Larry Kart Posted May 19, 2012 Report Share Posted May 19, 2012 Anyone compared it to the Timeless Historical issue? I have now. Quite an improvement over the Timeless IMO. In particular, a good deal more upper-register information (but in balance with the overall sonic spectrum) and a greater sense of space and presence; it's like a cloud of murkiness has been removed. Check out for example Bix's solo on "I Need Some Pettin" -- on the Timeless the timbral shadings on the two key desecending phrases toward the solo's end hardly register; on the new transfers they're magical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted May 19, 2012 Report Share Posted May 19, 2012 Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted May 19, 2012 Report Share Posted May 19, 2012 (edited) 1) I've just listened again to the samples on the site - it's spectacular; the amazing thing is that it sounds, at some points, like original masters, as I said above. I'm quite impressed. 2) Davies, let me first say, was a wonderful man and a great transfer engineer - in those days before digital noise reduction, he had a method in which he recorded the 78s onto reel to reel tape, at 7.5 IPS, and figured out how to scrape off part of the tape in such a way that he was able to eliminated a lot of crackle and pop. The problem was that there was real high end degredation when he did this, because of the 7.5 IPS, which refers to the tape speed (open reel machines record at 3.75, 7.5. 15, and 30. 15 is optimum for recording, IIRC). And a lot of Davies' work sounds clean but definitely dark. Digital techniques, used correctly, can be incredible. But, really, the key is the CONDITION of the 78. I have transferred mint 78s on mediocre turntables with good results. Once past this, and using digital stuff, you gotta be careful. One thing that really troubles (no, scares) me is a new generation of hiss reduction programs that appear to leave the high end - but at the expense of a weird acoustical result. Gurgly, is one way to describe it - so you listen, the high end is there - but it has a horrible resonance. There's a crazy and nasty Dutch guy who is doing a lot of this now. also, let me add, that Davies, in his last years, was using CEDAR for click and pop removal. And he was known to have a great collection of mint-condition 78s. Sweetheart of a guy who would make a transfer for you of anything he had - Edited May 19, 2012 by AllenLowe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.A.W. Posted May 19, 2012 Report Share Posted May 19, 2012 1) I've just listened again to the samples on the site - it's spectacular; the amazing thing is that it sounds, at some points, like original masters, as I said above. I'm quite impressed. 2) Davies, let me first say, was a wonderful man and a great transfer engineer - in those days before digital noise reduction, he had a method in which he recorded the 78s onto reel to reel tape, at 7.5 IPS, and figured out how to scrape off part of the tape in such a way that he was able to eliminated a lot of crackle and pop. The problem was that there was real high end degredation when he did this, because of the 7.5 IPS, which refers to the tape speed (open reel machines record at 3.75, 7.5. 15, and 30. 15 is optimum for recording, IIRC). And a lot of Davies' work sounds clean but definitely dark. Digital techniques, used correctly, can be incredible. But, really, the key is the CONDITION of the 78. I have transferred mint 78s on mediocre turntables with good results. Once past this, and using digital stuff, you gotta be careful. One thing that really troubles (no, scares) me is a new generation of hiss reduction programs that appear to leave the high end - but at the expense of a weird acoustical result. Gurgly, is one way to describe it - so you listen, the high end is there - but it has a horrible resonance. There's a crazy and nasty Dutch guy who is doing a lot of this now. also, let me add, that Davies, in his last years, was using CEDAR for click and pop removal. And he was known to have a great collection of mint-condition 78s. Sweetheart of a guy who would make a transfer for you of anything he had - Who's that "crazy and nasty" Dutch guy? Anyone compared it to the Timeless Historical issue? I have now. Quite an improvement over the Timeless IMO. In particular, a good deal more upper-register information (but in balance with the overall sonic spectrum) and a greater sense of space and presence; it's like a cloud of murkiness has been removed. Check out for example Bix's solo on "I Need Some Pettin" -- on the Timeless the timbral shadings on the two key desecending phrases toward the solo's end hardly register; on the new transfers they're magical. I'm not a fan of Timeless Historical (or whatever they're called) releases. I've heard a few and they didn't sound "right", but I can't really put my finger on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted May 19, 2012 Report Share Posted May 19, 2012 I'm hesitant to mention his name in public - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffcrom Posted August 16, 2012 Report Share Posted August 16, 2012 (edited) I tried to give my favorite local brick-and-mortar CD store the chance to order this for me and get a cut of the profits. They tried for months, but their distributor couldn't or wouldn't get it. I finally broke down and ordered it from Amazon. I'm listening right now. The