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

Not necessarily, you may find that Elusive Disk will have more copies of a particular title than MM have.

 

Care to fill out your equipment profile?

 

I didn't find the 33rpm series bright either. It more or less matched the 45rpm versions. The difference in speed does make a difference in sound. 45rpms are usually smoother sounding compared to 33rpm which have more attack. IMO. YMMV

 

Is that the format or the mastering?

 

Went round the distillery a few years ago. Their 25 year old is excellent. They also have a "cellar" by the sea called Cellar 13 which doesn't get rotated. The whiskey is called Cellar 13 and it's delicious but I haven't seen it on sale in the UK.

 

It's as always a matter of the components in your system. I compared it to a first press recently and it is for sure brighter. However the MM 33 is much better sounding IMHO than the original pressing.

 

We'll never know now will we? It would be cool though to do a real apples-to-apples comparison to see the 45rpm vs 33rpm benefits

 

Well, its not brighter than my first Stereo pressing.

 

It was me and that seems very reasonable compared to the uplift we pay for US releases.

 

A little disappointed with this:

Because it's been out of print for many years and we only have a few remaining copies.
Lori
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: RE: search_for_the_new_land
From: David Ellis <[email protected]>
Date: Wed, April 01, 2015 12:32 am
To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
Hi Lori, I just noticed. Why the price increase?

Search For The New Land was $49.99 but MM are now charging $59.99.

 

Considering until recently Elusive Disc was selling these for $100, and there can't be many left, I'd say that's a bargain.

 

As far as the MM BN series, I think the decision to change was based more on improvements in the mastering chain. The ability to master in 33.3 finally caught up with the 45s due to those improvements.

 

You are saying Blakey hi hat and ride are the same as on the mm and original? The differences are so stark that it almost sounds like a remix. The cymbals are very quiet in he first pressing ergo the music matters is brighter.

As for the price increase on Search it is Lee Morgans greatest album. Forget about the $10...

 

I hope MM one day will do a different label. Prestige? Columbia? Riverside? Pacific Jazz?

 

I think the 45 has the benefit of a wider soundstage and the rhythm section sounds better to me.
I'm still not convinced that it's improvements in the mastering chain that makes the 33s sound very good, I think it's the more 'aggressive' mastering. On certain titles, like the Burrell and Green, to great effect. Don't think I'll listen a lot to my 45s of those albums.

 

You may very well be correct. Is there any physical evidence that anyone has done that shows the mastering is more *aggressive*?

 

I happen to think the answer about the mastering is here:

 

Mastering that drowns out Cannonball freaking Adderley (one the players with the best alto tone) with a continuous distorted cymbal sound is pretty damn egregious to me

 

I dont know what the reason would be to ever do another mastering of an album that has ever been mastered better later on then. Kevin should have just stopped years ago since the mastering equipment hasnt improved. Not sure why anything is being remastered by him since there wont be any improvement in sq.

And if we are talking that technique has improved w/ his mastering then hopefully it wont be any better than what came before. I certainly wouldnt want that. Nor could that possibly be the case.

 

So now "Something Else" (that was getting praise after praise) sounds like sh**?

Sometimes I think this threads length eventually twilight zones.

 

Oops, you mixed Search up with Cornbread.

 

So I'm reading that Somethin' Else on 33rpm sucks now?

 

No, you're reading that he thinks that it does.

 

No, they sound much much better on the MM 33. If you are complaining about cymbals sounding bright however I cant help you.... thats what they are meant to sound like. Doesn't mean the overall reproduction is bright however.

 

The cymbals/hi-hats do have problems on this release. They are too hot causing distortion. I have published sound clips of this earlier. I have tried two copies and both have this problem. I have no problem with this on any other record (+500). It's easiest to hear on A1. Overall I still believe this release sound better than the original but it is still open for improvements IMHO.