Allan's Live Cd Collection and Trading Info:

Tech (B.S.) Page

If you are asking me for a trade, I will expect that you have read this and are agreeing to also burn and trade along these guidelines - or that you will say so if there are things you'd like to do differently. This is where I am listing out all the nitty gritty details about how I burn/trade - mostly these are things that somebody has asked me about in the past and I thought somebody else might care about - or they are things that I used to think were standard operating procedure until somebody let me down by taking a shortcut. I mean no offense to those of you who are experienced good traders, I hope everyone I trade with will read through and think 'how obvious - of course I do it this way'.

This is also where I put the details of how I handle trades and returns, what the abbreviations mean, or how I grade sound quality, etc. I am trusting that you will tell me up front if you do things very differently so neither of us will be disappointed once the trade is underway. The main thing is that I'm flexible, and I want us both to be happy. New traders should read through to the bottom, where I discuss some specific issues that relate to you, and other trading options if you have a small list (but I never sell shows, please don't ask).

My workload is going to pick up as Spring moves on, and there will undoubtedly be times when I go for a few days without burning discs or replying to email. Please don't worry or think I am being rude if you don't get an immediate reply. I still plan to ship within a two week window, but less likely I'll be doing next-day turnarounds.

My recent mood has been "careless traders suck" (as in 'suck the fun out of trading') so a special thanks are in order to those of you who maintain that higher standard of standardness, and keep it all worthwhile. You make up for all the weenies, and then some. Meeting more of you is what keeps it fun.

This is how I trade and I request the same in return, so if any of this is not agreeable to you please either talk with me about it (I'm flexible) or don't offer to trade:

Discs MUST be error free - and that means they need to be burned by ripping to hard drive then burnined at a reasonable speed (for most systems this is 4x but not an absolute). I've had so many problems with people sending me discs burned 'on-the-fly' (disc to disc without storing to HD) that I specifically ask that you do not do this with my discs.
All attachments must be .txt files - I prefer it if you put your list right in the email.

Please let me know in advance if you live outside the USA - I'm in Ohio.
I would want to know beforehand if any of the shows I am trading for are sourced directly from MP3, vinyl, or cassette tapes, and if they have any significant flaws. I'll provide you with the same info - most of this is already in the my notes. If you are hypersensitive to TAO-ticks (minute noises, not the gaps) please let me know ahead, as some shows haven't had this issue note (only a feew at this point, I think).
I copy using bit-checking software to ensure identical, DAO copies. I'm flexible about brand-name media and tracklists, and even DAO, but not burn-quality. I use high-quality brand name discs, usually 80 minute Sony, TDK or Fuji. See my Technical Specs below for more details. Ideally I would like setlists ahead of time so I can have them printed for when the discs arrive.
I will replace any faulty discs but haven't had one yet, with well over 500 sent. This is a good place to advertise Plextor/TDK burners (same factory) and the 'burnproof' software they use, in case anybody is thinking of buying a new unit. I'm not real tech-savvy, but I know that many of the cheaper cdr drives are incapable of accurately burning music without errors (albeit small ones). I usually don't have time to play each disc I make, but I will replace any recording that is messed up by a burn error, and expect you will do the same. If a disc is marked "[unverified]" I have not had a chance to carefully listen to it all the way through with headphones, so it could have errors I don't know about. I'd rather you email me about errors - I don't take offense, in fact it helps me locate these and seek better copies. Most of the time I can get good copies for us both once I know about it.
If you sent me discs with errors I will contact you in with details to see if they are burn errors or in your masters. It often takes me quite a while to review each disc totally, so I trust that you will be willing to correct errors even if it takes me a while to find them and contact you about it. If you sent me an entire load of bad discs, I'll obviously want to assure myself that you have gotten back on track before sending further trades out. If we arrange for a second trade along with sending the reburns, or if I've asked that you send first, I'll review the corrections first, and if there are still problems in the second batch I reserve the right to cancel the trade without sending anything back (if you send me the postage I'll gladly return your error-discs). This is not to punish you, it is to avoid muddying the trading pool with bum copies (if you can't burn properly, then you will always send out defective copies of whatever I send you, right? This is bad karma all around). I am committed to helping you figure out how to do it right for the same reason, if you seem to care about this, but my time is pretty limited at the moment. Quick advice: save up for a Plextor - skip a few trips to the movies, restaurant, or record store (for the cost of a dozen cd's you'll be error free). Especially if you haven't got a Plex, get Exact Audio Copy, keep rip/burn speeds under 4x, shut down everything but systray and explorer before ripping/burning, and use high quality discs.
Art: I prefer to also trade art, but I don't have any access to a working scanner at the present time. Since trading art usually just means emailing you files, I'll send you what I have, and expect you'll do the same. If we are trading discs of art, I would appreciate it if you would add additional filler art, and I will do the same. If you leave the disc 'unfinished' the free space can still be used later.
Shipping: Please let me know in advance if you live outside the USA. I ship discs in protective sleeves or wraps, and padded mailers, but without jewel cases or J-cards. When it comes to disc-wraps, CLEAN is a must (dirt=scratches=errors). As long as they are clean, I reuse whatever packaging comes my way (reduce/re-use is way better than recycle) I'll have setlists posted here, if I have them, but feel free to ask if you want any additional info and I'll send what I can (if it says 'setlist available' that means if you remind me to type it up). I will be able to get my end of a trade ready to go into the mail within 2 weeks of confirming the trade, usually sooner. You will usually have to wait longer if we are trading for discs labeled "[incoming]", and will be getting the discs before I can review them.
Please leave my discs unmarked/unlabeled. I don't even like writing on the central ring. I can mark your discs with a special CDR-marking pen if you want, but I will leave them blank unless you ask for this.
I appreciate any suggestions or recommendations you may have about the shows in your collection. I often rely upon reviews or tips from others about which shows are particularly worthwhile. I figure that you know your collection best, so don't hesitate to let me know if I pick shows that aren't as good as something else you have, and I'll do the same if you ask. Keep in mind that with my schedule it may take me a week to get to review a disc, so you may have to take them without my gold seal of approval (just as I did when I traded for it in the first place) or stick with things I've already verified.
I'm happy to separate multi-disc sets, if you only want certain discs.

