Kevin Bresnahan

Good catch, Claude! Speaking of BMG and SACDs, I see where they added another 5 titles today from RCA's Living Stereo series. I've been meaning to check some of these out and now I'll be able to do so cheap. Later, Kevin

When I got in my Jackie McLean box set from Mosaic, it had two discs with cracks like this. As you can imagine, I definitely had those replaced! Kevin

Lon, since this an SACD thread, did you see the 2 SACDs that Hank has for sale? These two sound pretty good and Hank's price of only $7 each is very good. The Quintet at Massey Hall is definitely improved over the other versions out there... even if it is only stereo. Kevin

My Favorite Xanadu dates are Billy Mitchell's "Colossus of Detriot" and "De Lawd's Blues" and Ronnie Cuber's 2 dates... although I do dig Sonny Criss's "Saturday Morning" and Jimmy Heath's "Picture of Heath". Hmm... and there's the Joe Farrell's "Skate Board Park". Actually that Dolo Coker date is pretty damn good too. The Xanadu LPs I've been looking for are the live from Montreux dates they put out. They were listed at http://www.jazzatharbor.com for a while but that website seems to have gone belly up. Later, Kevin

On some of the latest rock & roll multi-channel SACDs, the multi-channel audio is better than the stereo audio. Elton John's stuff certainly fits this description. Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" has a very nice-sounding multi-channel mix. The only thing to know about multi-channel audio is that you need good surround speakers, not the usual rinky-dink "surround" speakers. I put B&W 600 S3's back there. A little thin on bass but smooth. My only problem with them is that I had to mount them pretty far up the wall to avoid heads boinking into them. I am thinking about lowering them to improve the soundstage, head boinking be damned! Later, Kevin

There's room for all of us on this, Lon. I bet your player sounds fantastic. I just think that my un-modded unit sounds pretty darn good too. I suppose I could send it off to one of the modders out there (there is one who seems willing to convert it to a tube output stage) but most of these modders charge around $600 to mod my already expensive player. If I didn't already like the sound I have, I'd jump all over it but right now, I just can't see the cost benefit. I looked long and hard at Decware last year when I was in the market for a new reciever but the cost for a multi-channel set-up was just too much. Unfortunately, I'm also not a big fan of the terminology they use to sell speaker wire. I have not been convinced that wires affect music as much as they claim. If they'd just stuck to audio terms, I'd be less critical but I personally could not buy a wire from someone who uses the term "Midrange Liquidity" to rate their speaker wires. BTW, I work at Analog Devices and once a year, we get offered incredible deals on Denon gear. I came sooooo close to selling my Pioneer DV-45A and buying a Denon 2900 or 3910 but after reading 1,000's of posts on the AVS forum, I decided that the slight improvement in video might have actually resulted in a degradation in my audio. Audio is of prime importance to me and most Pioneer buyers report that their units sound better than Denon in head-to-head competition. There's also quite a few reoprts of dying Denon 3910s (as it's their first DVD player made in a Chinese factory?). I'm sticking with my Pioneer for at least another year. Later, Kevin

We'll have to disagree on this one Claude... my Pioneer DV-45A definitely sounds better with the high rez layer than the RBCD layer on my SACD hybrid discs. The only "problem" I see is that this Pioneer is a fantastic RBCD player; the best I've ever owned. It's so good at regular CD playback that I'd recommend it just for that. That may make some people think it's not a better SACD player but not me. Not only that, it plays back DVD-Audio discs as well. Some of my DVD-Audio discs sound great too. As another bonus, some artists like Neil Young have started issuing discs that utilize standard DVD audio and the results can be stunning. Neil's latest "Greatest Hits" package is really good on the DVD video disc. I would recommend my Pioneer player highly. It goes for less than $400 right now and it's well worth it. Best transport in the industry. I have to say, from what I've read, caveat emptor on Sony units. There are many very upset buyers who feel that they paid big bucks for a lemon. It's a long-running argument over on the High Rez Highway (Audio Asylum's High Rez Highway) about this. Whatever you do, do not buy a Philips unit! They are almost guaranteed to die an early death and Philips closed down all their factory service centers in the US. BTW, as much as Lon likes his Decware, it is very expensive. Personally, I don't think it's worth it, although if money were no object, I'm sure I'd consider it. I just think that an un-modded Pioneer will sound perfectly fine for you. Later, Kevin

