Definitive Audiophile pressings
- Thread starter Mrjay07
- Start date
OMC
Well-Known Member
Is this on the Mofi pressing? I'll have to go check mine as I haven't noticed that before. Looks like it's S&P records? Not familiar with them. I took an engineering course at UC Denver from Mr. Porter back in '87 and he was the nicest and most humble man you could ever hope to meet.
MikeH
Well-Known Member
i think it's just on the S&P deadwax. They were a short-lived label from Hoffman and KG I believe and did more CDs than vinyl. I did recently order the Nat King Cole album they did though so I'm excited to get that one.
I know after the whole fiasco with Hoffman getting fired from MCA when master tapes were found at his house, it was a bit tricky for him to get master tapes from anybody else unless KG or another engineer handled them. He tried his hand at a few other reissue labels after he was let go (Audio Fidelity, DCC, etc) but I'm pretty sure KG always needed to be on hand when tapes were involved. I always wonder if him and KG fell out and that's why Hoffman doesn't work anymore.
Hemotep
Well-Known Member
Yes, Hoffman was fired from MCA, where he was really not an engineer of any type, The master tapes issue came later, when the FBI raided him. He connected with Marshall Blonstein for DCC Compact Classics, to take advantage of the growing audiophile CD market which MOFI dominated at the time. DCC went bankrupt, with Hoffman retaining the nascent DCC forum, which he certainly has taken advantage of.
But that was a double edged sword. As word got out about his issues with master tapes (Buddy Holly, Ray Charles etc.) freelance work dried up, as majors wouldn't deal with him. He picked up some work here and there, mostly AP and MM because they needed a 'name' and his forum lemmings, but (a) he is not a mastering engineer and doesn't know how to cut vinyl and (b) he was barred by labels from getting any tapes.
So tapes went directly to Kevin Grey at RTI.
But soon, Grey started to get a reputation on his own. Hoffman started to be critical of Grey on his forum, implying that Grey's solo work wasn't as good without the EQ Guru to put his magic powder on it.
Then, there was no more Grey and Hoffman. Grey now has a reputation that far exceeds that of Hoffman, if Hoffman really had any to start with.
S& P was a very short lived attempt to revive DCC. later, Marshall started Audio Fidelity as a final gasp, but it was short lived. Both Hoffman and Grey did work for AF, but never together. Hoffman wotked with Steven Marsh, again because he needed a real mastering engineer and Marsh had a mastering studio and could ensure custody of any tapes - but I suspect they didn't work from tapes mostly.
Then AF folded, and Hoffman was on his own again. Nobody would hire him, his reputation not only from the master tapes issues but also the toxicity of his forum, put an end to his career.
Hoffman is in his 70's now, really hasn't worked hardly at all in the last decade, and is basically done except as a forum operator.
MikeH
Well-Known Member
me eagerly reading all of this stuff about hoffman:
haha. appreciate the insight. I've always heard little bits here and there about him, why he was fired and why he hasn't worked much since but never really knew the full story. i will say that I think the DCC pressings I own do sound excellent but with most things, it's hard to know what was his doing and what was KGs.
is Joe Harley's role with the TPs kind of what Hoffman's role was DCC and those other labels? i can't say i'm entirely sure what Joe Harley does but he seems likeable and the stuff he works on sounds great! i do love hearing Harley talk about jazz because you can tell how much he loves the stuff he works on. While Hoffman mostly bloviates on how great his own work is.
Hoffman is basically an 'EQ Consultant". The cutting work was done by Grey.me eagerly reading all of this stuff about hoffman:
haha. appreciate the insight. I've always heard little bits here and there about him, why he was fired and why he hasn't worked much since but never really knew the full story. i will say that I think the DCC pressings I own do sound excellent but with most things, it's hard to know what was his doing and what was KGs.
is Joe Harley's role with the TPs kind of what Hoffman's role was DCC and those other labels? i can't say i'm entirely sure what Joe Harley does but he seems likeable and the stuff he works on sounds great! i do love hearing Harley talk about jazz because you can tell how much he loves the stuff he works on. While Hoffman mostly bloviates on how great his own work is.
Joe Harley has mostly the same role on the TP series. He participates in the mastering sessions, collaborating with Grey on EQ choices. He's there because his name was on the 45 rpm MM series. Joe was on the MM series because Ron Rambach knew nothing about producing a record, and Joe had a good reputation as a producer and was highly knowledgeable about BN. Because he was associated with MM, when BN wanted to do their own similar series, it was logical to bring Joe in, not only to maintain the link to MM to establish the series as equal to MM, but because Joe knows more about Blue Note than Don Was or anyone else at the label.
