Vinyl: LED ZEPPELIN II A2/B2 UK ATLANTIC 'Livin' Lovin' Wreck' LP RED/PLUM EX+ Mega Rare 1st Press EX+/NM Audio / VG+ in Two Sections

The classic 'Whole Lotta Love' plays with excellent clarity. There is only a minor amount of static on the lead in and the track impresses with a few light dust ticks and a little mild static which is very much in the background. There are many sections that have no interference at all. There is no heavy crackle or loud clicks or pops and you can turn up the volume with no fear of distortion and for such a rare vinyl it plays extremely well. The quiet intro to 'What is and What Should Never Be' plays very cleanly with only light background static, it does not intrude on the audio. The more you get into the track the more you realise how well it plays! Yes there are some light dust ticks but again there is no crackle, no clicks or pops, the sound quality here really is of an excellent standard, Ex+ for the majority. A great example of this is the fade out which plays with no 'background' whatsoever. 'The Lemon Song' continues in the same way with wonderful audio. The bass plays so strongly with incredible depth and the first guitar solo section equals this with no distortion or any other kind of interference. Thereafter the audio has only a hint of static in the background. When you consider how many quiet 'bass' sections there are on this track to have audio displaying such clarity and a distinct lack of interference is a such a rarity with this mega rare record. 'Thank You' again has some light static to begin with but it is no worse than that and there is also some distortion here and there. This is especially common on this track I find. The second half does have some faint crackle which is certainly more obvious on the fade out ending just before the music kicks in again. To be on the safe side I will grade the final minute as VG+ although it is definitely still playable and doesn't have any clicks, pops or jumps. For this to be the first 'real' crackle on this side is very rare on this highly collectible pressing and is a pretty good result!

'Heart Breaker' has a little lead in crackle but this soon disappears and then continues to play with stunning audio and no interference or distortion. During the quieter guitar mid section there is a little background static but the clarity is still of an excellent standard. Thereafter the track 'rocks out' and plays superbly with immense power and definition. I'm blown away by the audio here quite honestly! It is amazing just how well the audio quality has been preserved on this vinyl and the majority of it grades as Near Mint I am happy to say. 'Livin' Lovin' Wreck/Maid' is also mega impressive! The sheer power and clarity of the sound is just immaculate and I'm not sure I've heard better. This classic track easily deserves a Near Mint grading if not Mint- it is that good. The intro to 'Ramble On' plays with excellent audio again with only a handful of light static sounds that are only audible if your ears are super close to the speakers. The remainder plays with wonderful depth and barely any interference until a little crackle on the fade out. The intro to 'Moby Dick' plays so clearly and again I just cannot believe the strength and depth of the audio here. The bass sound once more is so impressive. There is a small amount of crackle in a here and there during the drum solo but in my opinion it is not particularly intrusive and it remains a great listen. There is the odd light click towards the end and this is due to a very fine scratch that also causes a few clicks during the first minute or so of 'Bring It On Home'. The rest of the track plays extremely well with just some mild distortion and the quiet ending has no interference whatsoever, a stunning end to an iconic album.

In summary this super rare LP with the incorrect 'Wreck' credit is most probably the best I have heard. The audio is of such a high calibre and plays with astounding quality for the vast majority. For there to be only two obvious areas of interference is an incredible rarity for this highly sought after LP. It is a shame regarding the small scratch on S2 as it is so fine it isn't easy to notice at first. Despite that the audio on S2 especially is of impeccable quality and will not disappoint any avid Led Zepp collector.

Gatefold cover