Jackson Browne Running On Empty VERY RARE 1985 Nimbus Supercut UK Press K53070

$

395

• Jackson Browne.
• Running On Empty.
• 1985 Nimbus "Supercut" Limited Edition Audiophile Vinyl Re-mastering.
• Only 1000 Copies Produced By Nimbus For Mail-order Though "HI-FI Today" UK Magazine.
• Sourced From Original Master Tape.
• Special Mastering Techniques and Pure Vinyl Formulations (see below).
• 100% Play Tested (see below).
• With lyric sheet insert.

Item Details
Manufactured in: United Kingdom
Recorded: By Greg Ladanyi On Stage, Backstage, Bus, & Hotel Room Aug-Sept. 1977
Lacquer Cut By: John Gladwin (JWG in matrix)
Pressing By: Nimbus Records, Wyastone, Monmouth, UK
Original Issue: December 6, 1977
This Issue: 1985
Label: Asylum/Nimbus Records K 53070
Runout Deadwax Matrix Numbers:
Side 1: (etch:) K53070-A1 NRL JWG 3 MPT V JH (stamp:) NIMBUS ENGLAND
Side 2: (etch:) K53070-B1 NRL JWG 3 MPT V JH (stamp:) NIMBUS ENGLAND
Besides the use of original master tapes as their source, Nimbus employs other techniques to produce the highest audio quality and greatest faithfulness to the master. For example, they do not use low-frequency groove modulation limiting. Normally, when bass in the source moves from channel to channel the lacquer cutter is modulated to prevent a playback stylus from moving side to side and this tends to center the bass between the two channels. Thus the resulting audio recovery is not faithful to the original mix. Nimbus does not use this kind of modulation limiting. Audiophile reviewers claim that this is the only mastering that has ever gotten the bass right and reproduces the high end with full resolution without harshness. Additionally, Nimbus had Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd produce a custom pure polyvinyl chloride polymer formula that is quieter and has better frequency extension similar to the “super vinyl” Mofi used in their early vinyl pressings.
Was bought new by this seller many years ago and now offered from his private collection (you have absolutely known provenance). Has had just a few plays only on an expertly setup high-end audiophile turntable, arm, and cartridge. Has never been exposed to heat or tobacco smoke and always stored vertically in a specially designed record cabinet (Rackit) to prevent warpage.
Was cleaned on a VPI HW 16 with Audio Intelligent solutions and ultra-pure water rinse (50X purer than distilled water) before my pre-sale sound check. I neutralize residual static charge with a Zerostat immediately after cleaning. I wear nitrile surgical gloves while cleaning and play testing to avoid any chance of transferring finger oils to the vinyl.

Very sensitive 100% play testing was performed straight off my Ayre P-5xe fully balanced phono preamp over Sennheiser HD 600 headphones using a Schiit Audio Valhalla 2 tube headphone amp fitted with NOS Soviet Voskhod matched tubes (see last photo).

Track list
1: Running On Empty, The Road, Rosie, You Love The Thunder, Cocaine.

2: Shaky Town Love Needs A Heart, Nothing But Time, The Load-Out, Stay.

I never take "distant" photos nor the so-prevalent type with the LP sticking halfway out of the jacket. I take close-ups under photo lamps so you can see nearly everything I describe in the jacket grading. It is virtually impossible to know the true vinyl condition from any photograph. That takes very bright and close visual inspection PLUS play testing with thorough coverage on high resolution equipment.
Grading Details
Note: Grading LPs by text characters is subjective and at best are only a guide as no two used records are of exactly the same quality. Please, refer to both my photo evidence and detailed descriptions to judge by YOUR OWN grading standards. Questions are always welcome. eBay no longer allows me to enter separate grades for each side of the sleeve or record so you may not see any in the box above but are listed below. Play quality is personally most important to me so vinyl visual qualities are graded and described in detail separately for your complete assessment.

Outer Jacket Inspection/grading:
NM-/NM
Only a few things were found on the front face that are worth noting. First there is a small (3/16") mild "V" crease on the spine edge about 3" down from the top edge. 1-1/4" to the right of the top left corner is a mild 1/8" non color-breaking crease. There is also about 1" of 1mm-thick edge "curling" at the bottom right corner. This can be seen in my main photo. Lastly, there is a very hard to spot 3/16" non color breaking crease located about 2" from the bottom right corner on that bottom edge. Under reflected light I did find two light and smooth indentations located 2" inside the middle of the right sleeve edge. The lower one is actually a partial light crease with a bit of color-break and my photo lamps brightly illuminated it in the captured photo. In person it is actually nearly invisible. That's the extent of artifacts I could find and they are all very minor, so I think the grade "Near Mint Minus" applies.
The rear face had the same very minor edge "curling" as the front on the same location, but with reversed orientation. The top spine and corner edge creases are also seen in reverse location but they are noticeably milder. I could find nothing else on the rear face, so it is solidly "Near Mint." Except for that corner edge "curling," all other edges have no wear at all. All remaining surfaces of both sides have smooth and highly reflective glossy finishes with absolutely no rubbing or ring wear.

