Analogue Productions jazz remasters on hybrid SACD

[GregM]

I received the first two titles in Analogue Productions' batch of OJC remasters: Chet Baker--Chet, and Sonny Rollins--Way Out West. For those unfamiliar with these, they are classic jazz titles recorded in the '50s.

After listening to the CD layer on my computer, I took these home and checked out the SACD layer. They are jaw-dropping. Possibly the most stunning transfers I have heard on SACD, and that's saying a lot. On first listen I heard only one flaw--a slight dropout or perhaps an electronic "blip" a few seconds into 'Tis Autumn on Chet. Other than that I regard these as flawless, tube-transferred remasters with a gorgeous, open sound, effortless detail, extraordinary realism (particularly on Way Out West and the midrange and treble of Chet) and no trace of digital etching or harshness *whatsoever*. The artwork/booklets is cool, too, with a picture of Doug Sax working with the tapes.

Kudos to Doug and everyone at AP for a stunning job. This is the kind of stuff I was hoping for when I adopted SACD and of course more is coming from AP soon. I am thrilled.

Gentlemen, toss out your K2 and XRCD versions and head over to Acoustic Sounds to order these. No I don't work for them. I just like jazz.

[sgb]

Thanks for the reviews, Greg. I'm going to wait until all five are released and order them all at once.

Do you have any idea what will be coming after these five?

[GregM]

Funny, my instructions to Acoustic Sounds were to mail them all at the same time and they ignored that. Well, I'm not complaining.

The second batch comes out in May and will include two by Bill Evans--Sunday at the VV and Moonbeams, Cannonball Adderley--I Know What You Mean and I believe three others. I think one of those three will be Soultrane, but not positive on that. My source seemed a bit unsure and actually gave me a title that is not in the Trane discography, so I *know* he's confused.

[pjrashid]

I'm excited about entering the SACD world. Greg...Are we talking about multi-channel SACD?

[pjrashid]

P.S. Are we talking about this website?

http://www.analogueproductions.com/reissues/apj016.html

Peter

[sgb]

Originally posted by pjrashid
P.S. Are we talking about this website?

http://www.analogueproductions.com/reissues/apj016.html

Peter

Peter,

That's the site, but not exactly. The link you've provided is to the old gold CD version. You don't want to click on that one's "buy" button if you expect to receive the new SACD.

If you want to browse thru the SACDs available there, go to www.acousticsounds.com and click on the online shopping cart. The next window you see will enable you to select SACD as a browsing option.

The Baker SACD is at this link:
http://store.acousticsounds.com/store.cfm?Title_ID=6024&do=detail

I don't know about anyone else, but I think Chad's latest version of his site is a little clunky.

[sgb]

Originally posted by GregM
Gentlemen, toss out your K2 and XRCD versions and head over to Acoustic Sounds to order these. No I don't work for them. I just like jazz.

Greg,

Be sure to keep us informed of the arrival of the other three due this month so that I know when to call them.

TIA
SGB

[MikeT]

I received my copies of these SACDs yesterday, and will listen to them tonight after work. Just from the packaging it appears that APO did a great job.

By the way the "Way Out West" SACD has the same three alternate takes that the original Japanese CD I purchased many, many years ago has.

I can't wait for the other three - as well as any future relesases.

Life is good.

[acoustic sounds]

Thanks to everyone who has purchased our new Analogue Productions SACDs. It is the support of our loyal customers that allows us to continue with our reissues and original recordings. Our goal with each project is to provide the best sound possible from each respective format. The other three titles in our first series of SACD reissues will be available shortly.

The Bill Evans "Waltz for Debby" should ship in a week or so. The Miles Davis "Cookin'" and Sonny Rollins "Saxophone Colossus," which were originally recorded in mono, had special requirements during the mastering process to ensure the finest possible sound. They will be available in approximately three weeks.

All of the jazz titles that Analogue Productions/Acoustic Sounds are remastering were originally recorded with all vacuum-tube components either full track mono or two-track stereo so multichannel versions of these SACDs are not applicable. And because this is the primary reason the sound is so lush and natural, Doug Sax mastered these recordings from the original analog tapes using the Mastering Lab's proprietary all-tube electronics until the final digital conversion. Sax then used the latest third-generation Analog-to-DSD converters by Ed Meitner/EMM Labs to transfer the music to the SACD layer.

