wolff

I had access to a bunch of these years ago and only kept one: Today's Jazz/Brookmeyer-Zoot Sims Quintet. I get a kick when Sims sings on "I Can't Get Started". As posted before, I found the vinyl very inferior on most of them.

Three Sounds/Black Orchid Andrew Hill/Andrew! This Ones's For Blanton(thanks Dmitry!!) are on the way. Hopefully, I'll have the Davis @ Blackhawk Mosaic LP(Mosaic's swan song to LP's?) set spinning sometime in September. I love this LP and am hoping the Mosaic fixes a few things that distract from the music. Should be interesting to hear it without the edits I never knew were there.

Your point is???? You could contact Andy and see how many he has sold and to whom if you like. Other than that I have no idea what you are saying. Rockport Technologies, 229 Mill Street, Rockport, ME 04856. Tel: (207) 596-7151. Fax: (207) 596-7151

Some people are completly happy with boom boxes and MP3's. Others, well..... Truly mint BN's are very rare. Some come by only once or twice a year on ebay. For every 10 mint I've bought only 1 was actually mint. The other were in great shape, but not mint. I do not know where they come from. I hear of large mint collections being sold now and then. I'd guess most come from private collections in small numbers. A lot of older part-time jazz DJ's collected and kept their LP's in great shape. Remember, not all original BN's are $$$$. 4100 and up are, for the most part, $20-$100 for nice original copies.

OK, Soul Stream, I see what you are saying. These $500 LP's are very, very rare. Both in availability and number sold. I think for every $$$$ LP these guys buy they spend 4 or 5 times that amount on current releases that hopefully help the artist eat. Do not single out the collector for the way way our society treats musicians...wrong target. The guy who just buys to put on a shelf and say he has it is very rare. Most people I know that collect expensive LP's are no different than the guy who collects all of Coltrane's released material. I just paid $80 for your friend's "Two Souls in One" original, mono BN in mint condition. Why would I do that when I could find the CD or later pressing LP for $9.98 somewhere? Bottom line, for about 10 reasons, I like it more. It is of very, very high quality. The quality is something I do not see or hear in the CD. To me this is a better buy, by a long shot. I collect LP's the way most of you collect CD's. It's a hobby of mine, again no different than collecting Mosaics. It's just a different format. How about the Japanese CD's you guys buy for $30/40? That's a "collecting" thing in my book, and one I have trouble understanding(not really). I want you all to add up how much you've spent on your LP/CD collections and then see how you feel about "collectors". I see many of you paying 'collector' prices for OOP Mosaics and nobody bitches about the starving/ struggling artist(actually, you do, but still buy them) . Are these sets to play and enjoy or just to add to your collection ? Here is a link to the turntable an acquantance of mine owns. He's owned a Honda dealership for years. Home and listening room custom built. I believe Sony has 3 of these tt's to archive their catalog as they do not trust digital. $73k turntable

Intersting. Opinions will vary on this one. Paul Allen spends millions on LP's and the Seahawks. I know people who have spent a million plus on a 2 channel home stereo set-ups(the turntable is 75K, arm is 6k and cartridge is 10k). They give freely to charities and work/worked their asses off. I'd rather spend $100 on a mint LP than 7 cd's any day. I play my expensive LP's all the time and so do other people I know that buy them. A properly set-up tt causes little wear on LP's. I have so many LP's, I could play 1 a day for 5 or 10 years and never repeat. I'll dub to cd if I want to play it to death. And these dubs are sounding mighty good these days. I'll sell that LP for around $100 in the future. How much could I get for those 7 cd's? Art work is hung on a wall. What's the matter with hanging a 2k copy of Cool Struttin' on the wall, if that's your thing. Rarity is another issue if you are into vinyl. If I saw a $500 price on an LP that I know is worth more, I'd buy it in a flash. In other words, $500 could be a smart buy. I've paid big bucks, just to resell a couple of times. Many people do that..Atomic Records for example. I think what a lot of people spend on computers, cell phones, video games($50 a pop), concert tickets(my kid just spent $100 plus on one), satellite TV and NBA tickets is crazy, but that's their thing so it's fine with me. Is it vulgar or a good deal???

