Definitive Audiophile pressings

mitchwagz said:
I’m sure they can do just fine with a copy though. Not all the verve reissues are from the master tape right?
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All the Chad/Verve reissues are from tape - he can't sell them to his crowd if they are not. Pharoah Sanders Karma could be done, as apparently that tape survived, but I doubt Chad would go that far. And he worries about Amazon returns, which would be high as the rocking chair crowd that is his main market realizes that Pharoah Sanders isn't Boots Randolph.
 
I think it also depends on what set-up you have. A £100 record clearly wouldn't bother you if you have the kind of set-up which people like Michael Fremer has. I watched a tour of his basement earlier and pulled up product specs as he went along. These are just a small selection, without even taking into account his cd/DAC set up OR his other record player setups (he has a few in the same space). Forgive the conversion changes.

£109,000 Wilson Audio Alexx Loudspeakers
£135,000 DARTZEEL NHB-458 MONOBLOCKS
$17,000 The Zero Evolution Cables
$65,000 Continuum Audio Labs Caliburn turntable & Cobra tonearm
$5,400 CT-2 Isolator
$53,600 Swedish Analog Technologies CF1-09 Tonearm
$7100 Kuzma 4Point Tonearm
$11,995 Lyra Etna Lambda SL MC Phono Cartridge
$5,495 Koetsu Rosewood Cartridge
$23,250 darTZeel NHB-18NS
$90,850 Dual Mono P1s & X1s
€16,000 CH Precision X1 Power Supply
£26,000.00 YPSILON VPS100 PHONOSTAGE & MC10 STEP-UP TRANSFORMER
£7,750 STILLPOINTS ESS EQUIPMENT RACK

I mean, this is just an insane amount of money, even if it is your job. In fact, he got a mortgage to pay for one of the bits of equipment in here (can't remember which one) AND this doesn't include all of the other equipment which is on loan to him.
 
RHANDMJ said:
All the Chad/Verve reissues are from tape - he can't sell them to his crowd if they are not. Pharoah Sanders Karma could be done, as apparently that tape survived, but I doubt Chad would go that far. And he worries about Amazon returns, which would be high as the rocking chair crowd that is his main market realizes that Pharoah Sanders isn't Boots Randolph.
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He does actually mention in the video that he would be willing to use a really good tape copy as long as he OK's it personally, so I imagine this conversation has popped up at Acoustic Sounds.
 
Selaws said:
I think it also depends on what set-up you have. A £100 record clearly wouldn't bother you if you have the kind of set-up which people like Michael Fremer has. I watched a tour of his basement earlier and pulled up product specs as he went along. These are just a small selection, without even taking into account his cd/DAC set up OR his other record player setups (he has a few in the same space). Forgive the conversion changes.

£109,000 Wilson Audio Alexx Loudspeakers
£135,000 DARTZEEL NHB-458 MONOBLOCKS
$17,000 The Zero Evolution Cables
$65,000 Continuum Audio Labs Caliburn turntable & Cobra tonearm
$5,400 CT-2 Isolator
$53,600 Swedish Analog Technologies CF1-09 Tonearm
$7100 Kuzma 4Point Tonearm
$11,995 Lyra Etna Lambda SL MC Phono Cartridge
$5,495 Koetsu Rosewood Cartridge
$23,250 darTZeel NHB-18NS
$90,850 Dual Mono P1s & X1s
€16,000 CH Precision X1 Power Supply
£26,000.00 YPSILON VPS100 PHONOSTAGE & MC10 STEP-UP TRANSFORMER
£7,750 STILLPOINTS ESS EQUIPMENT RACK

I mean, this is just an insane amount of money, even if it is your job. In fact, he got a mortgage to pay for one of the bits of equipment in here (can't remember which one) AND this doesn't include all of the other equipment which is on loan to him.
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I’m going to say this and leave it at that. Are the gaps between his equipment and a system costing £2k a component really worth that level of outlay? Is there that much more of a leap in these flat finky plastic discs left? At a point I stop being jealous and think “oh my god that’s obscene” and not in a good way, that’s more than my apartment in gear and I live in a capital city.
 
Selaws said:
He does actually mention in the video that he would be willing to use a really good tape copy as long as he OK's it personally, so I imagine this conversation has popped up at Acoustic Sounds.
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Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t ALS from a copy? That reissue sounds magnificent. There very well might not be a usable tape for Ptah though which would be understandable.
 
Selaws said:
I think it also depends on what set-up you have. A £100 record clearly wouldn't bother you if you have the kind of set-up which people like Michael Fremer has. I watched a tour of his basement earlier and pulled up product specs as he went along. These are just a small selection, without even taking into account his cd/DAC set up OR his other record player setups (he has a few in the same space). Forgive the conversion changes.