FOR NEW TRADERS ESPECIALLY:

I try to be "newbie-friendly" since I want to see the music being appreciated and I understand how hard it is to start up a collection (mine started the painful, old fashioned way - scrounging through dingy record stores and parting with lots of hard cash). You are much more likely to get a trade if you send me lists that have as much info as mine does (at least source and sound quality details), setlists and art are a plus. I don't have much time to ask questions, so the more info you give up front the more likely I'll be interested. I've recently gotten a ton of defective discs from relatively new traders, so I'm touchy about this right now (but I've also had several very good trades recently with traders who had small collections, so I'm not making categorical judgements just yet). You probably won't get a reply unless you specify how you burn or have this info listed on your page (what type burner, software, discs, etc.). I reserve the right to ask you to ship first, but I'll usually just start with a small trade - I've had several bad experiences lately with poorly burned discs . If your burner uses "burnproof" technology you will want to tell me this, or tell me how you prevent burn errors. Never burn on-the-fly (from one drive to another), always make a copy on your hard drive, then transfer it.
I also trade for OOP commercial releases so please send me your entire list, not just the live stuff. I'm getting a list of mine together.
Any newbies out there who want to trade art and prints for music would also be welcome, as I have little time to do this myself right now and it takes me forever.
Please put the phrase "new cd trade" in the subject line - that will get you past my spam-filter, and it's a good way to see if anybody actually reads these rules. I am tempted to assume that if you are too busy to read these, you may also be too busy to make a good copy of a CD-R. In the words of my old shop teacher (Prof Terenzetti, if he's out there) "If you don't have time to do it right, you sure don't have time to do it over"

Sound quality grading: Grading is very subjective, and my scale is for comparisons within my collection, not to other collectors' ratings (my A may be an A++ or just a B to you). I realize that my shows would be just a little more appealing if they were all either A, A+,or A++, but then I'd begin to feel like a government beef inspector. I have noticed that I tend to describe a show I'm listening to while typing the listing as an "incredible performance", cause that's how i feel when I hear a new show (I figure you too, or you wouldn't be here). I stand by this, but then I'm a fan not a critic - I'm not real consistent, so don't think that a show without this comment was a lousy performance.

I used to try to be fairly consistent, but there has been some slipping lately, along with the rest of my cognitive functions. Don't treat it with great precision. I tend to grade more conservatively than some, but there has probably been some drift over time: I started with a smaller set of very nice recordings that I bought (I'm pretty picky at $20-plus per disc), but as I've traded my collection has shifted to include more of those "collectors-only" or curiosity items that aren't as nice acoustically. If you are a real perfectionist about sound quality make sure and tell me up front, and I'll help you pick titles you'll be happy with. In my last life I was an audiophile, so I am sympathetic. I try to note any sound problems related to the media (i.e. TAO, pops, incomplete tracks), but ask if you have specific concerns. I know that this gives my list the impression of being full of glitches, but I think it is just because I openly disclose these instead of taking the less-info-is-best approach (back to that gov't inspector analogy). My experience is that it is quite rare, perhaps impossible to find live recordings without some glitches - that's why every live album you ever saw released has some level of remastering done to it to remove occasional static, tape hiss, or line noises. My grading is usually based on the overall sound, and I don't detract for glitches unless they really mar the enjoyability or are relatively constant (but I try to note these). I have not been consistent about noting the micro-TAO ticks that occur in some copies, so if this is a particular concern let me know.

