This is one of my favorite jazz albums and I've had the AP45 for 7 or so years. I thought I would try the Classic Series just because the 45 is so expensive that I almost don't want to play it. I A/B'd the title track. The new one was good, but I'm going to trade it to a friend. I'll just keep the 45RPM as it was more detailed. In the 33 version the really fast notes have no space between them. On the 45RPM I hear that millisecond of space between each note. If you don't have the 45RPM I highly recommend the Classic Series just like Michael did. Thanks again for your videos, Michael!
Maiden Voyage is one of those albums that I didn't like too much initially and over the years kept checking back in on... nope, still didn't like it....still didn't like it... then one day out of the blue, it finally clicked and I was really into it. This has happened with many other albums too and is a lot of what I love about jazz. It takes some concentration, but in the end, can be so rewarding.
I just sat down and listened to it again. I am amazed. Deep center piano, left wide trumpet, right of midline bass, right back tenor saxophone and right sided drums percussion. Very engaging theme and at some point explosive dynamics. Dolphin dance brings you to the calm after the storm. Wow. So finally I am enjoying this. 😎
@@skrads Cool : ) I first listened to it back in high school and I think the problem was that everyone said it was modal jazz so I thought it would sound like Kind of Blue. Now I have come to appreciate it in it's own right and have a little more nuanced understanding of modal (like, just sounding more "open" in general). I streamed it on Spotify again last night, but I really need to pick up the BN Classics. I can't pick up all the separation you are referring to with crappy digital streaming.
Very nice Micheal....I bought my copy this pass weekend at Jazz record Center here in New York city....the best place for Jazz records....great record....I have a copy from the mid 90s which is excellent and all analog....keep them coming....Ed in New York.....😎🎵🎶🎵🗽🌁
I think it is fair to say this is Herbie’s best and most complete hard bop jazz album from his discography. Glad to hear these last couple of Classic Series are standing up with other audiophile releases. I loved the Out to Lunch release. Great video Michael. 🤙🏼
I always have a small problem when someone speaks of „the best“ of something. It all comes down to taste at the end. Btw: checked out „Sextant“ already from H.H. ? Hammer album…different style
@@bikemike1118 yes me too…that is why I specified it’s his best “hard bop”. Coleman and Hubbard just add so much to these songs/compositions on Maiden Voyage, as every song was written by Herbie. Lots of depth and greatness in each song. Yes I have heard Sextant. Not my fave…like you said “style” matters to the individual. That said, I LOVE Head Hunters as much as any of his Blue Notes!
@@NextPlayRecords yeah, Sextant is special …at best you‘re in the according mood e.g. after listening to Bitches Brew … then you don’t need magic mushrooms any more 😎
Been waiting for your review. Yes, added detail is not fatiguing. As you nicely state, it allows us to get closer to what the artist is trying to convey. I think what they really should say is *distorted details* are fatiguing. This is why a great playback system is so important. Great observations and just ordered the classic edition. Hope I get a nice copy!
@@Michael45RPM Just received my copy of Maiden Voyage. OK, so obviously the music is stellar. As for the pressing, my copy avoids the egregious issues like no fill or imbedded paper, but the level of surface noise is a little disappointing. I would say about in line with my poorer quality BN80s. IOW, a clear step down from what either Pallas or RTI is releasing. Honestly, between the pressing quality and the upcoming titles, I think I won't be investing in the Classic series until next summer at the earliest.
I recently bought a copy at Underworld Records in Chemnitz whilst there on a business trip and it's perfect 👌 Paid €23.99, which is a fair price at a record shop!!
I love the Blue Note Classic Series. Maiden Voyage and Out To Lunch sound marvellous. I fortunately haven't had any issues so far and will continue buying the ones I'm interested in. The sound is clear, dynamic, rich in details and the lp's have no background noise, at least my copies. Excellent value for the price range!
My copy is out for delivery now. It’s not my favorite Herbie album but I still enjoy it. My favorite is Head Hunters. The AP 45rpm 2LP is just so good. And detail is not fatiguing. Music can have an amazing amount of detail without being shrill or sibilant if done right.
The quality issues of the classic series that some are experiencing is what is preventing me from buying more. I do not want to play the return game and I have an expectation that when I purchase a record, I won’t have to cross my fingers. I will say of the six of the classic series that I currently own, only one has had some slight non-Fill issues. Perhaps I am expecting too much, but I’m not even willing to deal with a one in six issue rate. Where as only 1 of my 25 tone poets had issues which were cosmetic scuffs that did not appear to impact the sound quality.
