Sold Date: May 28, 2015
Start Date: May 20, 2015
Final Price: $650.00 (USD)
Seller Feedback: 698
Buyer Feedback: 104

The Beatles' 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' remains one of the most influential albums in the history of Rock Music. So it's only natural for fans of the group to want the best sounding version.  To keep things simple I won't get into the Mono versus Stereo debate.  But as far as the Stereo version goes, the very first UK pressings (PCS 7027) from June 1967 are highly coveted by collectors and audiophiles. I've had the good fortune of hearing one of these early pressings and indeed, they do sound wonderful; the trouble is, finding one in decent NM condition is no easy task.  In the Fall of 1982, Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab released a very special pressing of 'Sgt. Pepper' (MFQR 1 - 100). It was one of 8 titles released in their 'Ultra High Quality Recording' series. The UHQR version of 'Sgt. Pepper' simply blew my mind. The detail and depth of the soundstage....the almost 3-Dimensional aspect of the audio...the ability to separate the instruments with ease....I thought....this is the closest I'll ever come to hearing the Stereo master tape.  Producer George Martin briefly mentioned this UHQR pressing in his 1994 book, 'With A Little Help From My Friends'[The Making Of Sgt. Pepper].....".....Everybody had to be terribly quiet. If anybody were to have coughed, it would have sounded like an explosion. As it is, on the Ultra High Quality Recording edition of Sgt. Pepper, you can hear the Abbey Road air-conditioning system purring away in the background as Geoff[Emerick] (Recording Engineer) opens the volume faders to the stops at the very end of the die-away. That's how we got the famous piano chord (at the end of 'A Day In The Life')....."  This quote speaks to the incredible detail heard on this UHQR pressing.  In my opinion, no other pressing or format comes close to capturing the simple yet complex beauty and magic of 'Sgt. Pepper' as on this extraordinary release by Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab.

Condition of Box: Near Mint

Condition of Technical Manual and Numbered Certificate: Near Mint.....some "sunning" and age discoloration is evident.

Condition of protective inner-sleeve: Near Mint

Condition of Numbered MFSL Jacket: Near Mint....the start of two inoffensive seam splits are noticed but were there from new and are quite common with these releases due to the tight packaging. Limited edition #3930/5000

Condition of rice-paper inner-sleeve: Near Mint

Condition of UHQR Record: Near Mint.....beautiful gloss....hardly a blemish to be seen....the very faintest (sleeve removal) hairlines are seen under strong light but have absolutely no bearing on the audio. This is truly a sensational pressing and an incredible audiophile experience.

I will always combine shipping to save you money. Often, the 2nd and 3rd Lp added to an order will have no additional shipping fees.

European Buyers....please contact me for shipping options/rates before paying invoice....thanks!