The Japanese Fontanas have not impressed me sound-wise. In fact, they used a mono mix for "Mexican Green". I imagine that the live dates can't get much better than the Redial CDs, which sound OK to me. They are live dates so the fidelity is only so good to begin with. I am a big Hayes nut. They are not many dates of his that I don't have. One is the big band date that was issued on CD many years ago called "200% Proof". Big band turned free jazz. Hectic and wild and not my style. I sold the CD. Of course, that was years ago. I might play it today and like it. Too bad it's not easy to find any more. Later, Kevin

"jig uh low" or "gig uh low" I've always wondered why most people pronounce gigolo as jig uh low insteag of gig uh low. I was just corrected (again) the other day by Michael Cuscuna when talking about lee Morgan's CD of that name. I've always said gig uh low. He said, "haven't you ever heard the tune, "I'm just a gigolo?" (which he pronounced jig a low) Later, Kevin

Walkman, kleenix and formica were all trademarked names that I believe have become "public domain" by court rulings. I cannot imagine monster will be treated any differently. They've just got to come up against someone using "monster" who has the $$ to oppose them in court. Later, Kevin

I've seen Eric Alexander quite a few times now and I think his persona on stage is nerves. I thought I read somewhere that everyone gets stage fright every time they play. Maybe he never got over that. I've talked to him between and after sets and he's always been relaxed and easy-going so I know that seriousness isn't the real EA. Maybe he tries too hard? BTW, the way he channels LTD is one of the things I really like about him. I never got to see Dex live and having someone play like him is nirvana. The funny thing is, as much as he sounds like Dex, he doesn't quote "Laura" every other tune and he has that little trill with the half-closed lower keys that has become a pretty recognizable figure for him. Later, Kevin

I was just re-reading the write up on this system when I caught "Weight 40 lbs". 40 lbs for a 1000 Watt amp and apeakers? Whoa, that's not a lot. I have to think they're over-stating the output power a bit. For comparison fun, my 5 x 75 receiver weighs 37 lbs. My 5 speakers probably weigh 35 lbs each. My sub weighs in at 44 lbs. So my system, at only 5.1, weighs nearly 250 lbs. Anyone looking at subs has to look at Hsu Research. Best bang for the buck by far. Later, Kevin

How many speakers? Non-powered sub? That's weird. Looking around, I'd guess it's the KS5190. Someone's got one on ebay for around $200. It looks like the sub is powered. Maybe there's a plug missing somewhere? I'd guess that what's happening is that this 1000 Watts is "full power", not "useable power". It's probably only 50 Watts by 6 (300) with another 100 for the sub in actual useable power. None of those numbers, especially the sub, will rattle the walls. Later, Kevin

Not true. In fact, the first 50 or so from the US RVG series were actually remastered by Rudy twice. Once for Japan and then again for the US. In fact, RVG may have had to remaster the first US batch twice. The first time, he folded the stereo down too much and Cuscuna had him widen it before release. It was only during the batch of US RVGs where they found some old metal masters i.e. Monk that they decided to merge the remastering efforts. I would say that now, the US decisions may actually be being picked up by Japan. Later, Kevin

I sent off our requests to MC. We'll see if he likes our suggestions. I know I like the suggestion for "Leapin' and Lopin'" myself. I forgot how many times I have thought of ordering this RVG from Japan. Later, Kevin

Isn't this material on the Thelonious Monk RVG CD?

