Thanks. I'm still studying her. My collection is limited. Getting back to E.S.P., I will compare the MFSL SACD to the 35DP CD, but I also have the old Sony JSACD. It's been quite awhile since I listened to that SACD, and I don't know which mix it has.
I'm curious how the MoFi will compare to the early US Columbia CD edition (from '91, I think). Based on recent results with Nefertiti and Filles de Kilimanjaro, I expect the Mo Fi to be a significant upgrade, but I should do my due diligence….
I didn't like that one. . . gave it away when I got my Japanese copies. That's due diligence comparing that I can't do. . . .
Thanks Keith (and the other folks here) for taking the time to detail your experience with the MoFi E.S.P. and the other versions. Although not directly related to your Denon SACD problem, I have the 3930-CI and found it skips on a handful of regular CDs that otherwise play just fine on a lower-end Sony and a Denon 2910; no idea why - I chalk it up to the vagarities of different laser design and the possibility the 3930's laser may be starting to fail. Bottom line, I've had good experiences with the Dylan and Sketches of Spain SACDs, so given your and others' mostly positive reviews, will go ahead and get this before long. Thanks again.
No problem, Ruben. I'll be watching the 'C2000ES to see if it continues to act up. Hopefully it's just an issue with the E.S.P. SACD. At least it had no problem playing the CD layer.
Nefertiti and Filles de Kilimanjaro were remastered by Shawn R. Britton, but E.S.P. is supposed to be mastered by Rob LoVerde (see above). I find that disappointing because Shawn did a fantastic job: stunning sound stage, detailed AND perfectly balanced. What I don't need is another earbleeder like these Mark Wilders disasters...
Have you been disappointed with LoVerde's work in the past? I feel like I can trust anyone at MFSL right now. I don't think there's a "house sound," but I wouldn't expect there to be a big difference between any of their work on these titles.
First of all, to my ears Mark Wilder (no s) did not create earbleeders, Miles' trumpet just sounds rather sharp, piercing - as Wilder wrote somewhere that's how it sounded on the tapes. On later remasters he tried to soften the sharpness, like for instance on his 2CD Legacy remaster of Kind of Blue. As for Rob LoVerde's work, I've never heard anything he did that resembles an earbleerder, on the contrary.
Rob is not known at all for introducing brightness in mastering, let alone earbleeders. Is there even one example? On the contrary, it is Shawn whose work is sometimes being criticized as being a bit too bright (e.g. the MFSL Round About Midnight SACD, or Fragile by Yes).
I can't stand Marl Wilders' remixes. As always everything depends on your Hifi system. The more detailed it is the more harsh and jarring these cds sound. He is the Ron McMaster of Sony/Columbia. Dump. Mofi's the Sorcerer, Nefertiti, Filles de Kilimanjaro, Bitches Brew - all Shawn's work - are the definitive audiophile versions. I will buy the new E.S.P. SACD anyway. But it is not available in germany yet. :-/
I tend to agree with your opinion of Wilders work. I have found for many albums that I prefer the old Columbia Jazz Masterpieces CD versions to his usually bright remasters. I just ordered the Mobile Fidelity ESP myself. Really hope Miles In the Sky is next and soon!
I received my order from Music Direct and am listening to the E.S.P. SACD. Excellent sound! The disc length is the same as the Sony Blu-Spec CD2 that I have (as opposed to the earlier Sony LP facsimile DSD remastered CD I have which is about ten seconds shorter in length.) The SACD sounds very much like the Blu-Spec CD2 (which uses mastering by Wilder, Trania and Pornpakoski in DSD) with subtle differences in instrumental balance and dynamics (the SACD is a bit more dynamic and a bit more forward, with just a bit more "going on" in the center of the soundstage. A really nice SACD, no disputing that. Keith. . . though I ordered the Santana III SACD Music Direct sent me instead the first album SACD. I'm keeping it and ordered the Santana III SACD again this morning.
Oh no. I hope they fixed whatever fulfillment problem resulted in that error. I doublechecked my order and hopefully I'll receive the correct SACD later this week: Craig.
Glad you like E.S.P.. Bummer about Santana III, but hey, now you will have an additional Santana SACD to enjoy. My Santana III SACD should ship today.
I am curious why you state Miles Smiles is in the pipeline. I believe it was announced a couple years ago but removed. Have Mobile Fidelity told you recently that they are still doing this title?
IMHO the first santana album on MFSL SACD sounds better than santana III but perhaps that is just the original recording...the first 3 santana albums are classics
That was true to my ears on LP as well. I'm listening to the first Santana album SACD right now, sounds great. After listening to E.S.P. again. That may not be the best of the Miles SACDs but it's very good.
Well let me be cautious because I don't actually have a US Wilder remaster any longer except in the box set and I have that in storage at the moment. I have the recent Blu-Spec CD2 which from my research says it uses a Wilder (and two other persons) DSD mastering from Sony Studios in NYC. Now I am not one of those who thinks only the mastering matters on Blu-Spec CD2, I believe the process and material contributes to the sound. And I also suspect that there is likely further mastering moves and EQ that may be applied to these before we have the discs in our hand. So I'm not positive how much the Blu-Spec CD2 E.S.P. remains "a Wilder remaster." And I haven't yet listened to the CD layer of the SACD; I tend to not listen to the CD layers of SACDs ever. I'll state the differences between the two as being not extreme once you factor in the "hi res" aspect of SACD playback. The Blu-Spec CD2 actually sounds a bit more laid back than the SACD. The SACD sounds just a bit more dynamic, a hair more forward and most instruments share the same tonal qualities on both discs. The SACD has a bit more "center fill" and the Blu-Spec CD2 is slightly more "left and right" but this channel balance is not extremely different. I play all Redbook CDs on my PS Audio PerfectWave Transport/DirectStream DAC combo, and all SACD on my Denon DVD-A1UDCI