Our second series of SACDs are still a couple of months away from release. That batch will consist of Cannonball Adderley "Know What I Mean?," Bill Evans "Moonbeams," Bill Evans "Sunday at the Village Vanguard," Thelonious Monk "5 by Monk by 5," John Coltrane "Standard Coltrane," Vince Guaraldi Trio "Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus" and Art Pepper "Meets the Rhythm Section."

Thanks again for all those that share our passion for great sound!

Richard C. DuPlantis
Acoustic Sounds

[Steve Hoffman]

And thank you all at Acoustic Sounds for making the effort!

[Kayaker]

Wow. "Know What I Mean?," "5 by Monk by 5" etc.. Analogue Productions second batch of SACD's has made me decide to buy an SACD player. What great selections!

[GregM]

Thanks for weighing in Richard.

In answer to the question re: multichannel. . .no, they're traditional stereo. And Saxophone Colossus and Cookin' are mono, the way G-d intended. :D

[bmoura]

Originally posted by acoustic sounds
Thanks to everyone who has purchased our new Analogue Productions SACDs. It is the support of our loyal customers that allows us to continue with our reissues and original recordings. Our goal with each project is to provide the best sound possible from each respective format. The other three titles in our first series of SACD reissues will be available shortly.
Richard C. DuPlantis
Acoustic Sounds

Sounds like some fine Stereo SACDs.

Speaking of Fantasy's catalog, is there any chance we will see some Pop material (like Creedence Clearwater Revival) and Stax/Volt R&B material (Staple Singers, Dramatics, Otis Redding, Booker T & MGs, etc - now owned by Fantasy) on your SACD series of Fantasy reissues?

As to Multichannel, I remember that Fantasy had some Surround Material released in the '70s on Q8 tape and CD-4 disc from Stanley Turrentine, Woody Herman, the Blackbyrds and Creedence Clearwater Revival. Those would make some interesting hybrid Stereo/Multichannel SACDs if Acoustic Sounds could get the rights!

[trhunnicutt]

Originally posted by bmoura


Sounds like some fine Stereo SACDs.

Speaking of Fantasy's catalog, is there any chance we will see some Pop material (like Creedence Clearwater Revival) and Stax/Volt R&B material (Staple Singers, Dramatics, Otis Redding, Booker T & MGs, etc - now owned by Fantasy) on your SACD series of Fantasy reissues?



Amen, brother bmoura. Those artists on that label are in some serious need of remastering and audiophile reissues. Can you imagine some of the Isaac Hayes or Dramatics material in SACD or virgin vinyl? Why is it always jazz and classical? Soul is very popular and very diffiicult to acquire on the used market in excellent condition, which makes it a tremendous reissue opportunity, in my opinion.

By the time I get to Phoenix, we'll have Stax/Volt on SACD or virgin vinyl from the original master tapes...

Tom

[bmoura]

Originally posted by trhunnicutt


Amen, brother bmoura. Those artists on that label are in some serious need of remastering and audiophile reissues. Can you imagine some of the Isaac Hayes or Dramatics material in SACD or virgin vinyl? Why is it always jazz and classical? Soul is very popular and very diffiicult to acquire on the used market in excellent condition, which makes it a tremendous reissue opportunity, in my opinion.

By the time I get to Phoenix, we'll have Stax/Volt on SACD or virgin vinyl from the original master tapes...

Tom

Agreed. Some of the Stax/Volt material would be very nice indeed on SACD!

Hmm, I guess we should talk to the Acoustic Sounds folks about that.

[GregM]

Agreed. R&B not too dissimilar from the Blackbyrds has already been released by Sony on SACD, including the Isley Bros and O'Jays. And of course, any Creedence, Booker T, Albert King and Otis Redding would be *very* welcome additions to my SACD collection, stereo would be preferable in the interest of time. Developing multichannel content is a long, laborious process with uneven results, and has helped to hamstring the rollout of SACDs.

[bmoura]

Originally posted by GregM
Agreed. R&B not too dissimilar from the Blackbyrds has already been released by Sony on SACD, including the Isley Bros and O'Jays. And of course, any Creedence, Booker T, Albert King and Otis Redding would be *very* welcome additions to my SACD collection, stereo would be preferable in the interest of time. Developing multichannel content is a long, laborious process with uneven results, and has helped to hamstring the rollout of SACDs.

I'd like all of the above from Fantasy. As for Multichannel, hey if they have the Multichannel masters from the '70s available (as they did on the O' Jays and Isley Brothers), why not?