George Coleman was in Miles' group and was replaced by Wayne Shorter. IMHO, Coleman was the weak link in that group and, I think, Miles thought so, too.
@@geoffnelson4777 Weak in comparison to Wayne Shorter, sure (it's very tough to be compared to one of the top handful of jazz geniuses of all time). But George Coleman was a phenomenal player, and I'm not sure how anyone could listen to My Funny Valentine and Four & More and say otherwise. And remember Miles Davis also fired Hank Mobley from his band, so I don't think we should put too much stock into what Miles' decisions mean about someone as a player. It seemed to have more to do with a clash of personalities and styles.
Good news about Herbie Hancocks - Maiden Voyage. My local record store called on Feb 09 2022 and asked if I still wanted this album on the Classic Series and I said yes He did say that they are reissuing this album again so is the old batch or a new and improved batch.
Thank you for a really beautiful commentary and perspective. I just now did a shootout between the BN Classics version and the BN 75th Anniversary version from 2015. The BN75 sounds dull and the pressing is mediocre. The BN Classics version is gorgeous sounding. I haven’t heard the AP 2x45 or the MMSRX, I’m sure they’re great. But as you say, it is a gift that we all can now have a terrific sounding pressing of this wonderful music for such a good price. The BN80 & Classic series has really been a boon for jazz vinyl. Thank you for the video. Warm regards Ron C Kenosha WI USA
I have all Classics BN and only one from the 80ies BN I do not have. I have had 2 issues. One I sent back and got a Top Copy the other one is a millisecond non fill issue on one track, like a zisch. And I kept it. OPTIMAL is the 4th best pressing plant worldwide imo. Maybe I got lucky, maybe some people do have some bad luck. Who knows? they sell this stuff to a lot of audiophile people. maybe this is the reason, why they do expect a Pallas or QRP/RTI press...but hands down, the QRPs and RTIs are not all good ones. The best pressing plant worldwide is Pallas. Pallas output is stunning. I have mostly the whole catalog of PP/SC and these were all pressed at Pallas and I had only a few issues with my few hundred releases from this both label. QRP and RTI I do have way more. That is what I have to say to this OPTIMAL "hate speech" on different forums.
@@Michael45RPM Hi Mike it was close but in the end the AP45 won out. Tony Williams drums had more heft on the AP, and the horns had a little more definition I think. But the classic series was still very close, of course the 33rpm means less interruption to the listening.
Wise words, good sir! Really enjoy your reviews. Perhaps, somewhere in past videos, you give details on your setup? If it's anything like your collection, I'll be incredibly envious...
The Classic pressing is the fourth copy of the album I've owned and the first one that I actually thought sounded good! The others were pressed in the 80s which were ok & the 75th which was awful sounding.
Thanks for the great video! Just want to say the sound/pressing quality of the Classic series has been improving a lot. Yes, the recordings were different but the Classic series and the BN80 are all K Gray/Optimal/180 gm. Dexter Gordon GO is better than Swingin’ Affair/Doin’ Alright; and Art Blakey Moanin’ is over Buhaina’s Delight/Indestructible. Hope you’ll agree.
Just bought a beautiful ‘66 Liberty pressing for $10. Surprised there’s no OG or early version in your shootout. Still good though. I enjoyed it, although I have none of those new pressings.
I have a 70s van gelder and the AP, passed on the classic series. With many years in the field of hearing research, what most likely makes people tired is digital, on a cell stimulus level
Michael, please double check, but I believe Joe Harley is only involved with TP releases, if I correctly remember from his three part interview with Ken
@@Michael45RPM Hi Michael, no need to be sorry, just a detail. Those interviews were quite good, I didn't even know they could eventually choose engineers other than Gray for future TPs. But I think MM is still the golden standard... I believe you're getting the Let it Be box as well, looking forward to seeing what you think. Mine comes tomorrow. Lastly, I highly recommend the third man records vault... check it out...
I have the new Classic , all great except track 1 side 1 which is full of loud clicks and pops, a few of their other issues have problems with non-fill, this is a very important record and I personally would be prepared to pay Tone Poet prices for more quality control. JH as stated that he is not going over old ground with Tone Poet (MM) so perhaps this is the best we are going to get.
