J.A.W.

All the solo piano pieces on the DG set are also included in the Decca 33CD-set. The remaining pieces on the DG set are piano concertos: • Mozart Concerto No.20 with Stanisław Wislocki/Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra • Prokofiev Concerto No.5 with Witold Rowicki/Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra • Rachmaninov Concerto No.2 with Stanisław Wislocki/Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra • Schumann Concerto with Witold Rowicki/Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra • Tchaikovsky Concerto No.1 with Herbert von Karajan/Vienna Symphonic Orchestra (no, not the Vienna Philharmonic) • Beethoven Concerto No.3 with Kurt Sanderling/Vienna Symphonic Orchestra • Beethoven Rondo for Piano and Orchestra with Kurt Sanderling/Vienna Symphonic Orchestra

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-26135627#" http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/shirley-temple-iconic-child-star-and-depression-era-box-office-draw-dies-in-california-at-85/2014/02/11/6a81a74e-930a-11e3-b3f7-f5107432ca45_story.html?wpisrc=al_national

When my Quad 988 electrostatic speakers exploded (wasn't even listening to anything) I sold them and ordered a pair of bookshelf KEF LS50 monitors. The limited-edition LS50 Jubilee Edition sold out last year, but KEF recently decided to make some more, a non-Jubilee series this time. They're ugly, but they got rave reviews and seem to be as good as high-end speakers. http://www.kefdirect.com/ls50.html

I wonder why some people are reacting so negatively when someone points out that to their ears the sound isn't that good. Some people don't hear it, others don't care, fine, and some do care. Why the negativity and snarky remarks - not here so much, but I've seen them on other threads. It's always the same on this board. I think it's time for me to take a break.

What I mean is that the SACD format has different standards than the redbook CD and that's why comparing the same music on SACD and CD is like comparing apples and oranges in my view.

I do not compare the formats. I am comparing the outcome of the playback as it comes from my speakers to my ears through my brain. Meaning I do not care if it is CD, SACD, DSD etc. I am only interested which of the 2 discs gives better audio results. Only this. But these are formalistic issues. Do you really think that by comparing these 2 discs, the purpose of the comparison is not addressed? If an audio file was compared to a painting, then it would be apples and oranges of course. In our case we just compare audio files aiming to conclude, let's say, which disc somebody "should" purchase. Comparing the same music on two different formats is like comparing an expensive car and a cheap one. OK, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but what I'm trying to say is that the standards of the formats are different, which makes any comparison meaningless in my view. If you're OK with that, fine, but I set no value on comparisons like that. The fact that you like the one better than the other is a matter of personal taste and I am certainly not commenting on that. By the way, CD and SACD are formats; DSD is a technology used in the recording process, not a format. [spelling edited]

So, just before going to work, I played the whole Platinum SHM-CD through - the intent was to compare short sections, but I could not stop it. Amazing sound. Now I am playing the APO SACD (SACD layer): the new Platinum SHM-CD is definetely darker than the APO. The APO is brighter and louder in my system. I dare to day that the Platinum wins; much more comfortable and analogue. I ll repeat the test soon though. Alex I got really tired by the APO/SACD sound during the Part III around the chaos in the 5th minute of this track; thin/limited sound - a total mess etc. I immediately put the Platimun SHM-CD and it was an unconditional YES: thick sax, powerful bass, nice cymbals etc. I think there is no question here. I think comparing an SACD-layer with a redbook CD is comparing apples and oranges. Perhaps if the intent is to show which medium is "best". If the question is what is the best commercially available physical digital product of this particular recording, and since this latest japanese remastering as inlcuded in the Platinum SHM-CD has not (yet) been released as SACD, then this comparison is appropriate I think. You're comparing different formats (SACD versus CD) and that's comparing apples and oranges.