I've dealt with this seller off and on for years. If he doesn't have the nicest stuff around, I don't know who does. If you ever want to hear what a truly mint BN sounds like, fork out the $$$$ to this guy. He gets top dollar, but you will not be disappointed. I've seen catologs of his that sold for $100k total. We used to mail in our bids. Prices are nuts, but it is very nice to pull out mint 40 year old LP's. Thick, glossy covers with beautiful photo/graphics and a thick, often times dead quite vinyl. How much??

Very interesting. Wow, you called up George Braith!! What a coincidence. For the first time, I was listening to 2 of his BN lp's (Two Souls in One and 'Extension'). I listened to these real 'hard' and found Two Souls quite nice. I love the neuance he gets out of his horn. Not an easy listen, but who needs 'Kind of Blue' all the time. I do find it troublesome that Braith disliked the sound and the engineer did not remedy it. A deaf man can tell difference between BN and Prestige sound. At times, I like the mellow. rolled off Prestige sound just fine.

Thank you, Claude. The posts from Hoffman's forum answered quite a few questions I had. At this point, I'd have to trust Hoffman's ears and opinions. His remasterings of Nat King Cole/The Very Thought of You, Rollins/Sax Colossus and Elvis Presly/Elvis is Back are three of my go-to LP's whenever I can't decide what to play.

Yes, I have a stereo copy and hear it. Never sought the mono because of it. It may not be Rudy's hearing. It may be his mastering equipment. For an interesting read see: classicrecords.com. They describe in detail how the BN titles(25 now) were remastered. Again this is vinyl, but except for the cutter it could apply to digital. Judging from what I hear, they got it pretty close to right. Steve Hoffman could probably tell us exactly what is going on with these BN remasters being bright. He has a bulletin board, but I can't find it at the moment. I have quite a few of his jazz remasters(Prestige, etc.) that are great. He works for Acoustic Sounds doing reissues of some great jazz titles from Fantasy catalog and maybe others. He or Grundman are the ones I would send the BN master tapes to if I owned them and wanted it done right.

Interesting thread. Confusing, but interesting. Every time I read a thread like this it makes me glad I stuck with vinyl. I only listen to CD dubs(from vinyl) in my car, so I have no first hand opinion of RVG's being bright, etc.. I always wonder about the tapes they have to work with. I listen to a lot of original BN's, and the highs seldom sound accurate. They often sound very smeared and hashy. In this respect RVG placed a very, very distant second to Roy DuNann of Contenporary Records as a recording engineer in my book. Also, the guys(Mickey Crawford and others) at RCA(Rollin's LP's) also did great work if you are going after a balanced, accurate sound. When I listen to these and then a nice BN, soundwise the BN are lacking. That said, the BN music towers over the others. That's why I have 10 BN's for every one of the others. Bernie Grundman(Classic Records) is doing an excellent job on the BN titles. The highs are exceptional. Delicate and airy, but it's vinyl so it doesn't help you guys. I'm listening to Hank Mobley(BN 1568) now and it's beautiful. Great reed and brass sound fron the two tenors. He really did a good job. IMO BN highs(on original vinyl) always seem a bit hot. Like right on the edge of being too aggresive. The more my playback equipment has improved(table, arm cartridge, etc..), the less of an issue this has become. I imagine the same can be said for CDP's and speakers. I have a feeling the BN tapes are tricky to get right....little room for error on the HF's.

Song For My Father/Horace Silver. First BN LP I bought and I have Mr. Silver's auotograph on the back.

I say, try before you buy. Let your own ears decide. When I replaced my $1.95 duplex with a $13.95 hospital grade one I got a very black and quiet background. It 's like high frequency hash disapearing.

I just bought a sealed original vinyl copy a week ago. What a kick letting the LP see the light of day after 30 years of imprisonment. That being said, is that a rock beat I heard on a song or two? Also, Shaw's trumpet is so far back in the mix that it sounds like a kazoo(what a waste and not what I'm used to hearing on '60's BN's). Weird recording/mastering. I hope the LP enjoyed it's 40 minutes of freedom, cus it's back inside the jacket for another 30 years.

