Keith Jarrett Sun Bear Concerts - Piano Solo Limited Edition Vinyl

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by DaK, Jan 16, 2021.

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  1. Seagull67

    Seagull67 Well-Known Member

    Does it not sound good? I want to know whether to keep my order in for this or buy the far cheaper CD set. I know there are frustrations with the packaging, which don't really bother me - but if the sound quality isn't impressive why bother? The CDs will be fine for me. Can you describe what you hear in terms of the sound quality? Thanks!
     
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  2. Josquin des Prez

    Josquin des Prez I have spoken!

    Location:
    U.S.
    It looks like the U.S. release is delayed to April 30? I was thinking I should be getting a shipment notice soon, but Deep Discount, Acoustic Sounds, et al. now show April 30 as the release date. Amazon hasn't updated their page yet.
     
  3. BertDert

    BertDert Zapple scruff

    Location:
    OH
    Preordered at Target. $269 plus there’s currently a 20% off your order Target Circle offer
     
  4. DaK

    DaK Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Berlin, Germany
    Sadly I have to revise my impressions. The music does sound great on this new reissue. But there are horribly loud "cracks" and what appear to be short "dropouts" on my favourite track Tokyo Nov 14, 76 Part IIa...I really hope that I can return it. I am sceptical about a replacement since others reported similiar things (apart from that I think its sold out in some shops) and I do not want to park that kind a money in a flawed set. I am totally bummed since the sound is really beautiful. Does anyone else experience something similiar on that particular track?
     
  5. AudioTimes

    AudioTimes Forum Resident

    Location:
    Europe
    Yes, as far as I know, the original German edition was a darker brownish box with individual black thick sleeves inside.
     
  6. John D.

    John D. Senior Member

    Sorry to hear about your issues with this box set. I had this on pre-order, but after re-thinking this big box set of vinyl and some early reviews, I decided to opt out. Large Box Sets of vinyl are a risky situation now, especially Limited Editions.
     
    DaK likes this.
  7. Josquin des Prez

    Josquin des Prez I have spoken!

    Location:
    U.S.
    I cancelled my order with DeepDiscount, but have an order with Amazon even though it's a bit more, since returns are easy-peasy if there is a problem. Hopefully, it will be all good. But you're right, large box sets can be risky.
     
  8. Trane

    Trane Forum Resident

    Location:
    Oslo, Norway
    Sounds like the same issue I had with my copy.
    I was so sad I had to return it.
     
    DaK likes this.
  9. Josquin des Prez

    Josquin des Prez I have spoken!

    Location:
    U.S.
    Does anyone know where it's pressed?

    I recently got a new release from Analogphonic (Kyung-Wha Chung & Radu Lupu Sonatas For Violin And Piano on Decca). Usually these are mastered at EBS and pressed at Pallas. This one wasn't and I had to return mine as well as the replacement copy. Lots of noise and non-fill. I wonder where it was pressed? A friend also has the same problem with his copy. Very disappointing since Analogphonic is usually first-rate. I have an original Holland-pressed London Records issue, so at least I have a copy of this excellent recording.
     
  10. DaK

    DaK Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Berlin, Germany
    Some say it was pressed at Record Industry in the Netherlands, but I see no official source for that.
     
  11. Josquin des Prez

    Josquin des Prez I have spoken!

    Location:
    U.S.
    I just hope my copy from Amazon is OK. If not I can order a replacement and then hope to complete a good set from both copies.
     
    DaK likes this.
  12. DaK

    DaK Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Berlin, Germany
    Had the same plan, but it’s kind of a project for 10 records. And what I hate about it the most is that I get fixated on surface noises...such projects kind of stimulate vinyl neurosis ;)
     
  13. Josquin des Prez

    Josquin des Prez I have spoken!

    Location:
    U.S.
    I wish I knew whether someone is curating this release, such that test pressings for each disc have been reviewed and verified.
     
  14. DaK

    DaK Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Berlin, Germany
    Yes that would be nice to know. I hope that these defects are random, I will try one replacement and after that give up. If the sound would not be so pleasing, I would give up immediately.
     
  15. kwadguy

    kwadguy Senior Member

    Location:
    Cambridge, MA
    I think it's amusing--if you take the JPC description at face value--that people were complaining about how "enormous" the set was, physically. I don't recall any such discussion back then (and we carried the set). But I guess it's possible. Anyway, in the context of today's ginormous larded boxes, this is a punter.

    As for the music: This is a rare case where including all the concerts--rather than just releasing a distilled collection--makes some sense, since there were, indeed, unique, unrepeated, flashes of brilliance throughout the run.
     
  16. A test pressing is really only used for tweaking aspects of sound between the studio/engineers and the pressing plant.

    What we are talking about here is basic Quality Control and large record sets present a problem even for experienced pressers.
     
  17. kwadguy

    kwadguy Senior Member

    Location:
    Cambridge, MA
    ECM vinyl issues of the '70s (Polygram distribution in the US) were hit and miss.

    When they went to Warner Bros distribution, things got a LOT better (very good pressing and mastering, and use of premium record sleeves). The Sun Bear box came out in the US through Warner.
     
  18. lucan_g

    lucan_g Forum Resident

    There are some kinds of music where vinyl may not be the ideal medium. I’ve stuck away from solo Keith on vinyl for that very reason. The amount of vinyl landfill that will come out of people seeking perfection by mix-matching multiple sets of this size makes me shudder. It has gotten far too easy to return stuff, leading to even more waste. IMHO.
     
  19. DaK

    DaK Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Berlin, Germany
    In my understanding there might be problems with the laquer, that can be checked via a test pressing (as well as other aspects that might be more important in general). If the pressing defects are not random is has to do with the laquer, or not?
     
  20. lacquer
    Formulation
    Plates
    Presses
    Humidity/dryness
    A lot of variables
     
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  21. DaK

    DaK Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Berlin, Germany
    Your shuddering surely happened in good faith ;) But mass production, quality control and the easiness of returning stuff is related. I do not really see your point here. What sense would keeping a defective record that cost around 250 Euro make? Its in part a meditative record that gets destroyed by that kind of pressing defects.
     
  22. Josquin des Prez

    Josquin des Prez I have spoken!

    Location:
    U.S.
    I don't believe that's true. By the time the test pressing exists the lacquer has already been cut. For example, Joe Harley curates the Blue Note Tone Poet series. He sits in the mastering booth with Kevin Gray when they master and cut the lacquers. Then Joe reviews the test pressings as a QA process, to make sure no issues have come up between cutting the lacquer in the mastering studio and pressing the vinyl at the plant.
     
  23. lucan_g

    lucan_g Forum Resident

    My point is that records have rarely ever been flawless. I believe cd/hi res has changed the way we listen, and now we have come to expect that perfection everywhere. They are different mediums with different strengths. This music hinges on the silence and space. That’s a tough sell over 10 slabs of vinyl... whoever presses it.
     
  24. Josquin des Prez

    Josquin des Prez I have spoken!

    Location:
    U.S.
    Pressing plants reuse vinyl from rejected LPs. I saw this happening at QRP when I visited the plant some years ago.
     
  25. lucan_g

    lucan_g Forum Resident

    .

    Are you telling me that when I return to Amazon they ship it back to the record plant?
     
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