Sinatra / Capitol Sound Quality: "A Swingin' Affair" - 1957

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by MLutthans, Jan 1, 2010.

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  1. Bob F

    Bob F Senior Member

    Location:
    Massachusetts USA
    The silence is deafening in the advance publicity from UMe and FSE for this album.
     
  2. bferr1

    bferr1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA
    Bob, Newbury Comics is running a 25% vinyl sale today through Sunday on new and used titles (sale items excluded). Usually the city stores and Norwood are decent about carrying Sinatra on release date.
     
    Bob F likes this.
  3. Bob F

    Bob F Senior Member

    Location:
    Massachusetts USA
    Thanks, Bryan. I may head over to Norwood, but I was hoping someone would report on how it sounds before I pull the trigger. Where's @Ronald Sarbo when you need him?
     
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  4. Ronald Sarbo

    Ronald Sarbo Forum Resident

    Location:
    NY, NY, USA
    Nothing yet here....if they are coming from Europe it might take another week.
     
  5. paulmock

    paulmock Forum Resident

    Location:
    Hollywood, CA
    Ya know, I was sorta feeling the same way, but I am just so hopeful that they did what they did with SFSL that I will go get it Sunday morning...unless ol' Elephant Ears @MLutthans hits a record store 1st and bears bad news.
     
  6. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff Thread Starter

    I'll be surprised if it's not the MFSL files transferred to vinyl -- but if we've all learned one lesson around here when it comes to Sinatra releases, that lesson is: ASSUME NOTHING!! :agree: Hopefully it turns out nicely.
     
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  7. teag

    teag Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    I see Amazon now says in stock June 19th.
     
  8. CBackley

    CBackley Chairman of the Bored

    Amazon delivered mine today. It sounds very nice so far. I haven't done a close A/B to anything else, and I don't know this material near as well (to say the least) as some of you. But I'm happy with how this LP sounds. And my copy is perfectly centered, flat, and dead quiet.
     
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  9. CBackley

    CBackley Chairman of the Bored

    I really like how The Lonesome Road sounds on my system on this LP. It really comes to life.

    My daughter (2-years-old) was dancing to Night and Day earlier. It's a keeper. (The record, I mean. She's a keeper too.)
     
  10. CBackley

    CBackley Chairman of the Bored

    Again, I'm no expert on this album. I've listened to the Norberg version a few times. I love the MFSL SACD. And now I have this new reissue LP. I love the bass on it. It sounds very lively. Lots of thump.
     
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  11. AxeD

    AxeD Forum Resident

  12. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff Thread Starter

    There's an odd cutoff (the ending is very slightly clipped off) on "At Long Last Love" on the MFSL CD, and it is replicated on the new LP. Likewise, there is a (to my knowledge) unique little audio hiccup near the end of "Oh, Look at Me Now" on the MFSL hybrid that is replicated on the new LP. The waveforms, for what it's worth, look the same, too.

    IMO, the new LP, which sounds very nice, is related to the MFSL hybrid disc, as appeared to the be case with the Songs for Swingin' Lovers releases. A-okay by me, as the resultant sound is very nice, with the source tapes happily re-assembled (digitally or otherwise), clean, dynamic, etc.

    I have not A/Bd in any significant detail, but since the recent SFSL was certainly in the running for "best sounding LP release ever" for that title , I suspect the same will be true for this one, as well.

    (Thanks to @AxeD for sending data for waveforms, audio clips, etc. Much appreciated, and it made my life a little easier, to boot.)

    I'll get some clips posted, but it may be a few days, as I'm a little swamped right now. Bottom line, I agree with AxeD and @CBackley: The LP sounds very good. I can't imagine anybody being anything but happy with it. Go grab one.

