Vinyl Box Set re-issues

Hi Richard 2000. 

With regard to Blue Note 'Back to blue' re-issues from Universal.  I am pretty sure that these are digital remasters. However, if you want all AAA remasters of classic Blue Note I can thoroughly recommend the 33rpm series from Music Matters.If you email me I will send you a link.. my email address is in my profile.

Regarding Bruce Springsteen: The Album Collection Vol. 1 1973-1984 this might help...

http://www.analogplanet.com/category/album-review

Cannot help with the Creedence Clearwater Revival but pretty sure that Gale 501 can.

Graham.

Hi Graham,

Thanks for response,

I am familiar with the Michael Fremer review, the Springsteen has been re-mastered using the new Plangent process digitally, the original recordings are quite lo-fi in the first place so am interested in a wider view of how these sound. The only Springsteen I currently have is an original vinyl pressing of Born In The USA.

I bought a 'back to blue' copy of Horace Silver & The Jazz Messengers to try, and the pressing quality is very good, the website states they have been re-mastered from the original masters at digital 24/96. It sounds quite good but still has an unmistakeable digital sheen if you know what I mean. I don't have anything else to compare this title too though. I have a lot of earlier vinyl blue note re-issues including the complete EMI series which claims 'Mastered from original analog (sic) tapes' issued in 1997, these and a few Classic Records AAA titles are my only references.
I am aware of the Music Matters label but again, haven't heard them, how do they sound?

Richard. I have not bought a lot of jazz vinyl until recently and most of it has been digitally remasted so have very little in the way of direct album to album comparison particulaly Blue Note. However, I have been collecting vinyl since the age of twelve when I first heard the Beatles and I do trust my ears and other peoples opinions on this forum who have Music Matters vinyl. To my ears on my system all twelve albums I have received this year have been superb, the SQ is exceptional, all the vinyl has been flawless, the gatefold artwork and photography is sublime. I became a subscriber and received albums from August to December direct from MM which took about five days with no inport tax or damage to any of the albums as the packaging is also excellent.

As you can tell I am a big fan of these reissues.

Regard Graham.

Thanks Graham, I will take a look at those. I have just done a search and take it that this is the correct link?
http://www.musicmattersjazz.com/

Forget Back to Blue these look good and appear to have sound probity. I have a few of these titles on Classic Records AAA re -issues

Cheers

I can also vouch for the Music Matters 33rpm series. They are excellent all analogue reissues. I managed to get a few bargains on Amazon before Universal stopped them being sold in the UK. It's still possible but they're priced at over £50, I paid £32 on preorder back in February. I'd go with Grahams route.

Thanks Steve, I've just been browsing the Music matters site. these titles are available at Diverse vinyl (probably Redspark as well) £35 for 33 and £50 ish for 45's. But I have tried putting half a dozen titles in the Music Matters shopping cart and with shipping they work out about £22 each ( for the 33's), so might take a punt. Is their shipping from US reliable?

How do the 45 versions sound compared to the 33's?

The 45rpm's sound great.

I wouldn't do a bulk order from the US because you are very likely to get hit by HM customs.

I sent my set back for refund due to dull as dishwater sonic quality.

I'll keep an eye open for originals pressings cos i do like Cream musically.

But really glad to see the back of the duff reissue box-set!

Debs

Debs,

As i posted on the other thread.

I only found this album   to be on the dull side the rest in the Back to Black box set are anything but dull SQ.

I wouldn't pay what its selling for now though.

I am very happy with the CCR Back to Black  box set.

All nice sounding pressings.

I am not there greatest fan so it does me nicely.

Again i wouldn't buy it for what its selling for now though. 

These two vinyl box sets are really great outstanding SQ.

This is also a great SQ vinyl box set 2014 release.

Again i wouldn't pay what its selling for now though. 

Joe Harley, co-owner of Music Matters stated that their new 33 rpm pressings are better than their pats 45 releases due to front end equipment they made as well as mastering engineer Kevin Gray has found a better way to make a cutter head.

The only 45 tittle I owned from MM was excellent Kenny Drew's Undercurrent. I decided to compare it with their 33 pressing.

I much prefer 33rpm over 45s on this particular title. The 45 discs sound like in slo-mo comparatively. OTOH, the 33 rpm are much better clarity and dynamics. the music is more in tune to my ears.

I am super excited that the next year's MM 33 release includes many of Hancock titles including Maiden Voyage. 

I certainly now is able to compare it to my Analogue Productions 45 ( so far it's my reference ) reissue when it arrives.

kuma,

Are you still using those lovely chrome dome speakers in your office ?

My Back to Black Cream vinyl set was all very dull, all 7 LPs of every album with very duff SQ.

TBH i though they were so bad it was a money grabbing P1$$ take.

Definitely don't recommend that box-set.

Very glad i returned them and got my 53 quid back! 

Debs

Really?

I would never have worked that out unless you had said 

Yep.

Re: Nick Cave - I have only picked up Abattoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus which thankfully sounds very good on the reissue vinyl.  It was one CD that was ahead of its time in the loudness wars and actually gives me a headache in digital form. I was hoping that the download that came with the LP might have a more sympathetic mastering, but no luck, it is the same as the original CD. 

I have the DVD-As of all the early titles, which are excellent, so felt no need to double up on those.

Discussion on the Hoffman forum has generally positive reviews of the other releases, with the usual few gripes about warpage, pops and clicks, and the card stock not being faithful to the originals. My Abattoir plays fine and I think  was a worthwhile purchase.

Thanks Gale, I have them all on Fantasy label recent CD re-issues which sound good but generally prefer vinyl replay if it is well mastered etc. Have you heard any comparisons or other reference point

Thanks Sam, AB/LoO is one of the titles Im interested in. Noting your comments re SQ in its CD digital form. This vinyl re-issue one expects comes from the same re-master source as the download so if the mastering on the download is unsympathetic and no better than the original CD then either they are using different source masters for vinyl and download which is unlikely, was the download HiDef? Or If not then perhaps your disappointment was due to the lower definition of the download file. The vinyl will of course sound better than a lower bitrate download assuming it has been mastered from a HiDef digital master. 

 Analogue Productions have or are also re-issuing a similar box set mastered AAA

I have Undercurrent and a number of other Blue Note Classic AAA mastered Records which sound great. I don't plan to duplicate those unless the Music Matters significantly improve on those? But appetite to check out some of the other MM's has been wetted definitely

Richard - The download is mp3 @ 320. I was disappointed that it had the exact same mastering as the original CD = loud and compressed and matches exactly the DR values and loudness information when I ran it through the Foobar Dynamic Range plug in. I haven't used it as a comparator to the vinyl. No need, I know it will stink worse than the CD. 

The LP must have a different mastering, perhaps as per the original release. Although not audiophile it is nevertheless an enjoyable listen vs. the CD. 

The DR values may help describe what I am referring to:

I can't seem to insert a link but from the Dynamic Range database website we have the following:

Abattoir Blues CD = DR5

Abattoir Blues Vinyl = DR8

Lyre of ... CD = DR6

Lyre of .. Vinyl = DR9

The vinyl DRs aren't particularly special but just better enough to make this worthwhile if you like the music. 

Sorry to complicate. But if like me, you find the CD particularly compressed and loud then he vinyl is an improvement.

Richard,

The Music Matters 45 rpm Undercurrent sounds quite good as is.

But comparatively, the 33 rpm pressing is more dynamic with a lower noise floor. 

I've a friend with most of their 45 rpm pressing so at some point I will compare side by side.

It might be title dependent.

What are 'Classic AAA mastered Records'?

Which pressing are you referring to and which titles?