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Does it come down to the mastering quality only??

Listing to some of the Rudy Van Gelder Blue Note reissues and some of the original Blue Note releases, i am beginning to wonder if the quality of the recording...and therefore the overall SQ that one is going to get through your system is more dependent on the quality of the mastering than any other aspect! If the mastering engineer nails the recording and is able to record onto the tape the most 'live' sounding instruments and voices, then you will get a superb recording that will do almost ANY system proud ( IMO Rudy's recordings onto the master tape are incredible ( most) ). OTOH, if the mastering engineer somehow screws up, then the result will be nothing special...regardless of how great the system playing it back is...or for that matter ALL future reissues and techniques of re-mastering the original tape..'One Step' Direct to Disc etc. 
To sum up, if the original master tape is recorded poorly, ( due to the electronics used, or to any number of other variables) then all subsequent releases will simply be a polishing of a turd!
Thoughts???
128x128daveyf
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folkfreak's avatar
folkfreak
1,349 posts
 
In my experience no.  The real test of a system is what it does with less than pristine recordings. Does the system convey the humanity and emotion in the recording irrespective of the technical media used to record it? Many of my favorites to listen to are sketchy live recordings from DAT or basic four tracks and as my system has progressed it’s astonishing how much more it is able to extract from what we’re never technically sophisticated recordings.  What many people assume to be “turds” may actually be “diamonds in the rough”

btw don’t confuse this with systems that impose their own “rose tinted spectacles” on poor recordings, this is about honesty to the original, warts and all
three_easy_payments's avatar
three_easy_payments
2,097 posts
 
"Everything matters" ;-)   


But I have to say, the quality of the original recording, mastering, and pressing are a huge part of it....all before your system even enters the chain.
tablejockey
3,771 posts
 
I gave up on reissues,unless it's something deemed unobtanium.

A few ticks is acceptable over the sometimes "cd sound"of a "special reissue"

How ones rig plays the subpar recording, is what it's about. 

Not long ago, I found  the 1963, Kenny Burrell "Midnight Blue" mono that looked like it was stored in a time capsule. WOW! It sounds amazing, and I don't have a mono cart.

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