Either those aren't the session photos or Music Matters got the date wrong, and I noticed that on my SRX. Album was recorded 17 March 1965. They also botched the fonts on the cover art, with the Classic series actually getting that right.
As always, really enjoy your videos. Music is a nice escape from the world. Just curious.... do you ever feel like sometimes it's too much? Or when to say when? Between records, CD's/ digital copies & streaming I have multiple editions of my favorites in various formats, but I gotta admit I'm pretty much at the point where I am so selective in what I buy. I tell myself I have more music than any one person can enjoy. It's nice to know a large portion of my collection is currently valuable, but it's appreciation of the music I value. Some days it's great and others a burden. Perhaps a topic for conversation. Really the only thing that I could get excited over buying is some AAA releases of the Stones, Zep, etc..... the chance of that seems bleek.
I agree. I have lots of copies of Kind Of Blue and as a result, almost passed on the UHQR. I guess my feeling is, if it’s a record you really, really love, and a new pressing seems to offer something in the way of sound quality that your existing copies don’t have, then treat yourself. Especially at the BN Classics price. It’s hard to say no when it’s so affordable.
Yep, I have the 2008 Blue Note and it is quite good. Kevin Gray I believe, right? I have a LOT of Herbie's stuff, almost all of his albums. I was fortunate to snag the Analog Productions 2-45LP of Head Hunters from a fellow member at the Steve Hoffman Forums for about $45, and of course that sounds bloody amazing! Most of my Herbie are early pressings. Recently, I was able to get a few of his older ones that I was missing in my collection, The Prisoner & Thrust. Very nice early 1970's Liberty analog pressings which sound quite good. Of course I bought Future Shock and Sound System when they came out, but that is another story... : )
Hello, I have a 1973 version of this album in very good condition. Would you think the new blue note classic vinyl series would be a better sounding version?
I've had 3 copies of the Blue Note Classic Series Maiden Voyage. The first had terrible non-fill distortion during the first and second tracks on Side B, the second had a huge 4cm gash across the first track (and more) on Side A (how this left the factory, I'll never know) and the third copy had more of the same non-fill distortion as per the first copy. I'm not going for a fourth. It's such a shame that such great music and mastering by Kevin Gray is being ruined by terrible pressings. I'm not going to buy any more of these until the modern-day plants know how to press records (and handle them) properly. It's just an exercise in frustration.
@@Michael45RPM Yes and sadly not the only title with which I've had trouble. From 7 BN80/Classic titles purchased, only 3 have been good at the first attempt, with another ok after a replacement, two more still bad after trying 2 copies and then Maiden Voyage with 3 duff copies. Such a shame that such landmark titles are receiving such bad pressings when the mastering is all analogue and so well done by Kevin Gray.
Michael, thanks for this shootout.. Can you share your preference between the SRX and the AP .. if they both have positive qualities, please do share.. I realize the 45 takes more effort.
I love the SRX Versions cause of the almost non existing noise floor. But the 45 has also a fantastic sound and soundstage so difficult to decide between them
Detail is great, and does not equal "too bright" (which is different and very fatiguing). Also...yet again...my copy was awesome. No quality control issues at all. I now have 4 or 5 from the Classic Series that are flawless. Thanks for the great videos!
Thanks for a relevant and good "shoot out"/comparison, Michael. It nice to hear your comments on the music and the experience of what the musicians want to express too - it adds to the value of the video. This (the experience of the work) could maybe lead to reflections of the difference between having the music on 2 vs 4 record sides. Even if the 4 sides/45 rpm is technically better, one might get a better musical experience from 2 sides/33 rpm since there are fewer interruptions when changing records. Where is the cross over between technical-acoustical "good enough" vs. less/un-interrupted musical experience? Maybe worth considering - though I know you channel is called "45 RPM Audiophile" :)
I found the classic series maiden voyage to be a little thin and light sounding and yes a little bit fatiguing. I don't have any other versions to compare to but sounds this way just a bit to me. I'm not gonna cry about it and will listen to it many time but that is my take. I'll try and listen with the details being so important in mind next time.
I'm a big fan of your channel Michael but I don't believe we should have to accept poor QC just because the record is 'only' £20/€20. This series has been *terrible* for QC and they can't just say "oh well, they're only paying €20!"
Just keep returning them until they get it straightened out. Eventually something will have to give. I sent Don Was & the Dir Ops @ Optimal emails voicing my frustration.
