J.A.W.

Great examples of this are many of the OJC/Contemporary CD issues of the late '80's and early '90's, such as the Shelly Manne Blackhawk discs, Barney Kessel titles (such as "Some Like It Hot" mentioned earlier), Hampton Hawes titles, etc. To my ears, these original transfers/masterings sound as good as--if not better than--any 20-bit K2's I have. I suspect that Fantasy hasn't given some of these very popular titles--like the Manne Blackhawk discs--the 20-bit K2 treatment (for US release, at least) because it would be hard to improve on the orginal digital transfers and mastering. In fact, I was once told by someone at Fantasy that the reason they keep the older remasterings in their catalog (at least up until the Concord era) alongside any 20-bit K2 versions is that many people actually prefer the older remasterings. Can you imagine Blue Note doing the same with older versions of RVG issues, or Verve with older versions of VME issues? ← I fully second Claude's statement on mastering. As for the mastering of older OJCs, many people do indeed prefer the older OJCs to the 20-bit K2 remasters, probably because the former are flat transfers/remasters whereas the latter are usually mastered brighter, so to speak.

I'm not a fan of Ron McMaster's remastering, but the sound of this set is decent. This Mosaic is a wonderful document.

Have a safe trip, Chris, and get back here soon!

Sad news, again...

I second that.

I have the XRCD24 version of How My Heart Sings (Victor Japan VICJ-61064, mini-LP sleeve), and it's a beauty! Very highly recommended!

According to CDUniverse Sunday... is a single-layered SACD, but that's also wrong, it's a hybrid.

They're hybrids (see my earlier post). They're available from CDUniverse and CDConnection and a few other stores, but CDConnection's statement that they're single-layered is wrong - I've got them, and I can assure you they're hybrids! Waltz for Debby at CDUniverse Sunday at the Village Vanguard at CDUniverse CDConnection

AB has disappeared from the board a few times before and has always come back, so I guess he'll be around again.

The Analogue Productions hybrid SACDs of Bill Evans' Waltz for Debby (CAPJ-9399) and Sunday at the Village Vanguard (CAPJ-9376) sound much better than the K2s. They're expensive, but very highly recommended!

Happy birthday.

Lucky you! While I fully agree that the music is good, I really can't stand the sound of this set, and I'm going to sell it. ← Lucky me. I don't expect the sound quality of a 40-plus year old recording to be perfect. Considering this music is 40-plus years old, I believe it sounds damned good. Could it sound better? Probably. Could it sound worse? Definitely. The sound is crisp with much detail. To my ears, the remastering takes nothing away from Donaldson's horn. Again, listen to a couple of tunes from any of the six CDs and the sense of the compressed sound fades from view, from my viewpoint. In general, I do like Ron McMaster's work. There is no right or wrong. We like what we like and don't like what we don't like. For me, the sound quality of the Lou Donaldson box is so much more good than bad. Sometimes, to my ears, a bit of distortion here and there adds to the style of an old recording. The sound quality is very modern yet, when a bit of distortion or faded sound sneaks through, I'm reminded this is recording that was made several years ago. It is the genuine article. ← Sorry, but I don't agree at all. I have several Japanese "Blue Note Works" TOCJ reissues of albums included in the set, and, while they're a bit too much rolled-off at the top end, those sound much better, less aggressive and much more natural to my ears. It really isn't necessary to use compression/maximize sound levels - and thus taking dynamics out of the music (and giving me headaches) - like on this set to make these older recordings sound better. In my opinion using compression/maximizing sound levels is one of the evils of modern mastering, and totally unnecessary for and even detrimental to the improvement of the sound of older recordings.

Lucky you! While I fully agree that the music is good, I really can't stand the sound of this set, and I'm going to sell it.

Chet Baker & Crew on eBay - last day.

I was going to delete this thread, but I think I'll wait a while...

I don't want to sound negative, but not all Mosaic remasterings are good, at least not to my ears - the Lou Donaldson set comes to mind... (I'm repeating myself yet again, sorry about that... )

Same here (I'm repeating myself )

...And doesn't maximize sound levels/use compression and/or manipulate EQ. Do you mean you don't know his name or just don't recognize his name?

Who will do the remastering?

I fully agree.

Standard mail shipping in the EU and to Norway and Switzerland would be $5.

Thanks for thinking of me... I want it, but no, I have a strong will, I have a strong will not to buy even more, I have a strong will not to buy even more music that will stay on the shelf for a year without being listened to... (continue, mantra-like) ← Well, if it doesn't sell by Friday 7/1, I'll list it on eBay at a higher price.

Yes.

According to his profile Late was last active here on May 19 and he hasn't posted since April 21. Does anyone know why he's not posting anymore?