Szigeti Violin Concerto In D SR90358 Mercury Living Presence LP Piros RFR 1/4

$

63

                                                              Beethoven Violin Concerto
                                                            Joseph Szigeti, Violinist 
                                                            Antal Dorati, Conducting
                                                        London Symphony Orchestra
                                                             First US Stereo Pressing
                                                                Original shrink wrap

                                                                       Item Details
                                                                       Issued: 1964
                                                                Manufactured in: USA
                                                  Label: Mercury Living Presence SR90385
                                                 Recorded: June, 1961 at Watford Town Hall
                           Pressing: First, based on Discogs identifiers (see matrix codes below)
                        Mastering: At Fine Recording Studios by George Piros ("P17" side A Matrix)
                                                        Runout Deadwax Matrix Numbers:
                                          Side 1: (all etched:) SR-90358A-RFR-1 P17 RR 1
                                          Side 2: (all etched:) SR-90358B-RFR-4 RR 1

Was bought used by this seller many years ago and now offered from his private collection. Has had 
one play by seller only for this pre-sale play testing. See last photo and description below of play test
gear. 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 for the sale on a VPI HW 16 with Audio Intelligent 3-step cleaning process because of the
age of this LP. 1st cleaning solution used was the Enzymatic Formula to remove water-insoluble and 
protein-based contaminants such as mold-release compounds, fingerprints, fungi, and bacteria. The
2nd stage solution is the Super Cleaner Formula and the last stage is an Ultra Pure Water rinse (50x
purer than distilled water). Photography followed cleaning with play testing after photography.

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

Track list
1: Violin Concerto, Opus 61, Allegro Ma Non Troppo.
2: Larchetto, Rondo (Allegro).

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.

Grading 
Note: record grading by text characters is subjective and does not fully describe quality 
levels. Please see photos and my detailed descriptions below.

Outer Jacket: NM (Near Mint) Jacket is exceptionally preserved for a 56 year old record because it is still
in its original shrink wrap. The staining you see in the photos is on the shrink wrap itself and not on the
matte-finished jacket surface. The only imperfections I could detect were the very small bend at the upper
left corner and some slight rubbing wear on the right sleeve edge. There is a void in the shrink wrap on 
the upper right front side but the jacket surface below that area is glossy, smooth, and unblemished.

Vinyl: VG+/VG++ (Very Good Plus) Surface visuals were first inspected under high intensity halogen light.
Side 1 has some fine sleeving wear traces and "mottling" on its surface. Side 2 has much less of this
mottling (lighter appearance) and many less sleeving wear traces. Extensive play testing was 
performed after cleaning. I listened at about 1/2" intervals for a few minutes each though both sides. 
I would describe the noise floor on side 1 to consist of low level random "ticks" that are masked out as 
the volume increases on most of that side but can be noticed on the quietest music passages. Only very 
occasionally would I hear a random "click" or low frequency "clunk" but never a loud "pop." I felt that I 
could sit back and listen with musical enjoyment to this whole side. Side 2's noise floor was lower than 
side 1 and in the quietest passages at the lead start I was more aware of the master tape hiss than 
crackle. At about 1" from the lead-in, small "ticks" became less and less frequent and by about 1/3rd 
of the way in the vinyl noise was at a surprisingly low level. That was fortunate because the music was 
 at a low level consistently to that point. The volume and pace then picked up but the higher volume levels 
did not quite mask all the random "ticks" as well as side 1 except for the last 1.5 " of grooves. Overall I 
thought side 2 had a bit more audio purity and transparency than side 1. (more like VG++) 

Packaging
Record will be placed outside the jacket to protect against seam splitting.
Record has been placed into a brand new genuine MFSL Original Master Sleeve. This will keep vinyl surface 
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 cardboard stiffeners.

Shipping
Shipping will be via USPS Media Mail for a flat charge of $3.98 per single album sale.
A combined shipping discount is available on multiple sales completed within 5 business days 
($3.98 plus $0.50 for each additional LP). If you intend to buy more than one LP do not pay immediately
but wait for my all-combined invoice. A discount for the combined items will show on that invoice. 
Then, once payment is received, the items will ship.