@@playbackamusicloversjourne8620 yep, I've returned plenty of them! Also directed some 'tweets' to Blue Note out of of pure frustration, eventually they replied to one saying they'd spoken to Optimal about the QC issues.
I have bought a copy and after 3-4 times of listening a really like this album ! Your videos is an inspiration to buy new (to me) great music ! 🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪
This is one of my favorite jazz albums and I've had the AP45 for 7 or so years. I thought I would try the Classic Series just because the 45 is so expensive that I almost don't want to play it. I A/B'd the title track. The new one was good, but I'm going to trade it to a friend. I'll just keep the 45RPM as it was more detailed. In the 33 version the really fast notes have no space between them. On the 45RPM I hear that millisecond of space between each note. If you don't have the 45RPM I highly recommend the Classic Series just like Michael did. Thanks again for your videos, Michael!
Maiden Voyage is one of those albums that I didn't like too much initially and over the years kept checking back in on... nope, still didn't like it....still didn't like it... then one day out of the blue, it finally clicked and I was really into it. This has happened with many other albums too and is a lot of what I love about jazz. It takes some concentration, but in the end, can be so rewarding.
so this is what Mile Davis Bitches Brew i for me Quinn :-)
I feel the same. I need to listen to it again. 😀
I’ve been enthralled with it since my first listen, and it’s aged like a fine wine since.
I just sat down and listened to it again. I am amazed. Deep center piano, left wide trumpet, right of midline bass, right back tenor saxophone and right sided drums percussion. Very engaging theme and at some point explosive dynamics. Dolphin dance brings you to the calm after the storm. Wow. So finally I am enjoying this. 😎
@@skrads Cool : ) I first listened to it back in high school and I think the problem was that everyone said it was modal jazz so I thought it would sound like Kind of Blue. Now I have come to appreciate it in it's own right and have a little more nuanced understanding of modal (like, just sounding more "open" in general). I streamed it on Spotify again last night, but I really need to pick up the BN Classics. I can't pick up all the separation you are referring to with crappy digital streaming.
Very nice Micheal....I bought my copy this pass weekend at Jazz record Center here in New York city....the best place for Jazz records....great record....I have a copy from the mid 90s which is excellent and all analog....keep them coming....Ed in New York.....😎🎵🎶🎵🗽🌁
Also one of my fav Blue Note covers.
Gorgeous album...its up there with the best... AND we are fortunate to have Herbie still with us
I think it is fair to say this is Herbie’s best and most complete hard bop jazz album from his discography. Glad to hear these last couple of Classic Series are standing up with other audiophile releases. I loved the Out to Lunch release. Great video Michael. 🤙🏼
I always have a small problem when someone speaks of „the best“ of something. It all comes down to taste at the end. Btw: checked out „Sextant“ already from H.H. ? Hammer album…different style
@@bikemike1118 yes me too…that is why I specified it’s his best “hard bop”. Coleman and Hubbard just add so much to these songs/compositions on Maiden Voyage, as every song was written by Herbie. Lots of depth and greatness in each song. Yes I have heard Sextant. Not my fave…like you said “style” matters to the individual. That said, I LOVE Head Hunters as much as any of his Blue Notes!
@@bikemike1118 but as I type all of that I remember how much I love Herbie’s My Point of View on Blue Note….haha, your point is made.
Well put Bikemike
@@NextPlayRecords yeah, Sextant is special …at best you‘re in the according mood e.g. after listening to Bitches Brew … then you don’t need magic mushrooms any more 😎
Been waiting for your review. Yes, added detail is not fatiguing. As you nicely state, it allows us to get closer to what the artist is trying to convey. I think what they really should say is *distorted details* are fatiguing. This is why a great playback system is so important. Great observations and just ordered the classic edition. Hope I get a nice copy!
Thats the difficult part with the classic series... getting a good copy... so sad
@@Michael45RPM Just received my copy of Maiden Voyage. OK, so obviously the music is stellar. As for the pressing, my copy avoids the egregious issues like no fill or imbedded paper, but the level of surface noise is a little disappointing. I would say about in line with my poorer quality BN80s. IOW, a clear step down from what either Pallas or RTI is releasing. Honestly, between the pressing quality and the upcoming titles, I think I won't be investing in the Classic series until next summer at the earliest.
I recently bought a copy at Underworld Records in Chemnitz whilst there on a business trip and it's perfect 👌
Paid €23.99, which is a fair price at a record shop!!
Great shootout
Such a fan of your channel. Thank you!
