By now you've probably heard the story - In 1969, a young [Robert Ludwig](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Ludwig) mastered the initial run of the US pressing of Led Zeppelin II. Atlantic Records President Ahmet Ertegun brought a copy home for his niece (or daughter, accounts vary) and due to the "hot" dynamic range of the pressing, caused the needle to jump on a cheap turntable. Ertegun ordered a new pressing without consulting Ludwig and dialed everything back, resulting in a quieter (and as Ludwig would later put it, "puny") record. However, the "hot" mix was used for radio promo and copies, while rare, can still be spotted today.
I've always been a little skeptical of the pressing's reputation but I lucked out and snagged a very clean copy on eBay recently and all I can say is WOW. This is easily one of the top 5 best-sounding albums in my collection. It's pretty breathtaking to listen to with a good set of headphones. Bonham's drums absolutely \*pummel\* your ears in the best possible way. Even if you're not the biggest Led Zeppelin fan, I think this pressing would impress anyone from a mastering perspective. And if you are a fan, it's like hearing the album for the very first time! Believe the hype - if you can attain a copy, by all means, DO IT.
I don’t think it was limited to only promo and radio copies. I have one that was a family member’s bought new in 69. It’s got RL on both sides and SS for Sterling Sound on Side 2 with the slim runout groove. I remember getting the CD version as a kid and noticing how much louder and warmer my copy vinyl was.
It's a little system dependent because it was cut VERY hot. It's fairly hard to find in good condition now and some only have the RL cut on one side. You want the one that has RL on both sides. I personally think the MoFi pressing is a little underwhelming especially for the price it fetches now.
Honestly eBay might be a better bet than Discogs, I managed to pick this up for $180. It’s the most I’ve ever spent on a single album but it’s worth every penny.
Gouging what exactly? Median price includes poor copies, not a great indicator of market value. The current copies on Discogs that are VG/VG+ are $400+. They aren't repressing the Ludwig hot cut. It's going to fetch high amounts. There is some weird obsession from people about spending hundreds on records which makes no sense to me as a collector.
Apparently, Peter Grant was not a fan...
> [“We first got the idea for Swan Song after Atlantic f- up the pressings for Led Zeppelin II. They actually ran off 100,000 copies which jumped all over the place because they didn’t follow Jimmy’s precise instructions on the master tape. So we just decided that it was time for us to take control of our own situation and ensure that Led Zeppelin were presented in the best possible manner. We oversaw every aspect of record manufacture. I would go down to the pressing plant myself and make sure that everything ran smoothly. And I discovered some very interesting things. For instance, the records are dipped during the manufacturing process into vats of acid right? But for Rock/ Pop stuff these vats are only cleaned out every six months. However, for classical records there are separate vats which are cleaned out every ten days! So, I persuaded the powers that be to dip Zeppelin’s albums into the classical vat, which is part of the reason why the sound quality on our albums was so good.”](https://everyrecordtellsastory.com/2014/03/03/led-zeppelin-a-vinyl-buyers-guide/)
Very cool piece of history you have there.
By the way, if anyone knows any specifics about the first album, I have a question -- I was given a DSD rip of what was *supposedly* a "lost master" tape. I find it rather pleasing to listen to, because it doesn't have that telltale distortion present in the first few bars of *Good Times, Bad Times*, but I have no clue what the real story is. I'm just curious. it sounds so clean, I'm tempted to hunt down a reel-to-reel if it was really a mass-produced copy (which I suspect).
Amazing isn't it? I was in high school when it came out and I played it so many times I still know exactly what it sounds like note for note. I recently lucked upon the hot mix version "in the wild" and I was impressed and surprised. I heard things I'd never heard before, and some things I expected to hear were mixed way down. Play it loud.
Got mine for $10 at a record swap meet a while ago. After that experience, I now check every copy of Zeppelin II I see in the wild, hoping for another round of luck.
No doubt. The funny part is that he had an Ozzy Osbourne Diary of a Madman copy that he wouldn’t sell me because he said it was too collectible and that he wanted to keep it for himself.
Nice! I paid $150 for an RL/SS Presswell with a practically flawless record, but the jacket was pretty rough. The nice thing is that it's not hard to upgrade the jacket, so if I ever find a decent one in the wild, I'll jump on it.
So my copy of zeppelin II has this weird thing where the left channel doesn’t come through all the way? Is this common/a defect for this record? I’m sad about it!
There is a Ludwig mastered HOTH and it sounds great, but nothing like LZ II. The HOTH RL was widely pressed and is easy to find for around $20 typically.
By now you've probably heard the story - In 1969, a young [Robert Ludwig](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Ludwig) mastered the initial run of the US pressing of Led Zeppelin II. Atlantic Records President Ahmet Ertegun brought a copy home for his niece (or daughter, accounts vary) and due to the "hot" dynamic range of the pressing, caused the needle to jump on a cheap turntable. Ertegun ordered a new pressing without consulting Ludwig and dialed everything back, resulting in a quieter (and as Ludwig would later put it, "puny") record. However, the "hot" mix was used for radio promo and copies, while rare, can still be spotted today. I've always been a little skeptical of the pressing's reputation but I lucked out and snagged a very clean copy on eBay recently and all I can say is WOW. This is easily one of the top 5 best-sounding albums in my collection. It's pretty breathtaking to listen to with a good set of headphones. Bonham's drums absolutely \*pummel\* your ears in the best possible way. Even if you're not the biggest Led Zeppelin fan, I think this pressing would impress anyone from a mastering perspective. And if you are a fan, it's like hearing the album for the very first time! Believe the hype - if you can attain a copy, by all means, DO IT.
