higher end jazz vinyl: where to turn?


I'm a lifelong jazz listener but only new to entry-level hifi, as presently marketed--by which I mean Rega p3-24 turntable, Linn Classik amp, Vienna Acoutics Mozart Grand Speakers, and a lot of heart.

Anyway I have a choice set of old ECM records, Miles Davis records, and so forth, that I bought in the early 1980s. Most of them have some noise and crackle now and again--which I largely discount as the distinguished marks of age and memory. Nonetheless a clean sweet classic jazz LP played at substantial volume, even through a low midfi system like mine, is a beautiful thing. Beauty is a rare thing, I read somewhere. And it makes me wonder about upgrading the vinyl.

So here are questions:
1. Are these $50 classic content and such rereleases of Blue Notes really so good? Including worth the effort of getting up and turning the 45 over in middle of a strong Coltrane solo-a double indignity, to a genius and to the lazy.

2. What to say of all these 180g and 200g re-releases at higher prices versus the $10-20 unopened recent copy meant for mass market (or as massy as the jazz list allowed/allows)?

3. I'm using Disc Doctor record cleaners on my old and newer vinyl, but wonder how great the different is to move to a machine, say vpi 165?

4. I'm just a poor righteous teacher so I'm a bargain hunter: an Inexpensive Audiophile down with the feel of the Expensive Winos aestheticist mentality.

5. Thanks!
paanders

Showing 2 responses by jazdoc

The 45 rpm Music Matters and Analogue Productions Blue Note reissues are sonically excellent. The packaging of the Music Matters is exceptional. IMO, they are worth the money and yes, it's worth it to get up twice as often.
I believe a good RCM makes sense if you have a large record collection or are a volume buyer of used vinyl. If you spend $2500 on an RCM and clean 2500 records, it's a $1 a record. The difference in sound quality is worth it. Your software is the most important part of your system.

What may not be worthwhile is the investment of time required to clean a large volume of vinyl.