For new or pending shows, a lowercase letter grade is what I was told by the source, not my rating, and most of the comments (all comments in quotation marks) are from somebody else's review. I often end up downgrading new shows about a half a grade, and only rarely upgrade them (but always a pleasant surprise). I'm gradually filling in info, so ask if you have a question about anything (and let me know if I have any info wrong).

A= about as good as it gets, pro-quality sound - not necessarily free of all defects, since these are boots, but a cut above the rest (most radio shows, Sbds, good audience tapes). The kind of stuff your friends will think you bought at the Indie record store, especially if A+. A- usually indicates either a bad EQ/mix or light static/surface noise

B= is for the 'very good' boots, listenable but with some limitations (i.e. muddiness, distortion, intrusive crowd, poor mix, higher gen tapes). Don't go here unless you like the band and want to hear how they sounded on yet another show.

C=notable flaws, often audience tapes, or older multi-gen recordings. Below par in my collection but still fairly listenable if you like the band. Novices to bootlegs, and audiophiles like myself, will be turned off, at least somewhat.

D= these concerts are definitely in the 'historical interest' range, and sound quality is problematic. I love 'em anyway, but only when I'm in a tolerant mood. I won't waste any time warning you about this.

Abbreviations:

OOP = an out of print official release of some sort, expect A or A+ sound if not listed (almost invariably the best available sound, even if limited by source and venue).

2CD = 2 discs (and all times are approx)

[unverified] = I just got this and haven't listened to it carefully to verify tracklist, sound quality, etc. Anyplace you see a bracket "[" or "]" it is my notes to myself about what I have checked, not edits or cuts, etc.

[incoming]=expected soon (confirmed ongoing trade, but not yet arrived). Expect that you will have to wait longer to get your discs when you pick one of these for trade. This replaces the "[new]" tag (it was getting embarrassing to see something listed as 'new' that I've had for 6 months). This means I haven't reviewed it really carefully yet end-to-end with headphones to verify it is error-free (or I can't find the scrap of paper that I wrote "all ok" on during the past few months - those bracket marks you see are my "improved" way of keeping track).

[newApril]=A 'new' tag so you frequent flyers out there can use the 'find' function [Ctrl-F] to save some wading time.

DAO - I'm putting this in when I've specifically checked with headphones to verify no track tics (I don't check every track, but at least a couple per disc). Lack of this DOES NOT mean it is TAO. I'm checking each before I send as part of my housecleaning, so don't worry that shows without this are TAO - I will tell you or note it in my page if this is the case.

<< = recording source info, with the brand if known, and art.

Art= I'm trying to include more detail with this: Art=usually full size 300dpi 256color scans of both labels; art=some art (i.e. only one label, homemade, poor scan, etc. at least some cover art. ART-os means oversize, too big to send via web. This info is VERY out of date (lots I haven't listed), but I like to trade art when possible and gradually add it as I find it online, so if you have some let me know. If we are trading art on disc, please fill the disc with as many scans as will fit, not just the ones we are trading for, and I'll do the same, or add musical filler as you'd like (but this will be TAO unfortunately). Any newbies out there who want to trade art and prints for music would also be welcome, as I have little time to do this myself right now and it takes me forever.

Technical Specs:

I am burning discs with a Plextor 12/10/32 drive and currently using TDK, Fuji, or Sony media. My burner has "burnproof" technology to eliminate underruns, and I've never had a problem with an error. I've tried some home experiments to try to induce underruns or errors, and short of crashing the system (which I don't know how to do on cue) I haven't been able to induce one with extreme system-resource use. Nevertheless, I do non-computer stuff while I burn your discs just to be on the safe side.

I use the Plextor or Adaptec software to copy Disc-At-Once to/from my hard drive using an image file. This includes bit-checking to ensure identical copies. I never burn 'on-the-fly' or use audio-editing or other alterations. I never use MP3, so almost none of my shows are directly from MP3 and this will be clearly noted. I may start to try some editing software, but will clearly indicate if I have edited any show.

Here is my collection of live recordings

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last updated: 4/30/02