Kind of Blue SACD on a whim.

@jafant My main system: Audio Research LS-15 tube pre-amp, Proceed Madrigal HPA-2 amp (Levinson), Oppo BDP-105D player, Aerial Acoustics 7B towers with Transparent Super Bi-wire cables.

Thanks again guys. Will look into those other albums.

@tablejockey Yep. I just haven't been able to pull the trigger on a couple bottles of this stuff:
https://www.highfidelitycables.com/Nanoparticle/NPS1260.php?utm_source=audiogon&utm_medium=banne...

Thanks guys. Good info. It sounds like I didn't screw up at least. For $30 I thought it was worth trying.

Not into vinyl. And in reality I'm not super finicky in terms of being an audiophile. CD quality has always been good enough for me as long as DR was good. For whatever reason DR is my sensitive spot.

For what its worth, the Qobuz hi-res version of KOB sounds pretty good to me.

Off topic, but what would be your recommendation for further exploring Miles Davis or similar artists? I like A Love Supreme but it is a bit beyond me I think. Bitches Brew is not my cup or tea in any way. I understand it was a departure from Davis's post-bop/modal stuff.

Thanks. I started the journey about 12 months ago but it just sort of faded away but now its getting rev'ed up again so who knows, maybe it'll take this time.

Just listened to Cannonball's "Somethin' Else" and really liked it. Miles shines on this one too.

I've lurked in the Aficianados thread a bit. Waters a little deep for me there. Jazz, like any other genre I suppose, is so broad and it is tough to just jump into random stuff. I think I'm going to follow the connections of the late 50s for a while. Late bop/early modal. Need to give A Love Supreme a few more critical listens. I like Blakey's "Moanin'".

Indeed!

@tablejockey I didn't (and don't) intend to start an argument about what works and what doesn't. I am pretty jaded about a lot of claims aimed at audiophiles but I do have good equipment and expensive cables. BUT, the claims made in the ad for that $600 liquid read just like claims you see on literal snake oil. The claims are also quite inconsistent.

Having said that, I'm sure there are people buying that stuff and I'm sure there are people who hear a world of improvement with it and swear by it. And more power to the folks that make it and sell it. They certainly aren't hurting anyone by doing so unless it is made out of baby kittens.


And yes, your point was well taken about being finicky. I think each of us has to find the point where the music and the quality of its reproduction meet in a way that we enjoy it the most. That point is going to be very different for different people. I can't claim to be immune to the pursuit of quality (or why would I have purchased a SACD while at the same time using Qobuz?). But, I genuinely do not have the ears or the necessary refinement for the next level of quality (and the cost that goes with it) to be meaningful to me.

@tablejockey I’m also at a happy point as far as systems go. And as with other hobbies, once I get to that point gear no longer interests me. I decided a while back that vinyl was not my thing. Not a knock on anyone who loves it but the level of commitment it takes is simply not worth it to me. So I spend a lot of time exploring stuff. Like jazz. I also search out and buy the best quality CDs I can find for music that is important to me. I just like having some sort of ’hard copy’.

@keegiam I’m sure you’ve probably noticed that A’gon is often a place of strife between the believers and the deniers...across the audiophile spectrum. I used to wade into those pig wrestling matches but I don’t anymore. Its pointless unless you like that kind of sparring. But, a lot of folks like it and a lot of folks like inciting it. I sometimes find myself doing that and immediately wishing I had not. I should not have mentioned that $600 liquid you paint on your terminals. It was not relevant to my original post.

@whart I’m pretty much of a Philistine when it comes to jazz. Watched the whole Ken Burns series and was intrigued. The story of jazz is a great story. So is the story of the blues, which I love, and country music too, which I generally cannot tolerate. I like the interconnectedness of jazz and even in my brief foray into it that aspect is fascinating and as you say, a great basis for exploration.

Thanks to everyone for great conversation. Looking forward to the SACD arriving. In all honestly, given my not-so-golden ears, I doubt I’ll notice a big difference from Qobuz but I will still be happy to own a quality hard copy of that album. Also looking forward to continuing to explore jazz in my own slow way.

Correction: My reference to All Blues above should have read Flamenco Sketches.

Got the SACD today. It sounds great. DR is stellar as expected. And if it was anything but stellar this type of music would be ruined in my opinion. At moderately loud volume this SACD sounds fantastic. To me, low and marginal DR music sounds worse the higher the volume.


As mentioned I'm no jazz expert and I do not have golden ears but I'm pleased. The separation of the instruments is excellent. Coltrane's sax during several solos is pretty far to the right but I suspect that's what it would sound like if he was in the room. Davis' horn is dead center. Bass is pretty well centered and fills the room. Drums just right of center. Piano to the left. Adderley's sax is center-left.

In All Blues during Davis' quiet solo you can barely hear Cobb swishing the brushes on the snare and later just barely tapping the ride. Very cool.

Can't really compare this to anything else other than Qobuz, which I don't intend to do. No need for my purposes. I'm happy.

I have a pair of 6Ts in my living room. They sound pretty good too.

@mrdecibel It was a typo. You are correct my pre is the LS-16 (earlier version) not LS-15. The later model LS-16 MkII had a different tube configuration.


I will definitely look up "A Tribute to Jack Johnson". Thanks for the tip.