I was talking to Blue Note the other day and they're finalizing the next titles for RVG to start on. It sounded to me like there was room for negotiation. Any titles I should call and push for? I thought Mobley's "A Slice of the Top" would be a good one. I also put in my (usual) request for some Leo Parker. "The Gigolo" may not make it this time because it's still selling like hot cakes in its current configuration so they're hesitant to delete it. It sounds like Redd's "The Connection", Herbie's "Inventions & Dimensions" and Blakey's "The Big Beat" have made the early "list" (not set in stone, obviously). Fire Away. Later, Kevin

These 2 titles caught me a bit off guard... well one of them did. I was told it was going to be the Donaldson date and Freddie Roach's "Brown Sugar". I wonder if we'll see "Brown Sugar" soon? Later, Kevin

I am reading that rght?? Only 17 titles? Wow. I thought there were a hell of a lot more than that. If it's only 17 titles, someone like Mosaic could easily make a nice box. "The Complete Bee Hive Recordings" has a nice ring to it. 17 LPs should fit onto 10 or 11 CDs. I only have 5 of them and of those 5, I only have a couple on vinyl, the rest on CD-R. A poster over on All About Jazz (sheldonm) was supposed to ask Jim Neumann about his stock of new vinyl but I never heard from him. I'd love to get my hands on these dates. Later, Kevin

Well, I just got off the phone with BMG. I E-mailed them several times with no answer so I finally called and worked my way through voice mail hell to a real person. I finally (think I) got an answer as to why I never get offered "Unlimited $5.99 with free shipping & handling for 5 or more CDs". They tell me it's because I'm still getting mailings. If I switch to electronic (E-mail) notification for my selection of the month, I'll get this offer. I just switched over to electronic notification. I'll see if my sales offers change. I tell you, if I get that $5.99 sale, I'll be ordering a whole bunch of Bob Dylan SACDs. Too bad I already bought all of the Fantasy SACDs. Later, Kevin

Well, I spun my JRVG of this session again last night and one thing that came to mind about something that "bothered" me about the date was that Johnny Coles seems unsure of himself in many places. Also, on "For All We Know", he needed to have one thing said to him: "Spit valve, Johnny. Spit valve". I hate hearing spit rolling around in a trumpet solo. I used to play trumpet and playing to the point where the spit started messing up notes was a big no no. I wonder if anyone ever purposefully left it in there for effect? BTW, many of the people who are listening to this on the US RVG CD should thank your lucky stars that Grant Green is a big seller for Blue Note right now. Otherwise, chances are this would never have gotten reissued. I know for a fact Michael Cuscuna wasn't planning on reissuing because he didn't like it. In fact, it's one of the few sessions I've ever heard him put down. Later, Kevin

Reinier, do you have the Mobile Fidelity CD of this date? I have read that the MoFi CD sounds much better than any other version out there until this SACD version came out. I was wondering if you agree. Am I the only one surprised that by the time of this session, Impulse! was still making mono masters? I would have thought that by 1963 most companies were using the stereo master and simply mixing the 2 channels together for their mono release. Later, Kevin

This is where it's so fun to compare opinions on this stuff... Lon's description of "Know What I Mean" is exactly how I feel about Grant Green's "Am I Blue", which Lon likes. Jazz allows for all. BTW, I do not hear any plodding on "Know What I Mean", just good ol' tasteful backing on a session of ballads. Later, Kevin

Elton John? "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" is artistry at its highest level... even if you don't like Elton the person, you have to give it to him as a musician for this date. I actually play the SACD of GYBR quite often. I am less a fan of his other sessions which is why I didn't buy any the other day. I hear "Honky Chateau" is a good one. Later, Kevin

I never read anything from Greg about a CD spray. Actually, I wouldn't read anything on any CD spray anyway... Placebo effect in my book. http://web.archive.org/web/20021225190851/...c&f=16&t=000496 Man, what a joke of a thread that was! I still get riled up by the types who swear they hear all kinds of benefits with sprays... and Greg was a proponent then? Hmm... I wonder if he ruined a couple of his SACDs? I stand by my statement. Sprays are a placebo. No audible benefit. Later, Kevin