Music Matters Definitive Blue Note 45 RPM and 33 & 1/3 RPM vinyl series (pt7)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by MilesSmiles, Jun 13, 2014.

  1. blue

    blue Mastering rules

    Location:
    sweet spot
    I bought the 33 RPM versions of Coltrane/Blue Train and Burrell/Midnight blue just to see if it can be true, what some incl. Fremer write. Blue Train is Mono so a comparison to the AP 45 RPM version doesn't make much sence and it's surely better than the Classic Records Mono.

    Comparing the Midnight blue to the AP 45RPM version, I experienced, that indeed the 33RPM sounds noticably more transparent and dynamic, more than I'd expect just from tweaking with EQ. Cymbals seem to be a tiny bit louder without being any "bright" in a negative sence. On the other hand sometimes I had the impression, that following the base line is easier and bass a bit more coloured on the 45RPM, but my room acoustics are not studio-dry and perfectly flat, that I'd sware on it. Midnight blue is a less "in your face" sounding recording than the blowing sessions, so impressions might change a bit with different recordings. However I wouldn't call these differences as big as Fremer does. It's surely not worth to change horses.

    So at the end I "wanted" to hear, that the 45RPM are better or equal, what I heard is that the 33 RPM really sound a bit better in terms of general tranparency and more focus, "directness" and dynamics of percussion and sax (maybe all due to the "cable upgrades" of KG, it really sounds like a hardware upgrade, not a different mastering). What I expect with the more dynamic blowing sessions is, that the 45RPM use the advantage of the higher speed in terms of distortion free, clean, dynamic sound. Maybe I try out the Henderson/Page one and Miles/Something Else to compare, too.
     
    Tom Campbell and antielectrons like this.
  2. David Ellis

    David Ellis Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cheshire, UK
    Not sure about that. No white card sleeves with Cool Struttin' or Somethin' Else delivered Tuesday.
     
  3. David Ellis

    David Ellis Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cheshire, UK
    Just a quick not on Heavenly Sweetness records. They are digital copies from the original master tapes. I have a few and for what I pay (between £13 to £16 from Dodax through Amazon) they are amazing. No they are not in the same class as MM but I can still revel in the great music and on my system they do sound holographic.
     
    Six String likes this.
  4. SteelyTom

    SteelyTom Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston, Mass.
    Yes, it's amazing what digital can do.
     
  5. David Ellis

    David Ellis Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cheshire, UK
    Can I assume you're being sarcastic?
     
  6. antielectrons

    antielectrons Well-Known Member

    Location:
    UK
    Red Garland. All mornin' long on AP 33 arrived. Instant favourite.
     
  7. theron d

    theron d Forum Resident

    Location:
    Baltimore MD
    My outer cover for Somethin Else had a small 1.5" split at top. First one that I have gotten like this in the 33 Series. No problems with the LPs they are beautiful...

    Anyone ever make an exhange with MM in regards to this? (I bought it directly from them)...
     
  8. antielectrons

    antielectrons Well-Known Member

    Location:
    UK
    I had a damaged 45 cover once and they just sent me a new cover along with the next months LPs
     
    theron d likes this.
  9. Michel Jazz

    Michel Jazz Forum Resident

    Location:
    Antwerp, Belgium
    I listened to my copy of Somethin Else... Great stuff, only @ the end of the first song there was some sizzling or distortion.
    Did anybody else noticed this with his copy?
     
  10. GreatTone

    GreatTone Forum Resident

    Location:
    Falls Church, VA
    My copy had some visible white patches on both sides. It looked almost like the grooves had been crushed somehow. A lot of it was a powder that wiped off, but there were still some weird white marks that seem permanent. However, side 1 at least played without issue, including through this patch. Sounded excellent.
     
    mikeyt likes this.
  11. Michel Jazz

    Michel Jazz Forum Resident

    Location:
    Antwerp, Belgium
    I did not sell my 45rpm AP Moanin & Somethin Else like I intend to do. I waited till my copies arrived. For some reason my copies of Moanin, Sidewinder, Undercurrent & Page One were not packed and shipped. So I could not compare the Moanin Musicmatters...

    Again I listen to the 33rpm Somethin Else & the 45rpm version side by side on the TT to see if these got the same sizzling at the end of the first song.

    The answer is YES but because the 33rpm is so much brighter then the 45rpm version it is also more prominent.

    The 33rpm series are excellent but the brightness is balancing on the edge of to much brightness. Same master-tapes and new equipment @ CA studio could not ONLY cause this extra surplus of brightness. I guess that Kevin played with a few knobs....
     
    RelayerNJ likes this.
  12. antielectrons

    antielectrons Well-Known Member

    Location:
    UK
    Doesn't sound particularly bright to me... Same as the original Blue Note pressing I have in that respect. No noise at the end of side one either or white dust.
     
  13. GreatTone

    GreatTone Forum Resident

    Location:
    Falls Church, VA
    I'm pretty sure they nearly always play with a few knobs...
     
