Pink Floyd : The Dark Side Of The Moon A2/B2 1st Press Solid Blue (Complete)
This very collectable album obviously needs no introduction.  I have played both sides in their entirety and it plays to a very high standard with only minimal interference.  There are no clicks or pops, just a small number of light ticks and a minimal amount of light static here and there.  The audio is very impressive overall.
The iconic cover is in excellent order with not too much shelf wear.  It also includes the posters and stickers which have been preserved extremely well and have hardly any wear.
With international shipping (including Europe now) I will declare a lower amount so as to decrease/avoid any Customs' fees.
SHVL 804 // A - 2 / B - 2 // TO 3 / OT 3
The audio on S1 is Near Mint (Mint- in many sections / T1 Ex / T3 end section Ex- / T4 NM- / T6 Ex+ )
The audio on S2 is Ex+ (Near Mint in many sections / T1 Near Mint-)
The gatefold is Ex-
The posters and stickers are Near Mint-
The labels are Near Mint-
The inner is Ex-
Visual grading
The vinyl is in excellent condition and there are no scratches to be seen.  There are a number of faint hairlines on each side but not an excessive amount and are superficial as you can tell from my audio grading below.  S2 does have one obvious 'thicker' hairline mark and a couple of mega faint scuffs but they have no affect on the audio at all.  The run out grooves are very clean and the matrix info can clearly be read.  The labels are also in excellent order with no marking/writing and there is not actually very much spindle wear.  The 'solid blue' colour is also still very strong.
Play grading
The very quiet 'heartbeat' intro on 'Speak To Me' has a little static and a couple of static ticks but once you hear the ticking clock and then the 'spoken' section the clarity is very impressive with barely any 'background'.  As it builds there are no negatives and the playback is superb.  An Ex start to this classic album.
The segue into 'Breathe' is perfect and the instrumental intro then plays with great clarity and no clicks or pops just a handful of insignificant light ticks.  The two verses then play with great clarity and again I only detected a very small number of mega light ticks that are totally in the background and non-intrusive.  I only mention them to be 100% in my grading.  Near Mint overall.
Again the segue into 'On The Run' could hardly play any better and the sonic quality thereafter is outstanding!  It has the depth and warmth that you only get from a 'clean' solid blue first pressing and the only 'background' is a little static on the running man section following the 'crash'.  The majority is Mint- and the end section Ex-
The intro on 'Time' is nigh on perfect but there is one dull tick and one click at the end of the 'chimes'.  The opening section then plays with barely any static and what you can detect is incredibly quiet anyway.  Stood in the centre of your audio room you would not even notice it!  The first verse/chorus are faultless and Gilmour's iconic solo then plays with such power and no distortion on the top end.  The final vocal section has no 'background', the playback is stunning Near Mint- is an honest assessment of the audio here.
'Breathe Reprise' is 'as new' no exaggeration.  There is not even a dust tick and Mint- is richly deserved.
The gentle piano intro on 'The Great Gig In The Sky' is stunning and only after 20 seconds is there a minimal amount of light static and just a minor amount of distortion during the 'spoken' section.  Once the 'vocal' begins the power and depth of the audio is exceptional and it continues in the same precise way.  The 'high octane' section is breathtaking!  The quieter section that follows plays beautifully with no intrusion and there are only three light ticks towards the end.  The super quiet finale is sublime and it is a genuine rarity for this classic to play so well throughout.  I will grade as Ex+ but the majority certainly does play better than that.
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The intro on 'Money' plays so clearly with barely any static and the first two verses are equally as good.  There are no clicks or pops and only a handful of non-intrusive light background ticks.  The iconic instrumental section, starting with the sax solo, is absolutely stunning!  I cannot emphasise enough how well it plays and you can turn it up to max without fear of distortion!  The playback is so strong and dynamic and every section is 'as new' without a doubt.  The final verse has 4/5 very light ticks but you don't really notice them and the audio is still so strong and clear.  Near Mint- but again the vast majority is better than that.
'Us And Them' has some light static on the intro which is a little louder for 3/4 seconds but...no clicks or pops.  Once the sax comes in there is very little 'background' although there are a couple of static ticks as the vocal begins.  From then on it plays with minimal background static in the quieter sections and every chorus is stunning.  The power and depth of the audio is sublime.  In fact following the second chorus there is no obvious 'background' at all and the clarity is very impressive.  The final verse has one tick and just a minor hint of static and the final chorus is again faultless.   A highly creditable Ex+ version overall.
'Any Colour You Like' is as close to perfect as is possible with no ticks, clicks or pops and only a miniscule amount of distortion on Gilmour's mid solo section which hardly warrants a mention really!  The rest of the instrumental is flawless and Near Mint is an easy grade to give.
The opening grooves on 'Brain Damage' are super clean with very little static and the first verse is the same.  The second verse is similar with only three light ticks and the 'chorus' then plays with stunning clarity, power and depth.  From then on it plays to a wonderful standard with no intrusion - a game of two halves in a way - Ex+ for the first and Near Mint for the remainder.
'Eclipse' ends proceedings with very strong audio.  There is a little distortion but it doesn't really affect the audio 'experience' and the quiet 'heartbeat' ending then plays clearly with only a little static.  An Ex+ finish to this classic album.
In summary this solid blue first press plays to a very high standard and has clearly not been over-played.  In fact many sections play with Near Mint clarity and there are certainly no loud clicks or pops on either side.  There are some light ticks here and there and some minor background static but it is hardly ever intrusive in my opinion.  This is still a very impressive listen and as stated it comes complete with the posters and stickers.
The Gatefold & Inner Sleeve
The 'lighter black' cover (not midnight blue) is very clean with not too much shelf wear.  I would say most of the wear is restricted to the bottom edge of the back cover which does have some rubbing mainly near the right corner.  Aside from that the other edges have only minimal 'rubbing'.  The spine is in superb shape with only a light wear on the corners and the right hand corners just have a bit more wear but again nothing major.  The opening edge has barely any wear and the front cover is very clean with no actual marking, just some minor fading and a touch of ringwear.  The back cover has a small number of faint creases next to the bottom and some more ringwear that is a little more obvious but again it is very clean.  The inside of the gatefold is in lovely condition with only minimal fading along the top edge, very minimal!
I'm not sure if this is the original inner but it is nonetheless in excellent condition with only one very small side split, no marking and hardly any creasing.
The Posters & Stickers
The glossy posters are in superb condition with barely any wear and the Fasprint stickers (with brown diagonal stripes on the back also) are also in great shape with just one very minor crease on one of them.
Play tested on my Pro-Ject Essential III Turntable // B & W 684 Speakers
This record has been professionally cleaned on a Pro-Ject VC-S machine

SHVL 804 // A - 2 / B - 2 // TO 3 / OT 3

I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines.

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