I'm not "uncool". I am just pointing out the obvious. If the Japanese didn't believe the material in SHM-CD's to be superior, they would not go out of their way to tout them, or sell them as such. OR maybe they are just selling snakeoil -- prices on SHM's were 3x what they are today when first introduced. If they are superior (something I doubt, and something many of the passive-aggressive "likers" here who admire them would do well to take note of), then the whole basis for the argument made by the person I responded to completely falls apart. That's called "irony".
Personally I think that the different materials make a slight difference, though a copy of digital recording itself may not have any sonic detriments we can hear. Not enough of a difference in these to explain why some of these cds sound as inferior as they do. They just use crappy sources, perhaps in part because they don't want to rip off better sources put out by other labels. Mastering remains key. What puzzles me the most is that many of these releases are not legal for sale in the US (though legal elsewhere) but you don't have to stand on a dark corner and have a secret password to buy them in the US, you can buy them most of the places that you can buy more legitimate releases. Odd situation when compared to other illegal items, or not. My main reason for not buying those I don't buy is that they are often sonically challenged. I used to refrain because I thought that buying them would inhibit legitimate releases of the material, but in most cases this hasn't seemed to hold true, those who could put out a better, legitimate product just don't seem interested. This is just an area where personal buying policies and "justifications/rationalizations" and musical needs can be guides more than material, mastering or sources may be. And there can be simultaneously different "correctness" held by different buyers or not buyers. C'est la vie in collecting recordings. Right now
Jazz in Paris | Modern Jazz on the left bank (EmArcy/Universal) This 3CD box set is the business! CD 1 (1958) JAZZ SUR SEINE - BARNEY WILEN with Milt Jackson, Percy Heath, Kenny Clarke & Gana M'Bow CD 2 (1955) MODERN JAZZ AU CLUB SAINT-GERMAIN - BOBBY JASPAR with Rene Urteger, Sacha Distel, Benoit Quersin & Jean-Louis Viale CD 3 (1955) CHET BAKER QUARTET PLAYS STANDARDS with Gerard Gustin, Jimmy Bond & Bert Dahlander The music is unmissable, and this box is a great way to pick up these 3 killer CDs in one go, plus they are all presented in top notch sound. Digitally remastered by Alexis Frenkel & Christophe Henault. 16 page booklet included.
First Then This whole discussion began BECAUSE a legitimate release IS available. Fwiw, it is technically illegal to sell those "illegitimate" releases in the United States of America. The fact that Amazon (and really, I don't get the fawning) and other US-based internet-based suppliers do so should tell anyone all they need to know about how business is done here. Furthermore, if one is accepting of how business is done here, one cannot pretend to feel sorry for people like Sue Mingus, who has tried to fight this fight for decades.
Playing Noah Preminger's most recent Palmetto album. I was lucky enough to hire him to play at my wedding reception last weekend-- he obliged with over two hours of sensational music. A cool guy and a wonderful player. I've added a photo of the gig below the CD jacket.
FRANK SINATRA / SINGS FOR ONLY THE LONELY / CAPITOL / 1958 / MOBILE FIDELITY SOUND LAB GOLD CD PERSONNEL: FRANK SINATRA (VOCALS), NELSON RIDDLE (CONDUCTOR AND ARRANGER)
Well anyone who wants to make generalizations can do so about how business is done, etc. Generalizations are not the healthiest thing, I'll refrain from doing so in this instance other than note as I did above I find their availability puzzling, whether I like them being available or not. Rather than feel sorry for Sue Mingus, I feel sorry for anyone within ten feet of her who has pissed her off. Now
Justify all you want, but making broad based statements filled with circular reasoning, regardless of how pure, wise, rational and shrewd they may seem, make you appear anything but.
I was not attempting to make any justifications, nor do I see my arguments the way you do but that's not surprising. Oy. Carry one with the others.
That's rich. I see you in EXACTLY that way. This was never an argument until you "passively-aggressively" made it your duty to agree with a point that was the complete polar opposite of the one I was trying to make. It was a way for you to justify your own buying habits, and as usual, a demonstration that you believe that I am publicly going out of my way to insult them. You would be better off sticking with your "word-smithing, reverse racist" buddies over at the other place. Do whatever it is you do, but don't seek validation from others to justify those actions. You'll be a lot happier. And yes, I do completely understand that you'll feel that you HAVE TO reply to this, but I'd advise just stopping the nonsense.
I'll just say that I think you are ridiculously off base, but I've felt you've been "off" for a while so it's not surprising. This had nothing to do with my buying, whatsoever, or what others might think of it. Oy.
As off as your constant postings of pyt's and your trumping up of actual truths??? Oy! (see, I can speak yiddish too)
I don't even know half of what you are referring to, and disagree probably with the rest but whatever. Have fun.
NP Randy Weston - The Healers (Cora) Yes, I had to play it again today. Weston is a real favorite of mine and I'm so pleased at finding this album. It probably would have gone for half the price ten years ago.
Another EXCELLENT CD, and the only game in town for hearing the original MONO mix on compact disc. In this case, your photo is right on target timewise. The photo (by Luc Fournol) was taken at the Monte Carlo train station in Monaco, where Sinatra performed at the Sporting Club on June 14, 1958. Recordings for the Capitol album surrounded this trip, on May 29, and June 24–25, 1958.
I'm also a person who holds Weston in high esteem. I haven't listened to that one in a long while. Probably will pull it out soon and spin it. His solo piano recordings are fascinating, each one is like a journey.
Johnny Griffin - NYC Underground Johnny Griffin, tenor sax; Ron Mathews, piano; Ray Drummond, bass; Idris Muhammad, drums.
I think it might be true for some people who have exceptional hearing. Or not. Mind you, I come from a perspective of one who currently plays files ripped from CDs, and I'm not aware of people claiming a file ripped from a data-identical SHM CD sounds different from an ordinary pressing. Maybe I'm wrong about that. Am I wrong about that? If a cheap computer can rip data effectively and perfectly, why can't a modern audiophile CD player? I used to use an old heavily modified second-gen CD player, and I found an improvement using a certain marking pen (not the expensive audiophile pens) on the CD edges -- for which I suppose some people would call me an idiot. I just assumed technology had advanced a long way since my player was manufactured, and pressing issues were less of an issue or a non-issue -- as our host SH seems to believe. An argument from authority, I will grant. Perhaps SH and I are wrong? If you hear a difference on a data identical SHM CD compared to a cheap PD issue, fine. More power to you. Sorry, this is getting off topic for this thread. I will not pursue it further.
Now listening to "Hank Mobley - Soul Station" on Blue Note. Hank Mobley (tenor sax) Wynton Kelly (piano) Paul Chambers (bass) Art Blakey (drums)