I love the Blue Note Classic Series. Maiden Voyage and Out To Lunch sound marvellous. I fortunately haven't had any issues so far and will continue buying the ones I'm interested in. The sound is clear, dynamic, rich in details and the lp's have no background noise, at least my copies. Excellent value for the price range!
your comparison videos are really good Michael, look forward to more krautrock videos ;) peace from no (r) way
Thx Z eb see you t rachel´s :-)
Great comperison. Thanks. QC, I received 2! bad copies of Midnight Blue. Gave up. First time i have had issues.
Thats too bad... keep on trying fantastic Album Pede
My copy is out for delivery now. It’s not my favorite Herbie album but I still enjoy it. My favorite is Head Hunters. The AP 45rpm 2LP is just so good. And detail is not fatiguing. Music can have an amazing amount of detail without being shrill or sibilant if done right.
Head Hunters is great!
@@FleagleSangria Head Hunters is but not Maiden Voyage
one of my favorite albums in jazz,,i got the normal blue note release ,sounds great for me,i do not have the money for music matters one.
Thanks for this video. I have to decide which master to buy
i agree with you ,details are very important indeed
Great video! Going to check out this album.
You did a great job and got me wanting me to buy this album.
Thank you for your time.
Have a wonderful day
What I would like to understand is the line when detail goes from pleasure to fatigue. It’s not like we’re watching television news. 😉
Did you get fatigue from a live concert?
@@Michael45RPM Yes, exactly. Perhaps the person is confusing music with their Mother-in-law?
That would mean he has a wife .... i really doubt that :-)
@@Michael45RPM Ha!! I guess some things are just not meant to be known through the human experience.
for sure not Floogee :-)
The quality issues of the classic series that some are experiencing is what is preventing me from buying more. I do not want to play the return game and I have an expectation that when I purchase a record, I won’t have to cross my fingers. I will say of the six of the classic series that I currently own, only one has had some slight non-Fill issues. Perhaps I am expecting too much, but I’m not even willing to deal with a one in six issue rate. Where as only 1 of my 25 tone poets had issues which were cosmetic scuffs that did not appear to impact the sound quality.
hmm that also means you miss a lot of great remaster records... but i get you Al
Realy Good look at all the copies of Maiden Voyage . I will get the Classic Series when it arrives at my local Shop waiting since mid Sept. 2021 :)
“Anthony Williams” became better known as Tony Williams, drummer for the second great Miles Davis quintet :)
George Coleman was in Miles' group and was replaced by Wayne Shorter. IMHO, Coleman was the weak link in that group and, I think, Miles thought so, too.
@@geoffnelson4777 Weak in comparison to Wayne Shorter, sure (it's very tough to be compared to one of the top handful of jazz geniuses of all time). But George Coleman was a phenomenal player, and I'm not sure how anyone could listen to My Funny Valentine and Four & More and say otherwise. And remember Miles Davis also fired Hank Mobley from his band, so I don't think we should put too much stock into what Miles' decisions mean about someone as a player. It seemed to have more to do with a clash of personalities and styles.
Good news about Herbie Hancocks - Maiden Voyage. My local record store called on Feb 09 2022 and asked if I still wanted this album on the Classic Series and I said yes He did say that they are reissuing this album again so is the old batch or a new and improved batch.
Thank you for a really beautiful commentary and perspective. I just now did a shootout between the BN Classics version and the BN 75th Anniversary version from 2015.
The BN75 sounds dull and the pressing is mediocre. The BN Classics version is gorgeous sounding. I haven’t heard the AP 2x45 or the MMSRX, I’m sure they’re great.
But as you say, it is a gift that we all can now have a terrific sounding pressing of this wonderful music for such a good price. The BN80 & Classic series has really been a boon for jazz vinyl.
Thank you for the video.
Warm regards
Ron C
Kenosha WI
USA
Great :-)
Michael, you keep up these shoot outs and all your records will have more than one hole in them!! 😆
I have all Classics BN and only one from the 80ies BN I do not have. I have had 2 issues. One I sent back and got a Top Copy the other one is a millisecond non fill issue on one track, like a zisch. And I kept it. OPTIMAL is the 4th best pressing plant worldwide imo. Maybe I got lucky, maybe some people do have some bad luck. Who knows? they sell this stuff to a lot of audiophile people. maybe this is the reason, why they do expect a Pallas or QRP/RTI press...but hands down, the QRPs and RTIs are not all good ones. The best pressing plant worldwide is Pallas. Pallas output is stunning. I have mostly the whole catalog of PP/SC and these were all pressed at Pallas and I had only a few issues with my few hundred releases from this both label. QRP and RTI I do have way more. That is what I have to say to this OPTIMAL "hate speech" on different forums.
