So last night I'm playing DJ ad my wife asks if we have any Miles Davis. We don't. We're not big jazz fans. Tell her I know I've seen some of Mile's recordings raved about on Audiogon and I'll do some home work and add some to our collection.
So, seems if I get one album Kind of Blue is a no-brainer. I got to Secondspin.com where i have some credit and see 3 CD's. 1959. 1959 remastered w/bonus tracks. And one (3x the money) 1993
I am probably in the minority here by saying that I think remastered is an excuse to get you to spend money unnecessarily. Buy the new and improved version, bla bla bla...
While I cannot speak for that particular recording; some remasters make them sound better in the car and/or on portable equipment. On good equipment they sound worse. Again, I may be in the minority opinion, but it is what I hear.
There are some genuinely great audiophile remasters that are better, but unless you are really hardcore, they may not be worth the premium price.
If you have a SACD player, go for the hybrid multi channel SACD. It has the three original mono tracks corrected for the problem that was in all the original vinyl and red book cds. It does not get any better for Blue then the multi channel SACD, I have all the issues: vinyl, reel to reel, Cd and SACD and nothing beats the SACD multi.
The sessions were recorded at the wrong speed (too fast) and the problem was not identified and corrected until they found the safety copy of the master tape in the 1990's. The 1997 Columbia reissue features the corrected speed, as do the other reissues after that date. There have been many LP reissues, some of which feature versions of the album at both speeds.
That is an interesting dilemma. This is one of the most famous jazz recordings ever. The recording at the wrong speed is the one that made it famous. If it ain't broke don't fix it.
By fixing it they have basically slightly changed the tempi and the pitch. But people loved it the way it was.
If the "error" was never discovered, who would have really cared? It would be different if the recording originally bombed before they fixed it.
That was kind of my point. I was aware of the speed issue, but it never meant much to me.
No one a the time (musician's & engineers) picked up on the error by ear when they heard it. These kind of people have fantastic hearing. So how much different is it?
A reissue might sell a few hundred thousand copies. If they tell everyone they fixed a mistake, they can sell millions of new copies. Am I giving away a trade secret?
So will your wife care if you only spend $5 for a used CD made before 1997 instead of $30 for the latest thing?
if you really dig miles davis, any one will do...the latest sony is as good as any. if you want your wife to stop bugging you about miles, just get bitches brew...the chicks run from the building when its on.
I think you're spamming the forum. Your first post, first post relative to secondspin.com. Most talked about jazz artist on the forum. "not big jazz fans" your wife would never ask that question.
I know many of the oldest CDs were recorded in the poorest manner with compression and at 13 bits etc. I would at least try to buy the newer remastered at the correct speed one. I could never hear the speed difference but you have a better chance of getting a good recording.
Thanks all for your responses. Since I'm pretty new to the hobby, and inherently cheap, I'll try a cheap one first. If we love Miles we can always look to upgrade.
Slothman, you got me. Actually I'm a CIA mole looking for terrorist undercurrents in the audiophile community
BTW, wife and I both love Joni Mitchel...i did pay more $$ for her remastered Ladies of the Canyon. All we had was an old tape. So, if we love Miles but not the recording we'll try a newer one.
Do not get the original Columbia CD. It is mastered at the wrong speed, the music is veiled and compressed, and it is not what was performed by those legendary musicians in the studio. If you are as cheap as you say, you can surely find a used copy of the 1997 Columbia/Legacy version which is, as stated above, speed corrected. It's also far, far more open, transparent, dynamic and just plain musical.
Ha! A bunch of used ones on Amazon for $3.98 and $4.00. OK, shipping might cost more if you insist on buying a sleeve. But you should have something around the house and can mail it USPS for 4-5 stamps.
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