Vinyl visual inspection/grading:
NM/NM-
Side 1 looked absolutely perfect with no "hairline" traces, surface mottling, or abrasions. The center hole has no "scribble tracks" around it. Both sides have LAST vinyl wear prevention stickers on them. My standard practice was to always apply the LAST anti-wear treatment before my very first play and mark the label with a sticker to know it was done.
Side 2 initially looked as perfect as side 1 but during my tilt and rotate viewing I found three lightly reflective fog-like narrow "contrails" starting at the rim and extending in about 2-3 track widths. They appear to be very faint traces affecting only on the very top surface of the vinyl well above any groove modulations. It looks as if some time during it's life this area lightly touched against a very smooth surface. My best guess is the highly polished round top of a turntable post when queuing up the first side for play. This artifact is the reason for my added "minus" to the side's visual grade. The remainder of the side's surface is perfect.

Play Testing:
NM/NM
100% monitored play testing was performed after visual inspection. Continuous written notes were taken. While play testing I recorded both sides in their entirely to 96Kk/24-bit digital WAV files using Avid ProTools. The ProTools session allowed me to revisit certain tracks and portions of the digital recording to double check some of my play test notes. Here is rundown of each side.

Side 1 Play
I heard some some very tiny ticks under the quiet start of audio while the band is talking and getting ready to play. Then, the band went instantly from zero to explosive volume peaks (I had my headphone level set too high!). After adjusting levels I was really impressed with how powerful the drums and bass were. Very enjoyable way to kick off the first side. The first transition groove was very quiet. All these transition grooves do not have any dead space between tracks. They ramp down from the current song and begin to ramp back up while cross-fading into the next one. T2 starts off very soft and gentle with David's fiddle, Jackson's voice, and his acoustic guitar. It was recorded in room 301 at the Cross Keys Inn, Columbia, Maryland. I heard only a single "tick" about 19 seconds from the start. The audio quality of this track has high transparency and that quality remains when the full band kicks in on the 2nd verse. The transition groove ramp-up into T2 was very quiet. I pay attention to all transition grooves as it gives me an accurate baseline for the overall pressing quality. T3 is one of my old favorites. It was recorded backstage at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Starts off with just Jackson on the piano which sounds very rich and "present" as do the backup vocal harmonies. My notes conclude: "very clear and clean audio here." There is a tiny tick just as the piano is fading out 4 seconds from the end. T4 is my other top pick of the side. It is a very well balanced live recording and mix that does not ever get congested. The cymbals sound very bright and clear with a sweet "shimmer." I found David Lindley's lap steel especially nice. T5 was recorded in room 124 at the Holiday Inn, Edwardsville, Illinois. It has a "close-up" perspective with very high audio realism (may sound like the band is right there in your listening room). I detected a low frequency "tick" about 15 seconds from the start. It was low in level (-21dBFS). I heard one more small tick during the conversations following the end of the music (about 28 seconds from the end of the track). There were a few barely perceptible ticks here and there during that conversation as well. My impression was that this side sounded exactly like it did on its very first play.

Side 2 Play
The lead-in grooves were very quiet. T1 is another Room 124 Holiday Inn recording that is cut at even higher levels than S1. Because of the close microphone positions, the drums and bass have very powerful transient peaks (will really shake your listening room!). I heard absolutely no vinyl noise of any kind on this track, and none in the outgoing transition grooves. T2 is a long term favorite of mine. It is one of the best high fidelity audience recordings on the record. Every instrument and voice is nicely separated and wide in frequency range. There is just no congestion at all giving absolute clarity from top to bottom of any detail you wish to follow. Zero vinyl noise. During the transition groove as T2 is fading down and overlapping with the T3 ramp-up I heard a "scrape-like" sound is only in one channel. I'm certain it is not vinyl noise because I can clearly hear the recorded near-field reverb reflection echo. T3 was recorded on the tour bus somewhere in New Jersey. Very effective in making you feel that "you are there." T4 is an audience recording with Jackson on the piano at first then the band kicks in big time with immense power Its a superb track and reaches the highest peak levels (-0.5 dBFS). T4 segues right into T5 and is another great "never-congested" recording/mix.

I initially bought the US release of this album and loved it but was always disappointed with the audio performance and pressing quality. When I learned of this Nimbus re-master I jumped on it right away and managed to get one. No other version comes close and this is regarded by critics as the definitive one. Given the audio performance and insignificant vinyl pressing artifacts I have no qualms about rating both sides NM for play quality.

Digital audio sample clips without any noise reduction can be made available only to seriously interested buyers for direct assessment of the play quality. Please message me for details.
Packaging

• Record will be placed outside the jacket to protect against seam splitting.
• Original inner sleeve and lyric sheet are included separately.
• Record has been placed into genuine new vintage MFSL "rice paper" plastic sleeve, as the original, even though plastic lined, could be holding onto some dust. This will keep vinyl surfaces clean during shipping and ultimate buyer usage.
• Outer jacket is contained in a new clear polyethylene protective sleeve.
• Sent in good quality record mailer with double cardboard stiffeners on each side of the contents. All 4 corners are double taped for extra protection.

Shipping

• Shipping will be free via USPS Priority or FedEx Smart Post (buyer choice).
• I will pay for eBay insurance to cover the full sale value. Note that eBay insurance is only to cover the seller as buyers will always be refunded through eBay's "Money Back Guarantee" should there be a total shipping loss.