Just as well then, that the orange LP transformed the experience. It actually generated some space within the soundstage, some instrumental separation and some shape and structure to the music. There was an increased immediacy and a greater sense of musical purpose and direction. The Gallagher vocals were lifted free of the musical quicksand, became significantly more intelligible and were delivered with more of that characteristic whiny-snarl. The unremittingly ponderous, heavy metal sound was leavened with a degree of light and shade, with occasional hints of Beatles and the Byrds emerging from the mix. No, the difference didn’t catapult the record to the top of (or even onto) my play list, but it at least made it a record worth playing. This never was and was never going to be an audiophile recording and it would have needed a miracle to transform it into one. But that does nothing to undermine the sonic and musical benefits of the plant-based pressing. On the basis of this experience (and this one example), I’d rate this difference as greater than the (very worthwhile) difference between recent black and clear pressings of the same disc. I may not have been musically bowled over by the orange disc, but I’m sure fans will be more than happy with the improved performance.
Does that make Evovinyl the new big thing?It is way too early to say. But on this showing it should be able to at least match the performance of traditional PVC vinyl pressings and maybe even better them. Interestingly, the two records felt quite different in my hand and I’d have guessed that the Evovinyl disc was slightly heavier. In fact, weighing them showed that they were all but identical in weight, the orange disc actually coming in three grams lighter. What that says about the mechanical properties or self-damping of the material I’m not sure, but there certainly does seem to be a difference in the physical characteristics or feel of the two media. It’s a difference that is further underlined by the complete absence of static on the Evovinyl disc. The manufacturers claim that the material is less prone (or immune) to static build up, but it’s slightly spooky just how apparent that difference is when handling the record. It’s a welcome development and another tick in the credits column, even if it is essentially a practical as opposed to performance win.
I am in no way surprised that these two records sound different to one another. I’d be far more surprised if they sounded the same. The different material is not the only variable here, but boy am I glad that theEvovinyl disc sounds better, rather than worse. The emergence of the new material not only signals an eco-friendly future for the analogue record, it might well help keep prices manageable. Currently the Evovinyl disc costs a few Euros more than the standard version – although whether that reflects the cost of manufacturing or its ‘collectable’ status, who knows? But petro-chemical products are only going to increase in price, so be glad that we’ve got an effective, plant-based alternative. It’s an alternative that eases concerns about the longevity of the medium – at least as far as new pressings and new releases go. Evovinyl might not be set to revolutionise LP sound, but at least it’s cleared the first hurdle – and done so in some style…