Some really good points here Louis ... once more :-)
Great video Michael ! My Classic series copy arrived yesterday, and after watching your video today I will have to do a shootout with the AP45 rpm.
Tell me your opinion if you like Mike
@@Michael45RPM Hi Mike it was close but in the end the AP45 won out. Tony Williams drums had more heft on the AP, and the horns had a little more definition I think. But the classic series was still very close, of course the 33rpm means less interruption to the listening.
Great record, great video Micheal. Salute!
thx Bob:-) Hope you are doing Good
Wise words, good sir! Really enjoy your reviews. Perhaps, somewhere in past videos, you give details on your setup? If it's anything like your collection, I'll be incredibly envious...
The Classic pressing is the fourth copy of the album I've owned and the first one that I actually thought sounded good! The others were pressed in the 80s which were ok & the 75th which was awful sounding.
I can imagine. Thats so good that this album is now out there and easily available
Thanks for the great video! Just want to say the sound/pressing quality of the Classic series has been improving a lot. Yes, the recordings were different but the Classic series and the BN80 are all K Gray/Optimal/180 gm. Dexter Gordon GO is better than Swingin’ Affair/Doin’ Alright; and Art Blakey Moanin’ is over Buhaina’s Delight/Indestructible. Hope you’ll agree.
Just bought a beautiful ‘66 Liberty pressing for $10. Surprised there’s no OG or early version in your shootout. Still good though. I enjoyed it, although I have none of those new pressings.
I have a 70s van gelder and the AP, passed on the classic series. With many years in the field of hearing research, what most likely makes people tired is digital, on a cell stimulus level
Michael, please double check, but I believe Joe Harley is only involved with TP releases, if I correctly remember from his three part interview with Ken
Hmm of course you are right, what did i say? Sorry Felipe
@@Michael45RPM Hi Michael, no need to be sorry, just a detail. Those interviews were quite good, I didn't even know they could eventually choose engineers other than Gray for future TPs. But I think MM is still the golden standard... I believe you're getting the Let it Be box as well, looking forward to seeing what you think. Mine comes tomorrow. Lastly, I highly recommend the third man records vault... check it out...
I have the new Classic , all great except track 1 side 1 which is full of loud clicks and pops, a few of their other issues have problems with non-fill, this is a very important record and I personally would be prepared to pay Tone Poet prices for more quality control.
JH as stated that he is not going over old ground with Tone Poet (MM) so perhaps this is the best we are going to get.
How come no mention of the MM MMBST 84195 regular release before the SRX? How can you not include that?
That is simple Chistopher i do not have it
I think I got a good copy of the classic issue, do you think is worth paying $150+ for the analogue productions ? thanks Michael.
Either those aren't the session photos or Music Matters got the date wrong, and I noticed that on my SRX. Album was recorded 17 March 1965. They also botched the fonts on the cover art, with the Classic series actually getting that right.
Wow thx for sharing Backlight
As always, really enjoy your videos. Music is a nice escape from the world.
Just curious.... do you ever feel like sometimes it's too much? Or when to say when?
Between records, CD's/ digital copies & streaming I have multiple editions of my favorites in various formats, but I gotta admit I'm pretty much at the point where I am so selective in what I buy. I tell myself I have more music than any one person can enjoy. It's nice to know a large portion of my collection is currently valuable, but it's appreciation of the music I value. Some days it's great and others a burden. Perhaps a topic for conversation.
Really the only thing that I could get excited over buying is some AAA releases of the Stones, Zep, etc..... the chance of that seems bleek.
Too much... hmm its already too much in a way... but then again ist so difficult to say no :-) at least for me
I agree. I have lots of copies of Kind Of Blue and as a result, almost passed on the UHQR.
I guess my feeling is, if it’s a record you really, really love, and a new pressing seems to offer something in the way of sound quality that your existing copies don’t have, then treat yourself.
Especially at the BN Classics price. It’s hard to say no when it’s so affordable.