So, just before going to work, I played the whole Platinum SHM-CD through - the intent was to compare short sections, but I could not stop it. Amazing sound. Now I am playing the APO SACD (SACD layer): the new Platinum SHM-CD is definetely darker than the APO. The APO is brighter and louder in my system. I dare to day that the Platinum wins; much more comfortable and analogue. I ll repeat the test soon though. Alex I got really tired by the APO/SACD sound during the Part III around the chaos in the 5th minute of this track; thin/limited sound - a total mess etc. I immediately put the Platimun SHM-CD and it was an unconditional YES: thick sax, powerful bass, nice cymbals etc. I think there is no question here. I think comparing an SACD-layer with a redbook CD is comparing apples and oranges.

ImportCDs is OK as long as you don't make mistakes when ordering anything. I made a mistake when I ordered a disc last month and immediately asked their customer service to cancel the order - there's no "cancel" button on their site. They didn't respond, not even after five cancellation attempts, and the item that I ordered by mistake shipped within a day... Their customer service is a disaster.

I haven't. I'd have to imagine it sounding better than the 24-bit TOCJ edition. I have a number of gaps in my TOCJ collection (Hank Mobley BN 1568 and My Point of View come to mind, as well as Into Somethin'), but I haven't been actively seeking them out. The TOCJ of Soundin' Off, on a related note, I think sounds gorgeous. It's one of my favorite Reece titles. The BN Works Star Bright is the one that to my ears sounded best of all the versions I've had. At one time I got the Dizzy Reece Mosaic Select to replace my BN Works and McMaster copies of the various albums, but after comparing the lot I sold the Select instead. The only Reece BN Works I sold was Soundin' Off; I replaced it with the Analogue Productions hybrid SACD.

Gotcha. I started doing that, initially, with the 24-bit TOCJ series. They're all sold off now, except one: Dizzy Reece's Star Bright. It still sounds fairly horrible, but it's the best edition I've owned. (I've never heard the Mosaic Select edition; the JRVG was excruciating.) I wonder what this SHM-CD series could do with that Reece title. Some hip Mobley on that date. If you're inclined, do post your response — positive or negative — to that Shorter disc when time permits. Will do. Have you heard the BN Works version of Star Bright (TOCJ-4023)? It's the one I have.

The Shorter only, or other SHM-CDs? I'm interested in hearing your response! (Even if you don't care for that particular SHM-CD, you will have the bonus tracks, so that can't not be some type of plus.) Yep, the Shorter only. I used to buy new Blue Note series in bulk, often only to find that I didn't like their sound after repeated listening. That cost me a small fortune, so I thought I'd try just the one this time

I'm not the one who is stirring up anything. You are the one who is throwing around unfounded accusations here. Not knowing the rules and regulations of importing certain items from outside the EU - which is apparently the case here - is not an excuse. There's nothing unfounded it what I have posted, in any event, your threats are academic: I will just claim Diplomatic Immunity and carry on. Toodle-pip! Read my posts again, I am not threatening anyone. If you feel that I did, that's your problem. Anyway, I'll ignore your posts from now on.

I'm not the one who is stirring up anything. You are the one who is throwing around unfounded accusations here. Not knowing the rules and regulations of importing certain items from outside the EU - which is apparently the case here - is not an excuse.

Correct, that's the law in the EU, though the percentage varies from country to country, depending on their VAT rate. Your assumption is not correct. Tax and sometimes duty are imposed in accordance with EU law, not arbitrarily, and customs can't and won't ignore any claims and appeals. It is not assumption, it is fact based on my experience: the import duties are not uniform across courier based on similar value of goods. Therefore, the taxes and duties, although should be imposed within EU law are being circumnavigated. This I might add, is not only my position, others are complaining too. You may be right, the customs can't and won't ignore any claims or appeals, but there seemed to be a lack of a formal claim process explained to me, without a clear process of appeal, then I am not going to risk losing my money, in addition to time, effort and worry. Indeed, the fact that more than double the declared value was attempted to be charged tells me the game is rigged and they think they can get away with it. Whether that's the customs, or someone in the courier company, I don't know, either way, I just want fair import duties and I don't want to have to fight for this, so I decided not to play their game. Your allegations are very serious, in my view you're in fact accusing people of theft and corruption when you say that "the taxes and duties, although should be imposed within EU law are being circumnavigated" and that "the game is rigged and they think they can get away with it", without providing any proof. Did it occur to you that the items you were importing ("the Ivy League oxford cloth button down shirts designed by Graham Marsh from Kamakura shirts") might be subject to different tax/duty regulations than, say, CDs and did you check that before ordering the items? And did you ask why the total amount you had to pay was so high? They may have adjusted the declared value based on the info they have about the imported items - they're allowed to do that when they think the declared value is too low; in that case you'd have to prove that you actually paid the amount that was originally declared. Or maybe the carrier made a mistake when calculating the amount you had to pay, it could be as simple as that. These things happen. For your sake I hope the people you're accusing aren't reading this, otherwise they might take you to court.