Conrad Johnson PV12 can be had for around $1000 used. Friend of mine has one that I've listened to in my system quite a bit. The phono stage is excellent, not an afterthought. You may not feel like upgrading for quite sometime. I think this a great one for jazz. Another way to go is build your own from a kit. Take a look at the Foreplay(pre) and Seduction(phono) at bottlehead.com. I plan on building these soon....

All I know is "I" like 'em. True, musically some are sloppy as hell. Sonically....Satch and Josh spreads 2 pianos out in front of me, about 15-18 feet across(one left, one right). I can hear every chuckle, pedal push and grunt Basie and Pederson make. It's all there in the grooves and it's a fun LP to boot, though it does not break any new ground musically. But, why in the #$%^ should Basie or Pederson have to break any new ground when they are in their 70's and 80's? There old turf is unmatched by anyone today. How's that for hot air?

Off the top of my head, 88 Basie Street, Satch and Josh, Basie Big Band, Duke's Big Four and This One's For Blatton are on a few "Best Sounding' lists and have been given the audiophile treatment by JVC XRCD and Acoustic Sounds. I love the real sound of Brown's bass on these titles. Accuratly deep and dynamic. 88 Basie Street rivals the best RCA's and Mercury's for accurate reproduction of a bands dynamics.

Ben Dixon's cymbol work on Willette's Stop and Listen hypnotizes me every time. It's either recorded more out front or it's so damn good it communicates better than the other instruments. Whichever the case, I like it.

Just got done listening to Joe Pass/Virtuoso #3. I find his playing on this LP amazing. I've been collecting Pable LP's off and on for years. I get them for their good jazz and great sound/fidelity, like the Pass album I mentioned. Some of the best bass, horns and guitar I've ever heard in my home came off these LP's. Time was you could not give Pablo's away, but now the word is out. My favorite Pablo cut of all time is 'Morning Glory" from Joe Turner's/ Life Ain't Easy. Sound wise, this is best I've ever heard and I've heard just about every great sounding jazz LP pressed. The only one that comes close is Klemmer's intro on Arabesque from Straight from The Heart(Nautilus Direct to Disc).

Marie Callender's peach cobbler and "Pork Chop" from "Rockin' the Boat" . Yuuuuuuuuuuuummmmmy baby!!

I wish he would have listed the M- pieces seperatly. I'd gladly pay $400 if they were all M-/VG++ , but a large percentage look trashed. He also lists covers as mint when they have owners name in large magic marker on back. I will PASS on this stuff.

Cleaning out the closets of LP's I have not played in a while. I thought I'd try to find them a home where they would be appreciated. I'll try to list only the ones in great shape. Shipping: $3.00 media or $5.50 priority. Paypal, checks or MO's. Cover/Record 1. Freddie Hubbard/ Here to Stay. Blue Note/UA twofer. VG++(cut corner)/M-(like new) $8.00 2. Jim Hall/Concerto. CTI 6080. VG++/M- $8.00 3. The American Jazz Orchestra/ Ellington Masterpieces. Conducted by John Lewis. East-West 91423. Vg++(cut out/promo stamp)/ M- $3.50 4. Defunct/In America. Antilles 90911 M-/M- $3.00 5. Jack Dejohnette's Directions/ New Rags. ECM 1103. Vg+(couple scuffs)/M- $3.00 6. The best of Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis with Shirley Scott. Prestige 7710. Green Prestige/Fantasy label. M-/M- $3.00

I think it depends on the piece of equipment. I have an amp where NOS Tung-Sol 6550's make a nice improvement over current tubes. I have some mono EL 84 amps where I cannot tell too great of a difference between current and NOS tubes. Biggest difference I've found is in my tube pre-amp. The tubes that sound the best are NOS, and are rare and costly. It's been a struggle to find cheaper ones that sound close. Try to locate people that use the same amp you use and see what they have learned.

Actually, the Disc Doctor method is the only exception to needing a vacuum I've found. And many feel it does a better job.

It's not the dust on surface of record that I'd be worried about. It's the particles in the grooves. The best non-machine cleaning is done with Disc Doctor brushes/fluid. Besides distilled water and alcohol, you need a surfactant(sp) to allow solution to get into grooves(breaks down molecules). How do you clean your stylus? A dirty stylus is not good.