PINK FLOYD - Dark Side Of The Moon - UK 3rd Press LP (1973) - A3/B3 *Read Ad*
  £   60
  $   80

 


£ 60 Sold For
Mar 26, 2024 Sold Date
Mar 18, 2024 Start Date
1 Number Of Bids
  Great Britain Country Of Seller
eBay Sold at
 
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Description

Here we have an early pressing of DSOTM.


This is a 3rd UK issue, known as the 1st repress. 



Issue Identification:


3rd English edition, released between the end of 1973 and 1974, with "EMI Records, Ltd." on the outer edge of the label and "Made in GT Britain" at the bottom centre and again on rim text at bottom of labels. 


This is an A3/B3 pressing (first UK was A2/B2) 


SHVL 804 A3 AMM 2


SHVL 804 B3 GAP 2


The A3/B3 makes an excellent alternative to the very expensive UK 1st pressing as the original master tape was still in an excellent condition. It is often regarded in audiophile circles as the best sounding bang for buck pressing. All of the early pressing flaws had been corrected with the A3/B3 issue of the album. 


It's is easily identified by the label which states Made in Gt Britain twice (although not to be confused with the 1979 7th pressing which shares the same label ,that will have later matrix numbers and a barcode on rear of cover) 


Sleeve/Gatefold


This particular example comes in a VG+ condition gatefold sleeve, (I think it's the blue tinge cover) left side is sealed, right side open. it has some very minor shelf wear. The spine is very good. On close inspection it has had some minor restoration in the past by the looks of it. It has a small amount of creasing along the bottom of the front. There is no ring wear or excessive corner damage. Slightly faded colouring caused by storage wear. 


All in all it's a good solid cover and looks very good once it's stored in a plastic sleeve as seen in the pictures.


Pretty good for a 50 year old cover.



White EMI  Care for Your Record patent inner numbered 1,125,555 Made in Great Britain at the bottom. 



Posters x 2 in good condition. The band one has been previously pinned to a wall but very neatly. Both are free of rips or tears, cellotape or blutak etc.


Sorry no stickers with this one.


The record itself.


Nice clean bright disc, a number of hairlines in bright light, record sits nice and flat on platter. 


Side 1  PLEASE NOTE:


There is a slight tick for about 15-20 seconds into  Speak to Me caused by a very fine scratch but when the music starts properly it slowly disappears. The rest of side 1 is  excellent with no distractions,no skips, jumps,static or disturbing background noise apart from the odd tick here and there as expected with 50 year old vinyl.


Excluding the area of the tick I would describe the sound reproduction as Excellent plus. Very clear with uninterrupted clean and detailed sound. 


Side 2 


Graded Near Mint, beautiful sound delivery with no annoying distractions 


Summary


If you can live with the small defect at the beginning of side 1 you will be rewarded, the A3/B3 sounds superb and better than the 30th anniversary in my honest opinion. I have 10 different pressings of DSOTM and the A3/B3 is one that stands out as the best I've heard so far. Being an early pressing I'd suggest that the A3/B3 isn't far off those expensive original master pressings in its soundstage delivery., deep bass, all the detail, very clear vocal and Nicks drums at the front.


Record will receive a fresh clean on my Project Cleaning machine and be sent outside the main cover in a MoFi style inner sleeve, both inside a new outer sleeve and in a proper record mailer (see images)


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