    Capitol Scorecard updated: Capitol Scorecard
     
    Last edited: Jun 18, 2017
    TLMusic, aza14782, DLant and 5 others like this.
  13. paulmock

    paulmock Forum Resident

    Location:
    Hollywood, CA
    Got my copy yesterday. It remains unopened until cocktail hour this evening. Glad to hear the good reviews. Boy, they don't hide the fact that it was made in the Netherlands any more.
     
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  14. CBackley

    CBackley Chairman of the Bored

    I'm relieved to hear that my assessment wasn't way off base. Whew!

    I gave the new LP a close listen on headphones yesterday. I like it just as much as the MFSL SACD, which makes sense if the source is the same.
     
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  15. paulmock

    paulmock Forum Resident

    Location:
    Hollywood, CA
    OHHHHHeeww! Playing it now. I forgot I have a near-pristine D1 Scranton OP of this bad boy. I played the 1st 3 tracks of that and quickly switched to the UMe. THIS IS IT! The UMe is shade brighter but that may have to do with minor groove wear. Nonetheless, the Lord can take me now. As far as I am concerned, barring any unearthed treasures, my Sinatra collection is now complete.:love::love::love::love::love::love:
     
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  16. teag

    teag Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    Nice!!

    But are you saying the new UME has groove wear?
     
  17. mick_sh

    mick_sh Hackney diamond

    Location:
    Madrid, Spain
    Good to know they are using again the MFSL SACD master for this. I hope Rob and Shawn get some extra bucks for their wonderful job.
     
  18. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff Thread Starter

    Yes, but how do you REALLY feel? :laugh:
     
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  19. paulmock

    paulmock Forum Resident

    Location:
    Hollywood, CA
    Please forgive me if I was misleading there...I think the UMe sounded a tad brighter than the D1 Scranton OP due to the possibility of the D1 copy having groove wear. The D1 sounds great, but the UMe does beat it for sound all around.
     
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  20. teag

    teag Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    Paul - I was wondering if you have compared the new release with the MFSL Silver Box version?

    Trying to decide to buy or not to buy.

    I've read the various online opinions on this album and decided to do my own shootout between:
    - Dell box set version
    - MFSL Silver Box version
    - MFSL SACD

    This is the first time I have listened to these mono LPs since getting a dedicated mono cartridge for a 2nd tonearm.

    To my surprise, the MFSL Silver Box easily best the other 2. More balance, vocals are smoother, better bass content and definition. I don't usually like to compare LPs with CD/SACD's but in this case the MFSL SACD got rave reviews so I included it.

    This is one FS Capitol release where i don't have an original pressing so could not include it. But the MFSL Silver Box version sounds quite good to me anyway.
     
  21. paulmock

    paulmock Forum Resident

    Location:
    Hollywood, CA
    The very fact that the UMe uses the proper dry tapes is worth the price of admission. The Silver Box and Dell copies are both very, very good. But this one seals the deal for me as did the UMe SFSL.
     
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  22. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff Thread Starter

    ^^^^^^Yup.

    Regarding "wet tapes" (reverb added) in the MFSL Silver Box version from 1983, here's an old post:
    I think that 1983 pressing is pretty good, but the new release is made from the correct tapes (or, more likely -- but I can't say with 100% certainty -- digital copies thereof).

    That 1984 UK Dell LP is such an oddball, as it's tonally very different from other releases in that series, and sounds to me very similar to an original-release pressing. I'd love to know the story on that one.
     
  23. teag

    teag Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    Interesting, and I agree the MFSL silver LP really is not very "wet" at all. To me its hardly noticeable. This is one sweet sounding record. Also all analog and to me that means something, although I do agree the recently released LPs from digital have improved quite a bit. I still would rather they not go that way and spend the time to go all analog like MFSL did.
     
  24. teag

    teag Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    Understand. It would be interesting to see if you think it actually sounds better after comparing the 2.
     
  25. bferr1

    bferr1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA
    I held off till Sunday, but when I saw A Swingin' Affair! still in the racks in Norwood, I pounced on it! Sorry!
     
    Bob F likes this.
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