  14. Michel Jazz

    Michel Jazz Forum Resident

    Location:
    Antwerp, Belgium
    Always nice to see some information on your profile page to have an idea of your equipment, for example if you play your records on a crosley TT everything sounds probably the same ;-)
     
  15. theron d

    theron d Forum Resident

    Location:
    Baltimore MD
    Ill replay Somethin Else 33 MM this wkend, didnt notice brightness on first listen. Thought it sounded very nice. Cool Struttin just floored me, seemed to be recorded better of the two. Only commenting on the sonics, not the performances which we all know are historical...
     
  16. antielectrons

    antielectrons Well-Known Member

    Location:
    UK
    WTA GT with a DV20xH
     
    David Ellis likes this.
  17. Johan1880

    Johan1880 Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Netherlands
    Great outtakes (contact sheets) of the cover art of Cool Struttin' and Page One in the new Blue Note 75 book Uncompromising expression.
    A lot of recording and cover art session for all those Blue Notes by Rollins, Morgan, Hancock, Larry Young. Session notebook from The Sidewinder and Out to Lunch session. And on.
    I'm flipping through the book and this is absolutely brilliant!
     
    mikeyt and Michel Jazz like this.
  18. David Ellis

    David Ellis Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cheshire, UK
    And I've resisted saying that to you because?
     
  19. David Ellis

    David Ellis Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cheshire, UK
    And I decided not to say this to you because?
     
  20. Michel Jazz

    Michel Jazz Forum Resident

    Location:
    Antwerp, Belgium
    Its at the end (last minute) of the first 'song' not end of side one.....

    I can imagine that the original does not have this problem...It feels that there's a certain wear on the master-tape these days.

    I do not own an original, so I only could compare it to the AP 45rpm and when I play them side by side (switching with one touch from phono 1 <-> phono 2) you hear an amazing difference in brightness that is close to unnatural. I wrote 'close to' I did not say 'it is'.

    This extra brightness put a spotlight on the sizzle. But after complete listening to the album I still prefer the 33rpm above the 45rpm. Because more details on this new MM release....
     
  21. hvbias

    hvbias Midrange magic

    Location:
    Northeast
    More details just from the added treble or does it carry over to the rest of the spectrum?
     
  22. RelayerNJ

    RelayerNJ Forum Resident

    Location:
    Whippany, NJ
    Agreed. The 33s seem a bit bright compared to the 45s
     
    Michel Jazz likes this.
  23. antielectrons

    antielectrons Well-Known Member

    Location:
    UK
    My comparison between the 4 LPs that Music Matters released on 45 and 33:

    Undercurrent - slightly preferred the 45
    Soul Station - much preferred the 33
    Cool Struttin' - much preferred the 33
    True Blue - preferred the 33

    None were overly bright sounding. I found them to be very well balanced and dynamic, bass, treble and mid range all in its place.

    The MM release of Somethin' Else is one of the best sounding LPs they have produced. Period. Right up there with Midnight Blue, Idle Moments (so silky smooth, love it) and Page One, as one of the most engaging and dynamic sounding LPs in my collection. The only 33 I was slightly disappointed with (and this is relative to the excellence of the rest, not saying it is a bad release) was The Sidewinder, which sounded a bit thin.

    But seriously, they are all great. Going back to the very beginning of the 45 series, these LPs sound superb! You cannot go wrong with any of them and I will not be selling my 45s that are doubled up any time soon.
     
    Jerry James and David Ellis like this.
  24. MikeJedi

    MikeJedi Forum Resident

    Location:
    Las Vegas
    Anyone have any good rec's on the 45's that elusive is selling right now @ 15 % off? I only can get two titles right now... I already own:

    True Blue
    Thad Jones Magnificent
    Dorham at Cafe Bohemia
    Joe Henderson Mode For Joe
    Lou Donaldson Takes Off
    Soul Station
    Search For The New Land
    Cape Verdean Blues
    A Blowin Session
    Doin Allright
    A Night in Tunisia
    The Big Beat ( I love Blakey , but this is the only MM i own with subpar sound IMO, I wonder what the original BN sounded like, the master must be stretched)
    Candy
    The Procrastinator
    Cool Struttin
    Bluesnik
    Emperyean Isles
    Little Johnny C
    Another Workout
    Tom Cat
    Byrd In Hand
    A Swingin Affair

    Someday I would like to complete the collection, but right now just trying to get the best musicianship that I like and the best sound quality to go with it..

    Thanks guys..
     
  25. hvbias

    hvbias Midrange magic

    Location:
    Northeast
    Big Beat and Tunisia will never sound that great since there is quite a bit of distortion on them, especially on the latter.

    I like a bit more avant-garde tinged albums when the performances are good. You have a fine list there, I would personally choose Search For The New Land and Empyrean Isles. For a straight ahead hard bop album Little Johnny C is spectacular.

    I heard the MM33 for Moanin' and I like it bit more than the AP45, but really the differences are minor, both have a poor "tunnel" like stereo mix with nothing in the center. Studio chatter on the opening track was a nice touch.
     
    TimArruda likes this.

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