Kind of Blue SACD on a whim.

@tablejockey I didn't (and don't) intend to start an argument about what works and what doesn't. I am pretty jaded about a lot of claims aimed at audiophiles but I do have good equipment and expensive cables. BUT, the claims made in the ad for that $600 liquid read just like claims you see on literal snake oil. The claims are also quite inconsistent.

Having said that, I'm sure there are people buying that stuff and I'm sure there are people who hear a world of improvement with it and swear by it. And more power to the folks that make it and sell it. They certainly aren't hurting anyone by doing so unless it is made out of baby kittens.


And yes, your point was well taken about being finicky. I think each of us has to find the point where the music and the quality of its reproduction meet in a way that we enjoy it the most. That point is going to be very different for different people. I can't claim to be immune to the pursuit of quality (or why would I have purchased a SACD while at the same time using Qobuz?). But, I genuinely do not have the ears or the necessary refinement for the next level of quality (and the cost that goes with it) to be meaningful to me.

n80-

I'm in $20K deep... No mas!

I direct all my audio OCD toward finding the best used LP these days. Since you're just getting your feet wet with Jazz discovery, you made a good choice with KOB.

Just be prepared  if you ask for Kenny G recommendations.

@tablejockey 

No big deal.  My apologies, but when you stated:

That makes you the most enlightened here. Just enjoying the music.

my inference was that those who eschew vinyl or high end gear are more "enlightened" than those who are into more faithful (and expensive) reproduction.  I'm sure that's not exactly what you meant, but I've gotten that kind of feedback from some over the decades.  Should just bite my tongue as I usually do.  Enjoying the music is the ultimate aim of most of us here, whether it's on cassette tape or a $100k turntable.

@n80-jazz, perhaps more than any other type of music, affords you the ability to explore based on the performers. Many of the sidemen who worked on albums for a featured performer appear either as featured artists or sidemen on other recordings, so you can "surf" an artist and find a wealth of material.
I had lost interest in straight ahead jazz a while ago and got hooked by venturing into so-called "spiritual" or soul-jazz typically recorded in the ’70s. Cecil McBee, who shows up on a number of the releases from Strata-East, is an amazing bassist who has recorded a huge number of albums, some famous, others fairly obscure.
This sort of free-wheeling exploration can lead you down many different paths--from the relatively rare Jothan Callins’ Winds of Change to Art Pepper Today (where Pepper reprises "Patricia," a track that got a boost from the popular TV show Bosch).
Coltrane was a huge influence on a lot of the people who were responsible for this movement, but there were other reasons too-- the change in popular music that left jazz in the rear view mirror, greater self-awareness within the black community and a fair number of small labels that acted as collectives for musicians, among them Black Jazz, the aforementioned Strata-East (with some stratospheric prices these days) to Nimbus West, which released output from Horace Tapscott, Nate Morgan and others. (Nate Morgan had an amazingly strong left hand, and had the chops of a McCoy Tyner with a little funk thrown in).
In the course of my own self-education, my ears became more accustomed to what I probably would have regarded as cacophony ten years ago-- I’m not much for so-called "free jazz" (where 4 different people are playing 5 different songs simultaneously), but just like your palate changes after exposure to food, wine or other consumables, your ears for this stuff can become different through exposure.
Best advice I could offer is to explore and if you identify a player you like, search through their discography for more of their work. You may find that rewarding, and along the way, will enjoy the experience of learning.

@tablejockey I’m also at a happy point as far as systems go. And as with other hobbies, once I get to that point gear no longer interests me. I decided a while back that vinyl was not my thing. Not a knock on anyone who loves it but the level of commitment it takes is simply not worth it to me. So I spend a lot of time exploring stuff. Like jazz. I also search out and buy the best quality CDs I can find for music that is important to me. I just like having some sort of ’hard copy’.

@keegiam I’m sure you’ve probably noticed that A’gon is often a place of strife between the believers and the deniers...across the audiophile spectrum. I used to wade into those pig wrestling matches but I don’t anymore. Its pointless unless you like that kind of sparring. But, a lot of folks like it and a lot of folks like inciting it. I sometimes find myself doing that and immediately wishing I had not. I should not have mentioned that $600 liquid you paint on your terminals. It was not relevant to my original post.

@whart I’m pretty much of a Philistine when it comes to jazz. Watched the whole Ken Burns series and was intrigued. The story of jazz is a great story. So is the story of the blues, which I love, and country music too, which I generally cannot tolerate. I like the interconnectedness of jazz and even in my brief foray into it that aspect is fascinating and as you say, a great basis for exploration.

Thanks to everyone for great conversation. Looking forward to the SACD arriving. In all honestly, given my not-so-golden ears, I doubt I’ll notice a big difference from Qobuz but I will still be happy to own a quality hard copy of that album. Also looking forward to continuing to explore jazz in my own slow way.