SRV is on this BN LP which would make a good TP. I was hoping maybe Frissel would add some Jeff Beck to his set list.
Needle drop on Byrd Half Note. It's as good as the all the talk coming in lately. Such a cool jazz club sound as @scotti said before.
I think you might be right. I just listened to the version of Spotify through my iphone headphones. I think it's the same "mix" and through headphones it just sounds weird. The left side is mostly hollow but also strangely muted/fuzzy, while the slightly-to-the-right side has mostly the cymbal playing and it's noticeably brighter. The middle is fine. The minute I heard it I remembered that the first ever contact I had with this version was on an old duped cassette in the 80's that sounded exactly like that through the headphones (with added tape hiss). It's interesting that when played from an LP and through the speakers the sound is much more acceptable, as you naturally concentrate on the center, plus the room acoustics acts like an additional filter.
I want that half note tone poet pretty bad, but just over splurged on some incredibly reasonably priced music matters titles. Snagged the regular 33s of Idle Moments and Maiden Voyage for $208 shipped for the pair. Couldn’t pass it up, but now have to skip out on a couple tone poets and Sam Records that I was planning on buying. Really looking forward to that new Blakey show from Sam. Hopefully it sticks around for a couple months.
Complete coincidence with the Twin Peaks figurines. I just put on "Destination...Out!" and realised that "Love and Hate" sounds very, very much like it could be a part of the soundtrack. The sad, dreamy mid-tempo with vibes in the center, supported by unhurried bass notes...
I'm skipping it because I have the two CD version with both volumes and extras -and it sounds good to boot. Considering it's only one Tone Poet it's not that much savings but like I said the two CD set sounds just dandy and I can get something else like Marion Brown's Vista or Harry Beckett's Flare Up, or...
the price will undoubtedly fall. you may be able to pick it up later for much cheaper if you really need it. it strikes me as one that will not sell out.
I can say the Qobuz 24/192 was a nice stream, but when the music opens on Half Note TP, you immediately perk up and give your attention. It is way more lively and realistic sounding. Instruments are stepping out of my JBLs. Completely different soundstage. Ofcourse the Qobuz is a 2015 remaster and KG has worked his magic with the new TP vinyl. RVG really nailed the recording! Music 10 Sonics 11 Cheers!
Maybe slightly off-topic, but since folks have been talking about great-sounding live recordings and referencing Dexter Gordon and Jackie McLean, how about The Meeting, Vol. 1, and The Source, featuring these two gentleman plus the great NHOP on bass? Love 'em both, and they can be had for reasonable prices on Discogs.
I'm coming to the conclusion: 1) My understanding, BNC or TP will reissue almost all titles with good tapes, certain MMJ will not be a TP, but can be a BNc instead. 2) The vintage Blue Notes are compressed for vintage TT playback. 3) Wait it out for KG and you'll hear what is really the potential of the tape Is this a correct assumption? I like collecting some of the vintage BNs. For me, the premium prices are not worth chasing when the higher quality is being rolled out at really affordable prices. However they are very cool to have in a collection and should always hold good value for resale or trading.
This has been my take after A/B'ing three or four titles of which I had early pressings to compare to the BNC/TP pressings: The vintage BNs, basically anything RVG Liberty era and older, swing harder than the BNCs/ TPs. That's basically what the compression is for. So for recording dates that have a main purpose of swinging - Moanin' and Cornbread are probably the prime examples - the earlier pressings sound better to me. For titles that are more introspective, like Destination...Out! - the Kevin Gray sounds better because you can hear more of the sonic spectrum and timbre.
Uverse had the VD sale recently - buy one get 50% off second dose, ahem, I mean record, so one was $19.
Not sure I follow. In your scenario, would the vintage Blue Train sound better than the 2022 reissue?
I had a similar experience listening to Adam's Apple. I have a FLAC rip of a 1970 RVG pressing - I like it better than both the MM and BNC. Those are great, of course, but the earlier pressing grooves harder. Better midrange? I don't know. It's hard to define.
Comparing originals/early RVG cuts to the KG cuts is almost apples and oranges they are so different. The RVGs sound like awesome jazz records. The MMJ/TPs sound like a rolling master tape. Both have their appeal. There's also the additional factor of playing something that is original and of its time. It adds an additional layer of enchantment to the experience. If I had to pick one sonically speaking, it's the MMJs/TPs without a doubt, but I like having originals of my absolute favorites as well. They sound great in their own way, but almost certainly much different than what is actually on the tape. And that's OK.
Rolling master tape is a great description. From everything KG states publicly, he is making very few adjustments (generally).
He and Kevin don’t use compression. That much has been stated. That’s what gets him in trouble with PoH and Passing Ships…LOL. He told me my cartridge sounds about as close as one can get to the master tape (uses the same but not the ‘SL’ version I have).
Chiming in to remind everyone that regardless of warble, Black Fire is still an amazing session and that vast majority of that fiery-ness is in full display on the TP. I mean musically if you can't dig this, YOU HAVE NO SOUL. Andrew Hill is legit breaking down the space-time continuum for jazz improvisation right before your eyes, and dare I say Roy Haynes does things on this session that rival that of Tony Williams and Elvin Jones. If anything, I hear even more of the warble nowadays lol - before I only really heard it pronounced on side 2 but Im getting plenty of it on side 1 as well. Still happy that I can still enjoy it, considering this was bought at a time when amazon would heavily discount their pre-orders, I believe I got this new amazon primed for like $21.
Back then, I am not sure if it was considered exactly compression or just following the RIAA requirement. By removing this guideline, more of the tape is coming through. At least that's how I interpret the differences.
RIAA compression is still applied, and it’s not really compression so much as it’s an equalization of the bass frequencies to lower output. That hasn’t ever changed. It has to be since that’s what phono stages expect so they can reverse that curve.