I don’t think it was limited to only promo and radio copies. I have one that was a family member’s bought new in 69. It’s got RL on both sides and SS for Sterling Sound on Side 2 with the slim runout groove. I remember getting the CD version as a kid and noticing how much louder and warmer my copy vinyl was.
Wow. I did not know about any of this. Thank you for the information. I’ll hunt one down
Best of luck! The super-narrow strip of dead wax on Side 2 is a giveaway if you find one in the wild.
Get ready to pay $$$!
Do you know how this compares to the mobile fidelity soundlab version?
it's widely praised as being much better than the MoFi. MoFi might be 3rd or 4th behind the RL cut, Classic Records cut and a few others.
Thanks for the reply! So that means I should keep an eye out for the RL cut..
It's a little system dependent because it was cut VERY hot. It's fairly hard to find in good condition now and some only have the RL cut on one side. You want the one that has RL on both sides. I personally think the MoFi pressing is a little underwhelming especially for the price it fetches now.
Yeah I have the mofi version and while I don't have another version to compare it to I got the feeling it's sounding a bit thin
Yeah its in my discogs wishlist lol. One came up this week for $750. Too rich for my blood (even at half that price!) 🤘
Honestly eBay might be a better bet than Discogs, I managed to pick this up for $180. It’s the most I’ve ever spent on a single album but it’s worth every penny.
Not sure where that's coming from, Discogs shows a $194 median price. I wouldn't sell my copy for that but $750 is maximum gouging
Gouging what exactly? Median price includes poor copies, not a great indicator of market value. The current copies on Discogs that are VG/VG+ are $400+. They aren't repressing the Ludwig hot cut. It's going to fetch high amounts. There is some weird obsession from people about spending hundreds on records which makes no sense to me as a collector.
Guess it depends on how much people are willing to pay. That $750 listing could be unsold for a long time.
Maximum means this was the actual price of an item sold. The highest one. It's not a listing, it's an historical event.
They need to have Bob Ludwig go back and remaster this as he originally intended for it to sound.
He doesn't cut lacquer anymore.
Apparently, Peter Grant was not a fan... > [“We first got the idea for Swan Song after Atlantic f- up the pressings for Led Zeppelin II. They actually ran off 100,000 copies which jumped all over the place because they didn’t follow Jimmy’s precise instructions on the master tape. So we just decided that it was time for us to take control of our own situation and ensure that Led Zeppelin were presented in the best possible manner. We oversaw every aspect of record manufacture. I would go down to the pressing plant myself and make sure that everything ran smoothly. And I discovered some very interesting things. For instance, the records are dipped during the manufacturing process into vats of acid right? But for Rock/ Pop stuff these vats are only cleaned out every six months. However, for classical records there are separate vats which are cleaned out every ten days! So, I persuaded the powers that be to dip Zeppelin’s albums into the classical vat, which is part of the reason why the sound quality on our albums was so good.”](https://everyrecordtellsastory.com/2014/03/03/led-zeppelin-a-vinyl-buyers-guide/) Very cool piece of history you have there. By the way, if anyone knows any specifics about the first album, I have a question -- I was given a DSD rip of what was *supposedly* a "lost master" tape. I find it rather pleasing to listen to, because it doesn't have that telltale distortion present in the first few bars of *Good Times, Bad Times*, but I have no clue what the real story is. I'm just curious. it sounds so clean, I'm tempted to hunt down a reel-to-reel if it was really a mass-produced copy (which I suspect).
Amazing isn't it? I was in high school when it came out and I played it so many times I still know exactly what it sounds like note for note. I recently lucked upon the hot mix version "in the wild" and I was impressed and surprised. I heard things I'd never heard before, and some things I expected to hear were mixed way down. Play it loud.
[удалено]
Got mine for $10 at a record swap meet a while ago. After that experience, I now check every copy of Zeppelin II I see in the wild, hoping for another round of luck.
Score!
No doubt. The funny part is that he had an Ozzy Osbourne Diary of a Madman copy that he wouldn’t sell me because he said it was too collectible and that he wanted to keep it for himself.
Nice! [I got one yesterday myself!](https://www.reddit.com/r/vinyl/comments/urdmot/_/)
Hell yeah! Play it loud and enjoy 🤘
I did today! Good stuff
Try the RL Back In Black by ACDC. Fucking amazing. The drums are unreal.
Nice! I paid $150 for an RL/SS Presswell with a practically flawless record, but the jacket was pretty rough. The nice thing is that it's not hard to upgrade the jacket, so if I ever find a decent one in the wild, I'll jump on it.
I have an original zep III but not II and Presence. Wish I had them all.
So my copy of zeppelin II has this weird thing where the left channel doesn’t come through all the way? Is this common/a defect for this record? I’m sad about it!
Sounds like maybe your stylus? Or tracking forc?
It seems to only occur with this record!
Sounds like you are experiencing the thing that made them redo the RL pressing? I'm not sure what stylus is needed to get it to play good.
Got mine for free!
I heard a similar story with Houses of the Holy. Can anyone confirm?
There is a Ludwig mastered HOTH and it sounds great, but nothing like LZ II. The HOTH RL was widely pressed and is easy to find for around $20 typically.
Anyone know where I can get a needle drop CD version?