Correct, that's the law in the EU, though the percentage varies from country to country, depending on their VAT rate. Your assumption is not correct. Tax and sometimes duty are imposed in accordance with EU law, not arbitrarily, and customs can't and won't ignore any claims and appeals.

This 24-bit mastered TOCJ-6xxx series from 2004/5 is known for its loudness and boosted highs/lows, which is not to everyone's taste. I had quite a few of these CDs and on first hearing I liked them, but after repeated listening I found the sound very fatiguing and unpleasant and sold them all. I have the "Blue Note Works" version of Walkin' and Talkin' from 1993 (TOCJ-4010).

Same here. I wonder which sources were used for these CDs. i can almost guarantee you that they're japanese safeties that are used as sources. they're just being engineered and reengineered to the ends of the earth.... however, sometimes to great effect. From what erwbol posted in this thread I understand that the masterings of the successive Japanese series vary wildly. I have bought and rebought impulse! CDs over the years trying to find discs with (to my ears) consistently good sound. I got the Erick Labson-mastered U.S. 20-bit digipaks with their boosted highs/lows, the Japanese 20-bit K2s which sounded as if compression was added, the later Japanese 24-bit UCCI series which also sounded heavily processed to me, some GRP CDs from the early 1990s that sounded very dull, and finally went back to the U.S. and Japanese issues from 1987 and the Japanese MVCI series from 1991; those sound OK to me and they have the bonus tracks the Labson discs also have and some of the Japanese series seem to be missing, but they could still do with a sonic upgrade - without all the processing, that is.

http://pitchfork.com/news/53822-third-man-records-targeted-in-copyright-dispute-over-paramount-records-box-set/

+ http://www.offbeat.com/2014/02/01/revenant-jack-white-third-man-records-copyright-infringement/

Never heard the Müllejans/Bezuidenhout violin sonatas; could be interesting, even though I generally don't like the sound of fortepianos. What I've heard of Bezuidenhout's Mozart keyboard sonatas (and concerti, for that matter) sounded too thin to my liking - again, the fortepiano... I agree with you about Staier, he seems to be an acquired taste.

Set my objections to yet another "upgrade" aside and finally took the plunge and ordered Wayne Shorter's Speak No Evil, to compare it to my BN Works copy and see, or rather hear, if it really is an upgrade to my ears.

Fortunately, not all U.S. sellers raised their international shipping rates. For instance, ImportCDs' overseas rate is still $6.99 for 1 CD.

Not really. The stereo master is mixed from the session tapes. Otherwise nothing could be 're-mastered' because the master would be the session tapes which obviously can't be redone. I'm not an expert, but I was told that mastering engineers like Kevin Gray, Steve Hoffman, Vic Anesini and Mark Wilder (to name a few) are using the original session tapes as sources for their masterings where they can. The term "remaster" in this case means that they went back to the source to create a new mastering; the term is used to distinguish the new mastering from earlier masterings.

I think it's pretty simple. "Original master tape" refers to the tape that was used to record the music on. Successive duplicates - taken from the original master as well as later ones taken from the duplicates - are bound to have an increasing number of problems such as tape hiss upon tape hiss (I'm talking about the pre-digital era), drop-outs and what have you.