first jazz record I bought for myself (not the first one I owned) was the Milestone two-fer Bix Beiderbecke and the Chicago Cornets, which paired the Wolverines stuff with Muggsy Spanier's Bucktown Five. I can still remember that it took me all of four minutes back in 1973 or '74 to understand what all the fuss was about. Throughout "Fidgety Feet" and the first part of "Jazz Me Blues" I was thinking, "What's the big deal about this guy?" Then Bix soloed on "Jazz Me Blues," and I immediately "got" it. The note choices, the time feel, and the atmosphere all hit me immediately. This is important music for me, and I've had several issues over the years. For the past ten years or so my main source for this (and almost all Bix) has been the Italian IRD complete set, maybe the most obscure of the "complete" Bix sets out there. It sounds pretty good, for the most part. The Archeophone/Off the Record set sounds very good, indeed. I must admit that my first reaction was that of slight disappointment. The improvement over past issues was apparent, but not as dramatic as that of the King Oliver set. But as I continue to listen, that disappointment is fading. The excellence of sound is there, track after track - it doesn't let up. It grows on you. This is a good one - and I haven't gotten to the four tracks by the Original Wolverines which I haven't heard before. Edited August 16, 2012 by jeffcrom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted August 24, 2012 Report Share Posted August 24, 2012 Jeff - are you listening through headphones or through real speakers? Because the sound on some of these almost sounds like master recordings - which they cannot be. I can only assuming they were good and very clean pressings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffcrom Posted August 24, 2012 Report Share Posted August 24, 2012 Jeff - are you listening through headphones or through real speakers? Because the sound on some of these almost sounds like master recordings - which they cannot be. I can only assuming they were good and very clean pressings. I've listened both ways. And I agree that the CD sounds great - better than any other issue of this material. My initial slight disappointment just came from the fact that I don't think the improvement over previous issues is as dramatic as it was on the King Oliver issue. But like I said, the mastering grew on me as the CD progressed. And the liner notes point out that the Wolverines weren't as well recorded by Gennett as the Oliver band - even the Gennett sides. Yes, the tracks are all from 78 pressings. As on the King Oliver CD, there's a page in the booklet on which they list the issue and condition of each record they transferred, as well as the stylus size and speed they used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harold_Z Posted August 24, 2012 Report Share Posted August 24, 2012 I'm hoping they get around to the New Orleans Rhythm Kings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluesnik Posted September 17, 2012 Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 have ordered the set as soon as i heard about it. i have the king oliver and it was a no brainer to decide for that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjzee Posted September 17, 2012 Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 I got it this week from Amazon. Sad to say that track 19, Davenport Blues, skips (totally breaks up, both on my CD player and in my computer drive), so I must return it. Great sound otherwise, btw, and great booklet too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.A.W. Posted September 17, 2012 Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 (edited) I got it this week from Amazon. Sad to say that track 19, Davenport Blues, skips (totally breaks up, both on my CD player and in my computer drive), so I must return it. Great sound otherwise, btw, and great booklet too. Your post made me check my copy again, just in case I missed it the first time - it's fine, so it's not a pressing fault that affects the whole run. Edited September 17, 2012 by J.A.W. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjzee Posted September 18, 2012 Report Share Posted September 18, 2012 I got it this week from Amazon. Sad to say that track 19, Davenport Blues, skips (totally breaks up, both on my CD player and in my computer drive), so I must return it. Great sound otherwise, btw, and great booklet too. Your post made me check my copy again, just in case I missed it the first time - it's fine, so it's not a pressing fault that affects the whole run. Yeah, the jewel case was busted up, and when I opened it, the disc was detached from the spikes, so who knows. Bummer, because I know it's a small company and I hate giving them more costs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluesnik Posted September 30, 2012 Report Share Posted September 30, 2012 have ordered the set as soon as i heard about it. it doesn't sound as good as the king oliver, but i'm happy i have it. it brings together a lot of material and it is well restored, plus i just had a so-so compilation of bix tracks and i wanted the wolverines badly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted September 30, 2012 Report Share Posted September 30, 2012 Probably the best sound I've heard these on cd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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