All of the recordings Miles did for Prestige were made in 1955/56 - - before stereo. Your record is a mono recording - - and that ain't a bad thing. |
That's too funny. Now I don't feel bad for not grabbing the Miles: Relaxin LP. Thanks Rshak. Cheers -Don |
Fjn04 ...
You don't feel bad about passing on a great mono record? Why?
For anyone reading this ... if you can find it, pick up an original copy of Mile's "Round Midnight" album on Columbia. Yep, its mono ... but the sound just fills the room. With pinpoint imaging, and transparency up the ying-yang, Miles is right there in front of you. Its spectacular. |
Mono is the way to go love it! Especially versus early stereo recordings! Even digitally mono rocks. |
A while back (1990s?), Classic Records (I think) issued a set that included "Steamin'", "Relaxin'", and at least 1 to 3 other LPs in the same series, originally recorded on Prestige by Miles and his then current grouping, which included Coltrane. I purchased the box set, when it was available. That's some great music, in mono or however you slice it. |
11-01-15: Fjn04
That's too funny. Now I don't feel bad for not grabbing the Miles: Relaxin LP.
Thanks Rshak. So... it was recorded in mono and mono is its native mode. Yet you'll pass on some of the best jazz ever made because it's not in stereo, even though it was recorded before stereo records existed? BTW, the Analogue Productions reissues of classic mono records are some of the very best-sounding records in my collection, such as their version of Nat King Cole's "After Midnight" Life doesn't lose its meaning if you have a limited soundstage. Tonal balance, dynamics, and a low noise floor are more important, and these are the areas where the AP mono pressings (as well as the new Parlophone Beatles mono LPs) really shine. |
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Thanks- What I meant by not feeling bad about passing was I can still get from Acoustic Sounds. So it's not like I passed on an Out of Print record that I can't get at all.
Cheers -Don |
Oh, OK. My misunderstanding.
However, sometimes it's good to jump on something while you can. In Jan. 2011 I bought two new MoFi Sinatra releases--Sinatra at the Sands and Sinatra's Sinatra. I recently checked for them, and the original vendors were all out. I found used ones for about $540 and a NOS copy for $999.99 on Amazon. If you check the usual suspects--Soundstagedirect, Acoustic Sounds, Music Direct and Elusive Disc--none of them have either of those titles.
However, Acoustic Sounds still has the AP mono reissues of Relaxin', Cookin', and Steamin' in stock.
I wonder what size the production run of thos MoFi Sinatras was. |
I could have been clearer. I have enjoyed the handful of mono pressing I have, though can't help but wonder how much better they would be with a mono cartridge. Agreed, the Mono Beatles were very well done. I really enjoy Rubber Soul, but have yet to open my mono Sergeant Pepper LP. I hear you Johnnyb.
If the QRP STEAMIN is good, I may jump on Relaxin. |
Well, I think you're in for a treat when you open Sgt. Pepper's. I was only familiar with the Capitol stereo version for many years. Then a few years ago I read Geoff Emerick's book (Here, There, and Everywhere) about his experiences in the control booth with The Beatles. He mentioned how they spent most of a work week doing the mono mixdown of Sgt. Pepper's, and the Beatles were present for that. The stereo mix was a toss-off, done in a few hours and with no Beatle involvement. The stereo version had always sounded thin and brittle to me.
Not so the mono version. It's warm and rich. There are even some content differences. For example, you'll hear a significant difference in the laugh track at the end of "Within You Without You." |
Very cool. Will have to give Sgt Pepper and the QRP Miles an Audio Intelligent bath and a spin. Johnnyb53- Which Beach Boys Mono do you have. I assume Surfin USA. Michael F. really liked that one. I prefer their later stuff, and am waiting on Surfs Up. I also have an early press of Sunflower, which I enjoy quite a bit. Even my Pet Sounds remaster from the Late 90's is quite good. I have TODAY on the newer CAP vault remasters, and it's not good at all. So I steer clear of those. Cheers -Don |
11-03-15: Fjn04
Johnnyb53- Which Beach Boys Mono do you hav?" My only BB monos right now are recent Capitol issues of Pet Sounds and Smile!, and although they may not match the AP's, I think they're pretty good on 180g vinyl and a nice rich tonal balance. The vocals are wonderful on both as well. When I got the mono cart, Smile! and Pet Sounds are two of the first mono LPs I played. Brian Wilson has been deaf in one ear most of his life, so the story is that he always favored mono. It's nice to see that the Beach Boys back-catalog has been getting the same sort of respect for the original intendted analog mixes that The Beatles' catalog finally got. I will have to pick up some more. These early BB albums transport me to my early adolescence when I was crazy for cars and our family (in Cincinnati) vacationed in SoCal annually. |
Instead of paying the big bucks for audiophile reissues, that I admit can be really great, try some of the Fantasy reissues of the great jazz albums.They are readily available used on Ebay. Especially good are the ones that the Contemporary Studios recorded. Also, if you can find the original recordings still in good shape pick them up. I've found that a lot of used record stores that lean toward rock sometimes don't know their jazz and classical ... and underprice them. The Miles Davis "Round Midnight" album I mentioned above was bought in a used record store in Santa Monica for under a buck. I guarantee that album played on your system would knock yer socks off. |
Contemporary or Riverside are two of the best jazz labels, and I agree that Fantasy reissues can be very very good.
I own "Art Pepper + 11" on original Contemporary, and I like it so much that I later on bought the 45-rpm re-issue. The latter is maybe a little "smoother" for want of a better adjective, but it's really no better overall. |
Thanks Lewm, I would love to have some Art Pepper in my collection. I have heard +11 is an outstanding recording. The QRP Steamin LP was all I could have hoped for. Warm, but not that fuzzy, lack of detail type warm. Piano was just right, with good decay. Bass and drums nicely balanced in the mix, with Miles trumpet having just the right amount of bite. I had the DCC gold CD of Steamin, but this LP is pretty special. Kudos to Chad and the QRP team. Oreganpapa- I know at 30 bucks, these aren't cheap. But that Miles 1st press you picked up was a lucky day. Most of the Original press top jazz stuff is pricey. Thanks for the suggestion on that Miles LP. I should mention the record shop I was in was The Jazz Record Center in NYC. If jazz is your thing, don't go to NYC without checking this shop out. Cheers -Don |