Yep, I have the 2008 Blue Note and it is quite good. Kevin Gray I believe, right? I have a LOT of Herbie's stuff, almost all of his albums. I was fortunate to snag the Analog Productions 2-45LP of Head Hunters from a fellow member at the Steve Hoffman Forums for about $45, and of course that sounds bloody amazing!
Most of my Herbie are early pressings. Recently, I was able to get a few of his older ones that I was missing in my collection, The Prisoner & Thrust. Very nice early 1970's Liberty analog pressings which sound quite good. Of course I bought Future Shock and Sound System when they came out, but that is another story... : )
Hello, I have a 1973 version of this album in very good condition. Would you think the new blue note classic vinyl series would be a better sounding version?
I've had 3 copies of the Blue Note Classic Series Maiden Voyage. The first had terrible non-fill distortion during the first and second tracks on Side B, the second had a huge 4cm gash across the first track (and more) on Side A (how this left the factory, I'll never know) and the third copy had more of the same non-fill distortion as per the first copy. I'm not going for a fourth. It's such a shame that such great music and mastering by Kevin Gray is being ruined by terrible pressings. I'm not going to buy any more of these until the modern-day plants know how to press records (and handle them) properly. It's just an exercise in frustration.
omg thats so anoying
@@Michael45RPM Yes and sadly not the only title with which I've had trouble. From 7 BN80/Classic titles purchased, only 3 have been good at the first attempt, with another ok after a replacement, two more still bad after trying 2 copies and then Maiden Voyage with 3 duff copies. Such a shame that such landmark titles are receiving such bad pressings when the mastering is all analogue and so well done by Kevin Gray.
Thanks for that . Are you getting the two new vamp box sets?
can you please link it?
Great video 👍
Michael do you know why this isn't available at HHV or JPC here in Germany?
I really don't want to buy this at Amazon!!!!
hmm Strange try JPC
@@Michael45RPM I did..... could only find CD's.
Ich schau noch mal nach 😉
Michael, thanks for this shootout.. Can you share your preference between the SRX and the AP .. if they both have positive qualities, please do share.. I realize the 45 takes more effort.
I love the SRX Versions cause of the almost non existing noise floor. But the 45 has also a fantastic sound and soundstage so difficult to decide between them
Detail is great, and does not equal "too bright" (which is different and very fatiguing). Also...yet again...my copy was awesome. No quality control issues at all. I now have 4 or 5 from the Classic Series that are flawless. Thanks for the great videos!
So we are on the lucky side Dan :-)
Thanks for a relevant and good "shoot out"/comparison, Michael.
It nice to hear your comments on the music and the experience of what the musicians want to express too - it adds to the value of the video.
This (the experience of the work) could maybe lead to reflections of the difference between having the music on 2 vs 4 record sides.
Even if the 4 sides/45 rpm is technically better, one might get a better musical experience from 2 sides/33 rpm since there are fewer interruptions when changing records.
Where is the cross over between technical-acoustical "good enough" vs. less/un-interrupted musical experience?
Maybe worth considering - though I know you channel is called "45 RPM Audiophile" :)
:-) you have a valid Point here for sure Claus
I meant Vmp
ah ok yes igetthem both Jan the vmp boxsets have been great so far
I found the classic series maiden voyage to be a little thin and light sounding and yes a little bit fatiguing. I don't have any other versions to compare to but sounds this way just a bit to me. I'm not gonna cry about it and will listen to it many time but that is my take. I'll try and listen with the details being so important in mind next time.
tell me if it changes something Ryan ✌️
I'm a big fan of your channel Michael but I don't believe we should have to accept poor QC just because the record is 'only' £20/€20. This series has been *terrible* for QC and they can't just say "oh well, they're only paying €20!"
You are right, but the price is their excuse i think.......
Agreed... would rather pay $28/€28 if that would improve quality significantly.
Just keep returning them until they get it straightened out. Eventually something will have to give. I sent Don Was & the Dir Ops @ Optimal emails voicing my frustration.
@@playbackamusicloversjourne8620 yep, I've returned plenty of them! Also directed some 'tweets' to Blue Note out of of pure frustration, eventually they replied to one saying they'd spoken to Optimal about the QC issues.
i agree Playback if they get them back they work on it!
👌👌🏼
If I had to pay two extra dollars to get a quality pressing, you won't hear me complaining.
Distortion and lack of detail is fatiguing, if detail was fatiguing then we would all have sound bars as our main music system!
Well Put ERG
Please stay the course Michael, leave Billie Eilish to teenagers and millennials. ;)