I'll pipe up first . . . I bought In A Silent Way a few weeks ago and Bitches Brew yesterday (both from my local Bull Moose store!) and I find them both to be quite nice, but neither revelatory. Noticeable right away: both recordings display quite a bit of tape hiss . . . this was (relatively) quiet music played live by (relatively) large ensembles who were, perhaps, not especially familiar with using electric instruments. In A Silent Way sounds great, lots of air around the instruments - Wayne Shorter's horn sounds especially ethereal and spectral here - better than I have heard it sound on other versions. Bitches Brew is a pretty congested recording, but I still find more space around the instruments here than in previous versions I've heard. The drums and cymbals sound especially present and detailed, as does Miles' effects-treated horn - all of the textures come across very nicely even with so much going on simultaneously. The bass is good, but not especially tight or bold to me, but with sides of this length, there is probably only so much that can be accomplished. All in all, this will be my go-to version, but I wouldn't say it's head and shoulders over any other one I have heard. I am looking forward to Filles de Kilimanjaro but perhaps I should not. The sequencing seems to preclude making the most of a 45rpm cut -- it would be nice to see it re-sequenced, but that might be sacriledge, I'm not sure. If "Frelon Brun" (5:39) and "Petit Machins" (8:07) could be put on the same side and "Tout de Suite" left on its own, that would seem optimal -- otherwise you'll have a 20 minute long side 1. The Columbia 2-eye pressing I have of this is not great sounding, so, hopefully, there's a lot of room to improve, but I will be interested to hear the reviews once this release is ready.
Curious to read some reviews comparing the MFSL Bitches Brew vinyl to the 40th anniversary edition. Between that and a couple of mint original pressings, it's hard to justify to the Mofi purchase. I'm sure it's clean though.
Im justifying the mofi bitches brew purchase based on the fact I do not own any other copy and have only just recently become interested in Miles Davis. I now own In a Silent Way and Sketches of Spain both on Mofi - lucky me I suppose to have only heard them in this high quality way... I have heard other versions of both In a Silent Way and Sketches of Spain, neither of which were original 2 eye releases or anything but these MOFI copies easily bested the versions I have heard.
I am just recently filling out the Miles part of my vinyl collection after getting the bug a couple years ago. I have a couple of the Mofi's and a couple RSD titles think they are all stellar. However, my local "dealer" has been striking gold with some minty 6/2 Eye originals coming in. I snagged a virtually unplayed 6-eye Milestones and wanted to know how it compares to the Mofi vinyl or the Legacy RSD vinyl. Anyone have both and done a shootout?
I'm listening to the MFSL Bitches Brew now, and I prefer it over the 40th Anniversary LPs I sold a week or so ago. At least, I prefer it to my memory of how that set sounded. It's muscular.
...as a note, I am listening to this original 6-eye. It is pretty freaking stellar. Some nice cognac helps open the senses up too. I would be very surprised if later pressings were better. It is a bit bass shy, and the stand up bass seems a bit recessed, but those are super minor quibbles. I got a chuckle out of the disclaimer on the back. "...you can purchase this record with no fear of it becoming obsolete in the future". Since it is over 50 years old and sounds dope on my modern setup, I would say that they were correct.
Picked up Bitches Brew today. Its great. Mofi have produced an excellent vinyl version of another great Miles title. Recommended. Packaging is awesome, love the cover and the blurb by Ralph Gleason. Sound is superb, clear and dynamic and really involving, think I may be finally getting Bitches Brew as it was previously not an easy listen but something about this copy makes it seem more groovy! Vinyl is really the way to listen to these, it looks and sounds great. Might have to get round about midnight the way im going at the moment, 3 Miles titles in 2014!
I've bought all of the MOFI releases they are all excellent the equal of early pressings of the originals but don't expect a revelation. Good sound and quiet surfaces. I do prefer the Sony mono reissues of the early albums over the MOFI's but you won't go wrong with the MOFI's.
I still have to do a proper A/B between the Mofi BB and the 40th Ann set. My first impression goes to Mark Wilder's mastering on the 40th, but will keep listening....
Respectfully disagree. I was lucky enough to procure a 1A, 1A, 1A, 1A VG+ original pressing of BB. Love it, but the MOFI adds a level of clarity and soundstage depth that was somewhat fuzzed out before. Also, I've never heard any other version of Sketches of Spain that comes close to the MOFI although I don't have an original of that. Also, I find the Sony mono issues to be very good. But they seem to be lacking that extra bit of realism that the MOFIs have. One exception was Milestones. I read on Downbeat's website that Mark Wilder sourced the safety tape for Milestones which hadn't experienced the wear and tear of the master tape (or there was speculation that there may have been an alignment issue on the master). I believe that MOFI used the somewhat compromised master for theirs. Anyways that tips the scales to the Sony mono reissue for me. YMMV.
To be fair, the mono releases have been just as stellar as mofi. I have both and have nothing to complain about either. Mofi obviously costs more.
Glad to hear your opinion on an all 1A cut of BB. My copy is a 1C/1J/1C/1AC and while not sounding bad, is not particularly revelatory, especially compared to the hi-res version on HDtracks (which is also the original mix). Have not heard the MFSL yet, but it's on my list. Also good info on Milestones. I was wondering why the Sony and MFSL sounded so radically different on this album, and why I preferred the Sony.
I love MF's In A Silent Way, bought BB but haven't listened to it yet, very excited to based on what I've read here; it'll be my first copy!
Just FYI I read on Analogue Planet that for Bitch's Brew, Columbia made three stampers simultaneously - 1A, 1B, and 1C. Each for the east coast, west coast, and midwest. So these are all first pressings. I once compared a 1A and 1C and they sounded exactly the same to me, so I'm inclined to believe it.
I have been on the fence about getting the MoFi release of "Bitches Brew" given Michael Fremer's review of MoFi's "In A Silent Way". Although he gives "Silent" a great review he also states, "If you have a clean original this will not open new sonic vistas". I am wondering if the same goes for BB?
Was the original tape of Round About Midnight also worn out? This might explain why I was not too impressed with either Mofi RAM or Milestones. These are both beautiful recordings, Coltrane should have a powerful, fluid sound to sound right.
MisterCleen I agree with you on Sketches of Spain it's by far the best I've heard. My BB came with a none fill so I only listened to one side. I do prefer the Sony's for the early mono LP's.
Check out the Sony/Legacy pressing of R.A.M (cut by Kevin Gray). Haven't done a direct comparison with the Mofi, but it sounds nice to me.
