Kind of Blue: Contemporary Remasters & Pressings

bullmrkt · « **on:** 26 Nov 2012, 04:40 pm »

I've done a bit of searching, and can't find an answer to which of the contemporary Kind of Blue pressings is the best quality? I've been considering the box set on Pop Market that includes an 180g blue vinyl LP (details scarce), the 200g Classic/Columbia version, and the 180g Mobile Fidelity 45rpm edition.

Thanks!

Ian

roscoeiii · « **Reply #1 on:** 26 Nov 2012, 05:12 pm »

IME, best place to search on these pressing related questions is SH Forum. A massive resource for vinyl folks.

Have not heard any of the versions you mention here, but this recent reissue is getting a lot of praise, and was what I settled on after far too much research (though the 45 RPM hadn't been released at that time):

The current RTI-pressed, Kevin Gray-mastered Legacy stereo

Can be found in the $20 range:

http://www.soundstagedirect.com/miles-davis-kind-of-blue-180-gram-vinyl-lp.shtml

bullmrkt · « **Reply #2 on:** 26 Nov 2012, 05:46 pm »

Thanks. Upon second glance, the MoFi 45rpm doesn't appear to be currently available. This seems to be the most interesting version, I like what MoFi has done elsewhere. Does anyone know if it was already released and out of stock, or its waiting to be released?

roscoeiii · « **Reply #3 on:** 26 Nov 2012, 06:01 pm »

MoFi 45RPM. Hasn't been released yet. No telling how good it is until it is released. So many factors involved. Who remastered it, where it was pressed, condition of the tapes used, etc.

I imagine Fremer at Analog Planet will review the 45 RPM MoFi once it is released. His site is also a good one to look for pressing impressions.

Scottdazzle · « **Reply #4 on:** 26 Nov 2012, 07:15 pm »

I got the deluxe box set with the blue record. Don't buy it. The vinyl on my copy is noisy. Probably the worst from any new record I've bought in the past couple years... maybe it's a tie with the first Shelby Lynne LP.

Sonny · « **Reply #5 on:** 26 Nov 2012, 07:28 pm »

I have the Classic Records reissue of KOB and it's darn good...the SONY sacd is very good as well.
I am going to get the MOFI reissue as well, once it's released.
T

Toni Rambold · « **Reply #6 on:** 26 Nov 2012, 08:17 pm »

In the second half of the 90s a 2LP set was released by Classic Records mastered by
Bernie Grundman and pressed by RTI on 180g vinyl:

Side 1: original speed (too fast)
Side 2: All Blues, Flamenco Sketches
Side 3: corrected speed (Side 1)
Side 4: alternate take: Flamenco Sketches 45rpm

Sonny · « **Reply #7 on:** 26 Nov 2012, 08:20 pm »

Quote from: Toni Rambold on 26 Nov 2012, 08:17 pm

In the second half of the 90s a 2LP set was released by Classic Records mastered by
Bernie Grundman and pressed by RTI on 180g vinyl:

Side 1: original speed (too fast)
Side 2: All Blues, Flamenco Sketches
Side 3: corrected speed (Side 1)
Side 4: alternate take: Flamenco Sketches 45rpm

I just have the single 33 1/3 LP...it's quite good and I'd heard about the "speed" issue on the original...but never had a chance to A/B it.
T

Toni Rambold · « **Reply #8 on:** 26 Nov 2012, 08:52 pm »

Quote from: Sonny

I just have the single 33 1/3 LP...it's quite good and I'd heard about the "speed" issue on the original...but never had a chance to A/B it.
T

Do you mean the lipless 200g Quiex SV-P version, 33 1/3 rpm ?

Sonny · « **Reply #9 on:** 26 Nov 2012, 08:57 pm »

I guess so...

