Columbia just released remastered Miles first 9 recordings including Kind Of Blue, as well as some Collaberations with Gil Evans. Comes as a 9 cd set.
With all the other "remastered" versions of these classic recordings do you think the sound quality will actually be improved? Or is this just another way for the label to get more of our bucks?
As they say, depends. There are all kinds of 'remaster' process, so it will be interesting to find out what they did starting with the original analogue master tapes, which I assume is the starting point. If not, it will be same old, same old, driven by profit. But don't expect too much, as in choosing the CD format as opposed to the SACD, they have dumbed down the project from the start. Remember on Blue, the original recordings where done with three tapes, right, left and center, which were blended into a final mono analogue tape which I assume is there starting point for the project. We shall see, as will it get a lot of attention form Miles fans.
More about this remaster can be found at: http://www.analogplanet.com/content/miles-davis-kind-blue-monophonic-reissue-sonylegacy-analog-planet-exclusive
What saves the day is they are using the original three track masters as a starting point, since the original mono is lost.
I, like many have multiple versions of this. My go to version is the K2 HD CD so far. Rich, very acoustic and detailed as much as that original tape can be.
Well, I ordered and they are here. So far listened to 5 of the 9 CDs and each has far exceeded my expectations. By far the best sound I have ever heard from Miles. Real close to my memories of some of his live performances....... Well worth it, even though I have other copies of all this music. Can't imagine it getting any better than these.
After spinning these and comparing to stereo versions (e.g., KOB '97 Legacy CK 64935) I find I prefer these mono recordings overall. Even though I hear less detail and instrument separation, opposite of what I am always striving for in my system, somehow, overall I find myself more engrossed and deeper into the music. Tapping my toes more often (far more).
What I HATE about this box set is the last CD. WTF!? Four cuts from Miles at Newport 1958 and two from Monk 1963. How much more disjointed can you get? This is a one disc hatchet job of an original double CD release that I'd never buy to begin with. In a Miles box set where all of the other CDs are of Miles, the final two tracks are NOT Miles?! Rediculous! They should have included more (all) tracks from the Miles Live at Newport 1958 release instead. What morons!
Jafant--it was obviously recorded in stereo, it's not one of those "electronically reprocessed" mixes. My question is: was not the stereo mix done at the same time and therefore does it not have as much legitimacy as the mono mix?
I have no problems whatsoever with the stereo mix of KOB, but I'll give another listen to see if I'm missing some deficiency somewhere.
As to the notion of "soundstage" on a mono recording I'm either misunderstanding the definition of the term or having a difficult time understanding how it would even exist. What I understand to be the soundstage is what comes from the actual placement (using the pan control for each channel) of the instruments in the right/left channel scheme. There is no such thing in mono.
I am with Yashu as well on his description of the mono version. The mono 24/192 download of KOB is the best sounding I have heard so far. The stereo version places instruments unnaturally too far to the right or to the left.
I ended up buying Miles at Newport 1958 to supplant the final disc in this box set. Is its audio quality as good as the box discs? Not quite, but I find the audio differences (including stereo vs. mono) less jolting than the piano stylings of Monk in a Davis box set. I feel better now.
Jafant, how can it play back in stereo if it was not recorded in stereo? It's obviously not any sort of "re-processed for stereo" trickery, it's real, discrete stereo (if anything, too much separation as has been discussed). Have you not heard the stereo mix?
You must have a verified phone number and physical address in order to post in the Audiogon Forums. Please return to Audiogon.com and complete this step. If you have any questions please contact Support.
