A Walk Across The Rooftops

A fine album indeed and a great Linn/new cartridge/new arm test record to boot.
My vinyl copy still sound superb and probably would be in my desert island selection.
I think I'll go and play it now.
Joe

I heard this in Linn’s demo room about six months before it was released. Early 80s, active Isobariks, multi-Naim 250s, latest LP12 etc. Completely blew my mind. Hifi moved to a new plane that day and I’m still paying for it.

It is, no doubt, an astonishing recording from a phase where, IIRC, Linn actually got involved in the record manufacturing process with their own lathe.

Certainly all of the recent vinyl output is a pale imitation, sonically, of this record and others form that time.

Either that or it all went downhill when they removed the NAP135's that were driving the cutting head

I also still enjoy the music - I'll definitely grab this out tonigh.

Andy.

Mrs S is out for a while tonight, I think I'll do the same.

I think I will do the same, ah so much younger then......

I had both the original LP (pressed in the UK on the Linn label) and the 45 RPM of 'Stay' on the US (?A&M) label in the days when I had a turntable that could play 45 rpms. The latter was quite a bit better than the corresponding cut off the LP, cleaner, more dynamic, inner detail etc etc. I ended up giving away the LP, but still have the 45 rpm, which for obvious reasons has not been played for quite some time.

Does anyone remember Linns first release on their ALOI label- an insipid Euro-friendly band by the name of Renee. Utter cack. A Label of Integrity, indeed.

Oh, I think they used a NAP250 as the cutting head amp, not the 135s.

Ron
Dum spiro audio
Dum audio vivo

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Oh, I think they used a NAP250 as the cutting head amp, not the 135s

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You could be right - Paul?

Andy.

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You could be right - Paul?

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The mastering for the album was done some time in 1982-83. The 135s did not appear until some time around 1984- the year I first owned a pair. It may well be that there was a pair of NAP250s used in the mastering, in which case we are like the Men of Hindustan...partially in the right, but wrong.

Ron
Dum spiro audio
Dum audio vivo

Has anyone got their first single, I Love This Life?

It's a seven inch, in a picture sleeve, backed with The Second Act. came out on RSO in 1982. Listened to it last night (first time in yonks), sounds pretty interesting, you can hear a sound developing.

I was rather chuffed to note that one went on eBay recently for £100!

Kevin

Renee - Reach For The Sky

Yes; I have it and you're right Ron about its musical content. The recording however, is superb.

I believe that Linn were trying to prove what could be achieved with a realtively ordinary master tape, if the necessary care was taken to maximise its potential.

Sure as hell worked.

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Sounds pretty dated now though

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I must admit to thinking the opposite last night, whilst enjoying subterranean bass lines the like of which IBL's shouldn't be able to do.

Certainly it doesn't date in the way that most pop material of the time does.

It's an interesting recording in that it is on one hand sonically stunning, punchy, and clear, yet it doesn't sound clinical in the way a close-miked pop recording can.

There's loads of subtle background detail and acoustic surrounding everything, the latter may be clever engineering but it works well.

It's a corker, thanks for the reminder to get it out for a bit of nostalgia!

Andy.