24

Post Processing
Run thru ClickRepair at level 10 with
Pitch Protection | off
Reverse | on
Simple
Resample to 96khz in Izotope Rx2 using the default preset
Manually listen to album in Adobe Audition cleaning any clicks/anomalies
Flac with Xrecode II

What Exactly Is An "Ultimate Master"

It is more or less a catchphrase originally used to designate something was a hi-res rip. But since there seems to be a lot "similarly" <cough> named rips now I guess I should explain.

I try to present the "ultimate mastering" of a particular LP, the "mastering" is not my equipment or process but the source material, it has always been about finding the best source. Now my opinion of the best source is subject to change as I experience more variations. Whether or not folks think my rip is "definitive" is irrelevant to me, I just try to find the best pressing and don't mind doing the extra clean up that comes with not just ripping new reissues or japanese issues. I understand the appeal of these pressings but I don't subscribe to the notion that they represent the best source 95% of the time.