£109,000 Wilson Audio Alexx Loudspeakers
£135,000 DARTZEEL NHB-458 MONOBLOCKS
$17,000 The Zero Evolution Cables
$65,000 Continuum Audio Labs Caliburn turntable & Cobra tonearm
$5,400 CT-2 Isolator
$53,600 Swedish Analog Technologies CF1-09 Tonearm
$7100 Kuzma 4Point Tonearm
$11,995 Lyra Etna Lambda SL MC Phono Cartridge
$5,495 Koetsu Rosewood Cartridge
$23,250 darTZeel NHB-18NS
$90,850 Dual Mono P1s & X1s
€16,000 CH Precision X1 Power Supply
£26,000.00 YPSILON VPS100 PHONOSTAGE & MC10 STEP-UP TRANSFORMER
£7,750 STILLPOINTS ESS EQUIPMENT RACK

I mean, this is just an insane amount of money, even if it is your job. In fact, he got a mortgage to pay for one of the bits of equipment in here (can't remember which one) AND this doesn't include all of the other equipment which is on loan to him.
Click to expand...
Agree, but unfortunately, I live in the real world. I have a wife & kids, nearing the age university comes into play. I have to save money for retirement. My kids always need something - shoes, clothes, phone, stuff. My wife wants to go on vacations. I have bills to pay every month.

And even if I could afford it (and anyone who takes out a mortgage for audio equipment is certifiable insane and irresponsible) Iwould not go anywhere near that. I have a life, too, that has other interests and responsibilities.

I can only assume Fremer has no wife or kids. Or they left long ago. My wife would. So would I.
 
Selaws said:
I think it also depends on what set-up you have. A £100 record clearly wouldn't bother you if you have the kind of set-up which people like Michael Fremer has. I watched a tour of his basement earlier and pulled up product specs as he went along. These are just a small selection, without even taking into account his cd/DAC set up OR his other record player setups (he has a few in the same space). Forgive the conversion changes.

£109,000 Wilson Audio Alexx Loudspeakers
£135,000 DARTZEEL NHB-458 MONOBLOCKS
$17,000 The Zero Evolution Cables
$65,000 Continuum Audio Labs Caliburn turntable & Cobra tonearm
$5,400 CT-2 Isolator
$53,600 Swedish Analog Technologies CF1-09 Tonearm
$7100 Kuzma 4Point Tonearm
$11,995 Lyra Etna Lambda SL MC Phono Cartridge
$5,495 Koetsu Rosewood Cartridge
$23,250 darTZeel NHB-18NS
$90,850 Dual Mono P1s & X1s
€16,000 CH Precision X1 Power Supply
£26,000.00 YPSILON VPS100 PHONOSTAGE & MC10 STEP-UP TRANSFORMER
£7,750 STILLPOINTS ESS EQUIPMENT RACK

I mean, this is just an insane amount of money, even if it is your job. In fact, he got a mortgage to pay for one of the bits of equipment in here (can't remember which one) AND this doesn't include all of the other equipment which is on loan to him.
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And even he has made comments, at least a few years ago, that the only reason some reissues are 45rpm 2xLP is because of licensing. He may have changed his tune on that more recently though, not sure.
 
mitchwagz said:
Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t ALS from a copy? That reissue sounds magnificent. There very well might not be a usable tape for Ptah though which would be understandable.
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ALS is from a copy. The master tape apparently does still exist, but is unuseable. I would love to see Ptah. But Chad won't do it.

There ARE second gen tapes somewhere for many Impulse titles, the best of which exist in Japan. Getting them would be very difficult. Not all Impulse titles were released in japan, though. All the Alice Coltrane were, all John Coltrane, most Pharoah Sanders and Archie Shepp, no Yusef Lateef and so on.
 
Joe Mac said:
I’m going to say this and leave it at that. Are the gaps between his equipment and a system costing £2k a component really worth that level of outlay? Is there that much more of a leap in these flat finky plastic discs left? At a point I stop being jealous and think “oh my god that’s obscene” and not in a good way, that’s more than my apartment in gear and I live in a capital city.
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I completely agree. Its a crazy amount of money and one which I could never imagine spending even if I was in the position of being able to. In the video he states that if someone finds a $900 (his version of cheap) set of cables that sound as good he would happily swap them out for his more expensive ones. I would love to be in that position hahaha.

RHANDMJ said:
Agree, but unfortunately, I live in the real world. I have a wife & kids, nearing the age university comes into play. I have to save money for retirement. My kids always need something - shoes, clothes, phone, stuff. My wife wants to go on vacations. I have bills to pay every month.

And even if I could afford it (and anyone who takes out a mortgage for audio equipment is certifiable insane and irresponsible) Iwould not go anywhere near that. I have a life, too, that has other interests and responsibilities.

I can only assume Fremer has no wife or kids. Or they left long ago. My wife would. So would I.
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Fremer's job is to review audiophile equipment and he made a fair chunk of money from installation dvds. He has a wife and family, its just that he makes a fortune doing what he does. With that being said he did get a mortgage to pay off one element in his set up which I find to be an insane move.
 
mitchwagz said:
Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t ALS from a copy? That reissue sounds magnificent. There very well might not be a usable tape for Ptah though which would be understandable.
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It was supposedly from a redub Bell Sound tape that I have seen several claims is what everything was cut from all the way back to the original. Some have claimed the original master tape was scrapped back then but maybe not according to others. Haven't managed to find unquestionable sources on any of it though so if anyone has and can share, I would be happy to get it straight.
 
