Also sprach Zarathustra/ Blues A Plenty 45rpm Single LP Comparison Test Pressing

$

53

SS: Still Sealed
Label: RCA Living Stereo
Catalog Number: LSC 1806-45/ MGVS 8358-45

This auction is for a STILL SEALED, double sided 45rpm Single LP Test Pressing for comparison purposes of the Classic Records 180gram reissue of Strauss' "Also sprach Zarathustra" on Side 1 and the first three songs ( "I Didn't Know About You", "Cool Your Motor" and "Gone With The Wind") from Johnny Hodges' "Blues A Plenty" on Side 2. Test pressings are highly collectible and are from the first stamper. Approximately less than 20 exist. Test pressings reflect the closest you can get to the lacquers and hence have a special collectible value and store of value. 

This ultra rare test pressing was pressed with the first half of the famous 1954 Reiner/CSO recording of Strauss' "Also Sprach Zarathustra " (RCA LCS 1806) at 45 rpm on Side A. On the B-side are the first three songs* from Johnny Hodges "Blues A-Plenty" (Verve MGVS 68358) at 45 rpm. This 180g LP coupling labeled "Test - 45" is a test pressing from 1997 that was pressed at RTI and sent out to a handful of reviewers to promote the virtues of 45 rpm playback* over 33 rpm using the exact same material and levels as on production 33 rpm copies of each title that were included in the comparison package. Classic Records was on the verge of releasing audiophile single sided 45 rpm sets of many of great 33 rpm releases it had already done and wanted to promote the concept of 45 rpm being superior by virtue of lower playback distortion. Less than 10 copies of this test pressing are known to exist making it a great collectible. 

*45 rpm records have long been recognized as providing a higher fidelity musical experience resulting purely from the cartridge being able to extract more of the nuance from the complex vertical and horizontal groove modulations in stereo LP’s. Further, Classic Records 45 rpm “single sided” pressings dramatically reduce the mechanical resonances created by the cartridge during playback by allowing these resonances to be more fully transmitted to and absorbed by the turntable platter.  

Very Rare Item - Good Luck! 
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