Recording quality effect on listening pleasure ...

JP,
I feel the same way... I am leery of recordings before, say, 1955. I have noticed some VERY good sounding recordings made as early as 1957. In fact, some recordings made around 1959-62 sound better than music recorded around a decade later... who knows why.

This is probably not the site to say it,but it's only the music.Get the best music and continually upgrade your ability to play it back.The greatest music,whatever you feel that may be,will touch that part of your soul that seeks it regardless of playback issues.Conversely no matter how good your playback,mediocre is mediocre.

"The greatest music,whatever you feel that may be, will touch that part of your soul that seeks it regardless of playback issues." Cassey 33

Very true! And, a great system increases that joy immensely. Nonetheless, I recently was floored by a recording of Rosa Ponselle (1920's) which I have listened to on lesser systems, and did not understand why she was considered so great, but when I heard it on my current system, it really did it come through.

JP

I side with you on that end

Charlie Parker recordings don't do it for me
too murky - yes there's something going on but I can't feel the emotional end when it's so condensed and buried in poor sonics

Lester Young from the same period sounds much better and I'm more inclined to listen to him. Some of the old early Duke Ellington is moving and can nearly overcome the sonic end - but why not hear a later period piece or live reworking in all it's sonic glory

The period of jazz I most enjoy is late 50's early 60's Miles, Coltrane, Mingus, Bill Evans, Horace Silver, Blue Note etc
the sonics really unlock the performance magic
Rudy Van Gelder was one to really get the right recording studio sound early

Albert's Blue Note 45 series suggestion is dead on

if you like this period might I suggest the following dvd series - jazz icons

dvds from late 50' to early 60's some stellar sound from mostly european venues who taped these for tv
it's like being a fly on the wall
really great stuff

the coltrane and art blakely ones are my faves
and sound surprisingly good

To increase your pleasure I would put some of your favorites on cd and then process and clean them up with some sound software, especially the stuff that Steinberg makes.