Jbraswell
Well-Known Member
Good Lawd! Why are you posting gigantic portraits??me eagerly reading all of this stuff about hoffman:
haha. appreciate the insight. I've always heard little bits here and there about him, why he was fired and why he hasn't worked much since but never really knew the full story. i will say that I think the DCC pressings I own do sound excellent but with most things, it's hard to know what was his doing and what was KGs.
is Joe Harley's role with the TPs kind of what Hoffman's role was DCC and those other labels? i can't say i'm entirely sure what Joe Harley does but he seems likeable and the stuff he works on sounds great! i do love hearing Harley talk about jazz because you can tell how much he loves the stuff he works on. While Hoffman mostly bloviates on how great his own work is.
And right before dinner at that.Good Lawd! Why are you posting gigantic portraits??
jamieanderson1968
ninniest jackaninny
Anyone have the 2021 reissue of Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient? Looks like it is pressed at Takt (Poland?). I never trust Discogs reviews. “Except for the 7 issues with non-fill, this record sounds AMAZING!!”
www.discogs.com
Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works 85-92
View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2021 Vinyl release of "Selected Ambient Works 85-92" on Discogs.
www.discogs.com
zdkaiser
Well-Known Member
Every review for the Discogs link you shared says it sounds incredible. I don't own this Aphex pressing, but every other album I own by him (mostly Warp titles) are pressed really, really well. I would say go for it! Hell, after reading those reviews I think I may pick up this album as well. I much prefer Selected Ambient Works II, but that is long overdue for a repress.Anyone have the 2021 reissue of Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient? Looks like it is pressed at Takt (Poland?). I never trust Discogs reviews. “Except for the 7 issues with non-fill, this record sounds AMAZING!!”
Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works 85-92
View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2021 Vinyl release of "Selected Ambient Works 85-92" on Discogs.
Untitled #3 (Rhubarb) from SAW II is just so good.
Someday SAW II will get the reissue it deserves.
zdkaiser
Well-Known Member
And Drukqs.
jamieanderson1968
ninniest jackaninny
Thanks. My local has it at a good price so I will probably grab it tomorrow.
AnthonyI
Well-Known Member
Any chance anyone has any opinions on a "well" mastered/pressed Elvis comp?
I've been looking at this, the original 2002 pressing looks to be from the master tapes. Too big a discography, but enough classics to warrant good GH
https://store.acousticsounds.com/d/108954/Elvis_Presley-Elvis_30_1_Hits-180_Gram_Vinyl_Record
I've been looking at this, the original 2002 pressing looks to be from the master tapes. Too big a discography, but enough classics to warrant good GH
https://store.acousticsounds.com/d/108954/Elvis_Presley-Elvis_30_1_Hits-180_Gram_Vinyl_Record
dhodo
Well-Known Member
That Friday Music Elvis's Golden Records is pretty good. KPG pressed at RTI. Looks like it is backordered there but not expensive on discogs so I assume still available elsewhere.Any chance anyone has any opinions on a "well" mastered/pressed Elvis comp?
I've been looking at this, the original 2002 pressing looks to be from the master tapes. Too big a discography, but enough classics to warrant good GH
https://store.acousticsounds.com/d/108954/Elvis_Presley-Elvis_30_1_Hits-180_Gram_Vinyl_Record
Elvis Presley - Elvis' Golden Records
View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2013 Vinyl release of "Elvis' Golden Records" on Discogs.
www.discogs.com
Edit: actually not sure what that backordered one is, it has a slightly different cat no. But, the red version of the one I linked does appear to be in stock.
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MikeH
Well-Known Member
not a hits comp, but i really love From Elvis In Memphis. The SC pressing is real good and I believe it just got a recent repress.Any chance anyone has any opinions on a "well" mastered/pressed Elvis comp?
I've been looking at this, the original 2002 pressing looks to be from the master tapes. Too big a discography, but enough classics to warrant good GH
https://store.acousticsounds.com/d/108954/Elvis_Presley-Elvis_30_1_Hits-180_Gram_Vinyl_Record
Elvis Presley - From Elvis In Memphis
View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2003 Vinyl release of "From Elvis In Memphis" on Discogs.
www.discogs.com
MikeH
Well-Known Member
ut oh....
craftrecordings.com
supposedly lacquers are cut by Kevin Gray....
A Charlie Brown Christmas: Deluxe Edition (2-LP)
This deluxe 2-LP set of A Charlie Brown Christmas features a brand-new Stereo Mix of the classic album remastered from the original three-track and two-track sources on record number one. The second record features thirteen unreleased outtakes, highlights taken from five sessions of recording...
craftrecordings.com
supposedly lacquers are cut by Kevin Gray....
OMC
Well-Known Member
Lots of early Elvis was engineered by Bill Porter who was just mentioned recently and, no surprise, that all sounds amazing. Some of that material was “re-engineered” for later represses and it sounds like crap. Bill was pissed that he wasn’t consulted for some of the larger projects and was disgusted with the results.