America - America (Friday Music 'Audiophile' LP 2008 VinylRip 24/96) 1971

America - America
Friday Music FRM 9001 180 Gram Vinyl
24-bit / 96 kHz Vinyl Rip by Dr. Robert

Vinyl Ripping Notes

Nitty Gritty RCM 1.5
Technics SL-1200MK2 DD Turntable with KAB Fluid Damping and KAB record grip
Ortofon 2M Black MM Cartridge
Pro-ject Tube Box SE II Preamp (2x GroveTubes GT-12AX7-R3)
Tascam US-144 external USB 2.0 Audiointerface
Mac Pro Dual Zeon 2.66 GHz
Bias Peak LE 6.2 recording software
Click Repair 3.3.1 for de-click (manual mode only)
iZotope RX Advanced 1.21 for Redbook conversion
xACT 1.71 for Redbook SBE correction
XLD Version 20100518 (120.3) for FLAC conversion


RCM > TT > Ortofon 2M Blk > Tube Box preamp > ADC > Mac Pro > Peak LE @ 24/96 >
analyze (no clipping, no DC Bias offset, each side gain maximized to -0.5 dB) > split into individual tracks >
Click Repair 3.02 used in manual mode, 20~30 Rev, Pitch Protection, X2 >
FLAC encoded Level 5 with XLD Version 20100518 (120.3)

All de-clicking software used in full manual mode to preserve musical transients.

No music was harmed in the making of this vinyl rip.

No silence been removed, please burn gapless to match original track layout

This rip of the first America album has been a work in progress for almost a year now.
I first bought the LP last September from Acoustic Sounds. Side two was full of crackles.
I returned it immediately for a replacement, same thing. It went back for a refund.
In January I decided to try again. Same crackles in the same spots and number three went back.
I took a chance on a fourth copy and thought Amazon would be worth a shot. Same crackles, and warped !

I did make recordings of the first three LP's and worked on the side two tracks off and on since February.
The Friday Music reissue of Homecoming was so nice and such an improvement over my 1970's copy.
I had great hopes for this reissue. The mastering is great. Some idiot just ruined the press run.
After many long sessions of micro surgery in Click Repair I finally got a pleasing sounding rip.