Toni Rambold · « **Reply #10 on:** 26 Nov 2012, 09:08 pm »

Sorry - I do not collect these pressings, they were noisy in the beginning due to temperature problems during the cooling phase:

Mikey

I have heard Rick Hashimoto solved the problem in 2005 !

neobop · « **Reply #11 on:** 27 Nov 2012, 02:47 am »

Quote from: Toni Rambold on 26 Nov 2012, 08:17 pm

In the second half of the 90s a 2LP set was released by Classic Records mastered by
Bernie Grundman and pressed by RTI on 180g vinyl:

Side 1: original speed (too fast)
Side 2: All Blues, Flamenco Sketches
Side 3: corrected speed (Side 1)
Side 4: alternate take: Flamenco Sketches 45rpm

For years I was unaware of the speed issue, but the article in Stereophile doesn't make sense:

It was not until 1992 that Wilder discovered that the prime three-channel deck had been running slightly slowly during the first session, with the result that on the LPs and CDs made from it, the numbers on side A (the first three tracks) played slightly sharp in musical pitch. By the time of the second recording session, seven weeks later, the prime three-track deck had received some maintenance, so the numbers on the LP's side B were recorded at the proper speed. To get the proper pitch without adjusting the playback deck's speed, and knowing that the backup tapes had never been played, Wilder used them for the 1992 Columbia Mastersound SBM Gold CD remastering. Those tapes have been used ever since, including for the SACD releases.

If the deck was running slightly slow, it should come out a little flat, not sharp. I have the orig Columbia, and it sounds good to me. If I heard the speed corrected pressing it would prob sound a little "off".

http://www.stereophile.com/thefifthelement/206fifth/

neo

JerryLove · « **Reply #12 on:** 27 Nov 2012, 04:12 am »

Quote from: neobop on 27 Nov 2012, 02:47 am

If the deck was running slightly slow, it should come out a little flat, not sharp. I have the orig Columbia, and it sounds good to me. If I heard the speed corrected pressing it would prob sound a little "off".

The *recording* deck ran slow. The playback deck (used to create the album master) ran at normal speed (which was faster than the recording was made)

Speed up playback and it pitches up.

neobop · « **Reply #13 on:** 27 Nov 2012, 10:32 am »

Quote from: JerryLove on 27 Nov 2012, 04:12 am

The *recording* deck ran slow. The playback deck (used to create the album master) ran at normal speed (which was faster than the recording was made)

Speed up playback and it pitches up.

Thanks, that makes sense. I think I read somewhere, the speed was off < 1/4 tone. Very few people could hear that except in direct comparison. Even those with perfect pitch usually have perfect relative pitch, not absolute pitch. Anybody do a comparison?
neo

jjc1 · « **Reply #14 on:** 27 Nov 2012, 04:03 pm »

I received as a gift a KOB 180 gram pressing from a label called "Jazz Wax Records". The sound is better than the Digitally Remastered Columbia Jazz Masterpieces pressing that I had. However, as the recording gets into Flamenco Sketches, it gets noisy and not enjoyable.

Does anyone else have or heard of this pressing? There is no information at all on the album cover as to when or where the pressing was made. On the record label it just shows JWR4534.

Toni Rambold · « **Reply #15 on:** 27 Nov 2012, 04:33 pm »

Quote from: Scott

I got the deluxe box set with the blue record. Don't buy it. The vinyl on my copy is noisy.

Scott is right ! - the US pressing is noisy - A Digital Kind of Blue?

However, there was a Dutch 2LP set made from a 96kHz/24bit file limited to 3000 copies
pressed on blue vinyl by MOV, already sold out:

Kind Of Blue - MOVLP019

but this 2LP set pressed on 180g black vinyl is still available at record dealers in Europe for 26 Euro.

dminches · « **Reply #16 on:** 29 Nov 2012, 04:10 pm »

How do all these versions compare to the Mosaic box set (Davis/Coltrane complete columbia recordings) which contains all the KOB sessions?

jazdoc · « **Reply #17 on:** 30 Nov 2012, 12:43 am »

I own the Classic Records 200 gm and the aforementioned Mosaic box set. Neither holds a candle to my original 6-eye mono pressing.

dminches · « **Reply #18 on:** 30 Nov 2012, 01:23 am »

But how do the 2 stereo versions compare to each other. Also, is the 6-eye mono pressing at the correct speed?

jazdoc · « **Reply #19 on:** 1 Dec 2012, 01:14 am »

The two stereos sound different. The Mosaic is a slightly more relaxed presentation. I presume the mono is at wrong speed, but it sounds fabulous...amazing tone color and bass. Worth the money.