What is a 'Columbia "six eye" pressing off of the 1S stamper?" Clearly it sounds good, but what is it? How do you recognize it? Why is it better?
In 1955, Columbia introduced the "6 eye" label. There are six camera/eye logos on the label, and the "Lp" logo is at the bottom. This label continued on all (mono) pressings until 1962. Masterworks albums (ML series), including soundtrack albums (OL and KOL series), were placed onto a gray and black "6 eye" label. Mono mainstream numbers from about CL 600 through about CL 1800 were pressed on this label style originally.
In 1958, stereo was introduced, and so a stereo version of the "6 eye" label was created. The prefix for standard stereo LP's was CS. A black and gray version was created for Masterworks and soundtrack albums (MS, KS, OS, and KOS series). Stereo mainstream numbers from CS 8000 to about CS 8579 were pressed on this label style originally.
The significance of the Six-eye version is two fold. First off if an album was originally made in the late 50s -early 60s era the six-eye pressing would represent to earliest pressing of the album, which
in theory would be the best quality because all of the tapes would be in the best condition with the least amount of wear on them. In the case of the six-eye pressing I think more important is the fact that if the album was pressed prior to 1962 there is a good chance that it was processed entirely using all vacuum tube equipment. IMO this is much more significant than any wear that may have happened on the mater tapes.
As for the 1S pressing, if you look on the inner grooves of an LP you will usually find a code etched in there. The first part of the code is usually either the LP number of something that is derived from that number. At the end of the number is usually some kind of suffix that identifies the stamper that was used to press that exact LP.n Lower numbers indicate an earlier stamper which again, in theory, might produce better sound because it came earlier in the production run. (However I have often wondered of something pressed at the very end of the usable life of stamper X would sound worse that something pressed from the very beginning of the production run from stamper (x+1). That is why I said "in theory"). However, to die hard collectors LPs from the first stamper are more valuable than LPs from later pressing, not because thy sound better, but because they are considered art of the "first edition" (Not unlike collectors look to the initial printing of a book.)
The Meatloaf CD is OK, but nothing great. Kind of the story of his career. If it wasn't for Bat Out of Hell and Rocky Horror, people would be saying "Meat who?" I saw the disc in the new releases section of the library and gave it a try. It's not bad, but just not the kind of CD I can see myself playing over and over again.