UHQR 45 rpm Vinyl "Kind of Blue"

I got a call from my friend saying his heart sank after hearing this. Utter sadness and disappointment. I didn’t have time to get there since it was late in the evening, so I said I’d come the following morning. Equipment used....

1.Yamaha AS3000 integrated amplifier with an amazing built in phono preamp.

2. Turntable Technics 1200GR2 new

3. Nagaoka MP500 cartridge new

4. Volti Audio Razz speakers

We also have two stereo copies of Kind of Blue on vinyl by Columbia 33 rpm and of course digital using a Denefrips Venus II.

This is the second time I’ve listened to an LP by this company and it will be the last. It amazes me this is $150 plus shipping and sounds absolutely deplorable. All this hype people have made this out to be makes me seriously question the credibility of numerous reviews. Obviously this can’t be returned but this LP isn’t even close to the stereo 33 rpm’s by Columbia when comparing them all. Even the digital was better. There is so much nonsense in this industry about promises of great things.

This was a factory sealed copy from MusicDirect. First off, the album has a grainy floor noise. This album lacks balance, placing Bill Evan’s piano to the back of the soundstage. The bass is also too much and while Jimmy Cobb’s drum symbols sound airy, the rest of the band sounds dull, lifeless and lacks proper dynamics. The ambiances are simply lacking altogether and it astonishes me anyone expresses what a great example this 45 rpm UHQR is. It’s a joke, forgive my frustration. 

Both Columbia versions in just standard 33 rpm were far superior, displaying beautiful balance, airy nuances, richness and sweetness by comparison. Even the digital was superior. Huge disappointment!