Still hoping someone will chime in on the SQ of the 3 CD Box and who did mastering. Is this the same mastering as the Grey-Hoffman AP SACD?
Where do you see a 3 CD version? I only see a 2 CD version and 2 Japanese releases (Mono SACD + Stereo SACD).
Up until "The Ultimate Blue Train" was issued, I was really not a fan of alternate takes. I found them boring and repetitive. The worst offender in my book back then was the CD release of Jackie McLean's "Tippin' The Scales", where there were 3 versions of "Two For One" that sounded the same to my ears. Then Blue Note put out "The Ultimate Blue Train" and I was fascinated to hear these different takes of tunes that were burned into my brain. The solos were very different and I found myself hearing these musicians trying different things. It was fun to hear them. I still don't listen to these "Blue Train" alternates too often, but when I do, I appreciate hearing them. I still dislike them on "Tippin' The Scales" though. The thing some posters are missing about alternate takes is that the released take is not always the last one. After the session, they listen to the playback and decide which take should be used. It is not guaranteed that the last one is the one used.
I was certain that I saw a 3CD box that included the stereo, the outtakes and alternatives, and a third CD that had the mono. Or am I losing my mind? Can one only get the mono CD as a separate stand alone? The HD downloads on HDtracks and Prostudio have all 17 tracks including the mono version. Now to find out if they are the Grey-Hoffman masters.
I can’t see a mono cd for sale either. The HD Tracks Complete Masters does contain the mono version, however. I don’t know who’s mastered it but seeing as this is a new reissue, it’s not going to contain an old master.
My order directly from Blue Note US arrived today (9/22) for both Stereo and Mono after languishing in “pre-shipment” status since 9/15. Both versions look pristine, no dents, dings, or bends in the jackets or covers. The Stereo sticker looks great and is relatively straight and flat (doesn’t really matter to me, but it was brought up by some). I can’t wait to be able to join in on the festivities and hear what each version has to offer. It’s been great reading folk’s reviews thus far. Good listenin’ to all, and hope everyone else who ordered direct from BN are receiving their copies.
The mono is available from Japan in two versions, a cd (UHQCD) and a SACD (SHM-SACD) Here is a link to the UHQCD version: Blue Train (MONO) [UHQCD] John Coltrane CD Album
Congrats to Joe and others at Blue Note for this. I jibbed about paying £55 ($60) for the Stereo, but I have to say it’s well worth it. Obviously a lot of though went into the packaging, with the gatefold sleeve and the booklet glued in the middle. For once, I like the alternate takes. They are part of the history and make an interesting comparison withe released versions. But the sound on the albums is just terrific. Well done Kevin Gray. You almost feel you are in the recording studio with the band as they made the album. Excellent.
I just received both the mono and stereo versions from Amazon.ca and my mono version looks to have the same sort of warp yours has. Disappointing as the two stereo discs look fine and I've been looking forward to these. I don't want to hassle with a return but am going to stick in on the TT now and see what it looks/sounds like.
On Qobuz, the 17 track set (which is the same length-wise as the one offered on HDtracks) has "Remastered 2012" written in brackets for the Stereo album. Qobuz That would mean it's the remaster done by Alan Yoshida from that year. I think this one was only released for download/streaming, but I may be corrected on that one. Comparing the track times between the new release and the Alan Yoshida entry on discogs, they are close, but not a complete match. Usually a complete new transfer and remaster will have more variations in track length than 1-2 seconds. John Coltrane - Blue Train On the other hand, Qobuz sometimes is wrong with these informations. The outtakes are labeled differently, some have (P) 2013, some 2015 and some even 2022. The Mono tracks are all labeled as (P) 1957. I hate that they give so sparse and inconsistent information, it's really detective work sometimes to figure out what other release belongs to the streaming version. As for you losing your mind, I can very well understand your confusion. There is no physical release of a 3-CD-set as of yet, BUT the above Qobuz entry lists the Stereo/Outtakes/Mono as "CD 1", "CD 2" and "CD 3" respectively. Very confusing indeed.
The complete stereo, mono and outtakes are streaming on Spotify for free for those who want to hear the digital versions.
From Prostudiomasters: This new edition was produced by Joe Harley and mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tapes. John Coltrane, Blue Train: The Complete Masters in High-Resolution Audio
Well, yeah, this is on "Editor's Notes", and on "Technical Notes" it cites Rudy Van Gelder as Mastering Engineer and Michael Cuscuna as Producer? Oh my. I would rather have someone quoting this from the inside of the CD, as I don't hold great value to what's copied and pasted on streaming and download services. Come on, there must be somebody here who has bought the CDs, right?
I picked up the Mono first. As I waited for it to arrive- I kept reading about how so many are digging the stereo….so I ordered a stereo as well. Both arrived. I played the stereo first. Great big soundstage- sounds fantastic as most report. But it almost seemed too wide. Then the Mono…and wow. I dig it so much more. More focused- dead center- right there in your face.
Is anyone experiencing distortion on the track Lazy Bird in the mono version? Some of the trumpet solos?...My stereo copy doesn't have this distortion and plays wonderful. I played this also on a different stereo/TT I have with a very new Nagaoka cart + a mono switch and the distortion was also there...
Nice gear, but please do yourself a favour and get a decent stand for your amp and phono pre. It will sound much better.
The powers that be have done an extremely poor job of delineating the different versions of this release. Even the 2 CD version gives absolutely no indication on the package (not even on the case) that it contains 2 discs! But there is no 3 CD version. Perhaps you are thinking of the "Complete Masters" version of A Love Supreme.