RHANDMJ said:
He just runs with the warhorses that he knows will be sellers. You won't see Pharoah Sanders on his Impulse/AP list, nor Archie Shepp - cornerstones of Impulse. You won't see Roland Kirk, or Alan Shorter, on the Verve series. You will get two great Bill Evans Verve albums, because Bill sells.
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This just in--for profit business is pressing records that they know will sell! haha

It will be interesting to see which titles they will press from Impulse though as he seemed to imply that the AS series in 2021 will be mostly Impulse. I don't think they are going to mass produce some Ptah, the El Daoud but who knows... and yes-- @mitchwagz they are not ALL from original master tapes but they seem to say that they are only pressing things they know will sound good and will use a copy tape if it exists and they think it will sound good. With the AS pressings I have so far from this series, I'm not bothered if the pressings aren't from OG masters if they sound great. As @AnthonyI said too, just because something isn't from an original master doesn't mean it doesn't sound good.

I think a lot of the stuff that made me hate jazz early on has been rearing it's head a lot lately...there's a lot gatekeeping that seems to go with jazz more than any other genre. I don't really care if people don't think Chad knows jazz well. I think the AS series is solid from the records I have from it. They sound good. I got most for around $20. I have no complaints. Would it be nice to get some harder to find titles in the series? Absolutely. But I'm also not going to fault them for pressing more well-known titles. It's a huge label asking a huge company to create a successful series of "classic" jazz titles.

The good thing is that there are so many good reissues happening these days from all sorts of labels. So if you're tired of the AS titles or don't think they are important enough, some other label will probably repress them at some point and hopefully they do a good job.
 
MikeH said:
This just in--for profit business is pressing records that they know will sell! haha

It will be interesting to see which titles they will press from Impulse though as he seemed to imply that the AS series in 2021 will be mostly Impulse. I don't think they are going to mass produce some Ptah, the El Daoud but who knows... and yes-- @mitchwagz they are not ALL from original master tapes but they seem to say that they are only pressing things they know will sound good and will use a copy tape if it exists and they think it will sound good. With the AS pressings I have so far from this series, I'm not bothered if the pressings aren't from OG masters if they sound great. As @AnthonyI said too, just because something isn't from an original master doesn't mean it doesn't sound good.

I think a lot of the stuff that made me hate jazz early on has been rearing it's head a lot lately...there's a lot gatekeeping that seems to go with jazz more than any other genre. I don't really care if people don't think Chad knows jazz well. I think the AS series is solid from the records I have from it. They sound good. I got most for around $20. I have no complaints. Would it be nice to get some harder to find titles in the series? Absolutely. But I'm also not going to fault them for pressing more well-known titles. It's a huge label asking a huge company to create a successful series of "classic" jazz titles.

The good thing is that there are so many good reissues happening these days from all sorts of labels. So if you're tired of the AS titles or don't think they are important enough, some other label will probably repress them at some point and hopefully they do a good job.
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I did say that Chad sources only from tape - but never said "master tapes"!

A copy tape can often sound better than a well used original master - second gen tape only, though.

But I do not agree on curation. If Impulse originally only focused on what would be 'sellers', we probably would not have many of the titles they did originally and the genre would be much the less for it. Good curation takes two things - knowledge of the music and courage. I do care if the person curating has those. If he doesn't, we get another Oscar Peterson - We Get Requests and another Getz/Gilberto, which will sell very well to those who are new to the genre or record collecting, or those who are seeking the sonic holy grail.

But part of curation is having the knowledge of the music to understand where curation has an opportunity to expose an overlooked classic, or a cornerstone record that needs to be brought in front of the record buying public again. It should be a mix of the warhorses and the overlooked that should be classics.

The Japanese get this in what they reissue. They have the deep knowledge and courage.

I would much rather see Ptah The El Daoud that another run at Ballads. Or Jimmy Smith's Bluesmith instead of another crack at Blues & The Abstract Truth. Hell, I would pay real money for an UHQR of Coltrane's Transition, and would buy in an instant an audiophile pressing of Miles' complete Plugged Nickel.

Not what is being offered these days, although I did enjoy the Nina Smone AP/Verve recently.
 
Mather said:
Yes, it definitely says something that my brain considers The Pixies and The Doors new music when it comes to audiophile reissues.
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Yep I think the only 3 that fall into the above category that I own, or even remember coming out on vinyl are the Weezer ones and a Ryan Adams by MoFi. In reality peak Pixies came out when I was 5-9 so I can’t even really say they were in my living memory lol. Also it’s not like I’m a kid. I’m nearly 40 lol!
 
Mather said:
Yes, it definitely says something that my brain considers The Pixies and The Doors new music when it comes to audiophile reissues.
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Agree, but the thing is, there is and will continue to be a huge gap in music recorded between around 1982 or so and the late 90's, as most were recorded 16/44 or 16/48, and it is tough to get much 'audiophile' out of those, or at least to convince buyers that they can be made to sound audiophile.

In my opinion, this period will one day be considered a 'lost' period when they fall into the gap between hi-res digital and audiophile vinyl.
 
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