Have a look. And that file was sourced for a new and noise-free vinyl release by an enterprising company called Music On Vinyl. I'm sure the mono reissue will get a larger release following Record Store Day Black Friday. Stereo promos replicate the early track sequence error seen on the mono promolabels i.e. At the beginning or throughout the record. There is some evidence to indicate that an actual mono tape wasn't made, though I understand that it was customary to run both machines simultaneously during the time that KOB was recorded. To compare with MOV versions (which are stereo) you should probably compare the Mobile Fidelity versions, which are also stereo. See Promo Cover Fabricator new section below). Around a quarter were code 2 (Brooklyn) , three quarters are code 4 (Indianapolis) and just one 6, (also Indianapolis when supplying jackets to West Coast pressing plants). Another fifteen lacquers contribute to the final tally of all those found. . The label correction is believed to have taken place around November 1959, on the instruction of Teo Macero (hat tip Enrico!). No lacquer is a second or third generation copy, or a copy of a copy, or of later manufacture. Before the sacred tapes were returned the vaults, a copy of the 50th anniversary remastering was transferred to a high resolution digital file. I plan on making a home brew unit soon, $600 to do it right. Instead of three lacquers, over thirtywere in use, out by a factor of ten. are they all analogue process only? What is the slight distortion that is present in every copy of KOB I've ever heard? To be fair, some are done better than others (I say this only having listened through speakers - I don't want to think about what the . ), Forum Policies, Rules, and Terms of Service. One of these assumptions is wrong by a factor of ten, crazy, but we find what we find. Bridgeport (plant address: 1473 Barnum Avenue) remained in operation to the end of March 1964 (a luxury condo, called Columbia Towers, now are situated on those grounds). Hence the stereo (but not the mono) releases of Kind of Blue and virtually all the releases were stereo had always had those three tracks playing at slightly the wrong pitch. So unless you have a bucket of cash and shell out for an OG mono your better off . Ebay auctions of Kind of Blue on six-eye label over last three years where, seller identified matrix on both sides (198 commercial releases, 218 in total including twenty promos). I just received my RSD numbered copy today and it has the same feel as my original pressing. I have an original copy of "Round Midnight" that I bought in Santa Monice back in the 70's. Should the Miles mono reissues ideally be played with a mono cart? 001527. No other letters were found. In afurther variation the word UNBREAKABLE under the catalogue number disappears. It amazes me that so few hear or recognize the distortion present throughout, especially on So What. Of all the large number of combinations of lacquer pairs, just two stand out as being symetrical: 1D/1D and 1J/1J. Kind of Blue According to Steve Berkowitz, who, with engineer Mark Wilder, has overseen all of the Miles Davis reissues going back many years, both of the original 3-track tapes used in recent years to produce the SACDs as well as 2008's blue 180g vinyl 50th Anniversary Collection box set (which was poorly pressed on 180g with a lot of noisy non-fill, gee I wonder who pressed it? If I'm reading this correctly, this mono vinyl reissue is an all analogue cut? I am afraid I agree entirely. Miles Davis "Kind of Blue" Monophonic Reissue From Sony/Legacy: An the holy grail 1A/1A. Hence the stereo (but not the mono) releases of Kind of Blue and virtually all the releases were stereo had always had those three tracks playing at slightly the wrong pitch. Beatles, Sinatra) that I can compare to modern vinyl or CD releases, but admittedly that doesn't help with Piper since it's a case-by-case thing. Barcode and Other Identifiers Barcode: 4 547366 450958 Other Versions (5 of 502) View All Recommendations Kind Of Blue Miles Davis The reissue's mix down from three tracks to one has been so skillfully and carefully done, even veteran mono KOB listeners might have difficulty guessing the source were that the only criterion. When KOB was originally recorded, Columbia ran simultaneous mono and three-track stereo tape recorderstwo each, one of each being for safety back-up. The artist name and album title are set in Erbar Light Condensed font, used by Bridgeport and which went on to be used in label printing for Pitman. Regarding the mono edition, it can be argued thelacquers used to generate promos are the genuine first pressing, then 1A,1B and 1C and a handful of 1D among the very earliest commercial release copies, evidenced by the presence of the Side 2 label track-listing error. First, a recap of conventional wisdom information gathered in good faith from partial experience, true of some circumstances, but not necessarily applicable to all. This coming Record Store Day, November 29th, the label will release on vinyl. I'm not extremely happy with the MOFI pressing that I bought recently. A lacquer pair includes Side 1 and Side 2 of the record. In the case of KOB, you would need to at least hear the mono before rendering a judgement as to which you preferred! Free shipping for many products! No, by the time I got interested in old mono pressings, the price on Piper had gotten too high. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. I've read similar reviews where the mono version is now their favourite version beating the Classic 200g version and the Mo-Fi 2X45. I actually worked with Kind of Blue producer Teo Macero back in 2000, shortly before his death. Hope that helps. You must log in or register to reply here. The 2012 stereo is best forgotten. The 50th Anniversary issue is a pretty blue color! Kind of Blue - Mono vs Stereo - Head-Fi The earliestpressing of stereo six eyeis I believe stereo promos (E, K, AC, and AE),some other rare single alpha (1E and 1H) andsome 1AA and 1AC which also have the Side 2 track-listing error most of them do not. D is found in every permutation, including with A. G and H are never found paired with each other, or at least not found in my sample. I agree Crosley is the devil. Why didn't they use the orginal mono tapes? Is that it? It's not hard to find a reasonably priced version of most things, but given the amount of pressings, remasters etc of Kind of Blue - it's a f***ing minefield. My search is over trying to find the perfect pressing, sorry MOFI and Classic records. Check out www.recordstoreday.com. The promos were thought to be both pressed at Columbias Bridgeport Connecticut plant, according to W.B.s update, given the consistent label print and type-setting on the two versions. For some records, possibly. CL 1355; Vinyl LP). :-). All Blues 2. Both mono and stereo six-eyes with a uniquely Canadian touch. Looking at theYouTube video and write-upon HD tracks and on the sister site: http://www.audiostream.com/content/miles-davis-kind-blue-again. 7 Columbia 1969 (original or subsidiary label) Best Sounding Version of Kind of Blue - Steve Hoffman Music Forums Since 1992 there have been a number of issue of the remastered, speed-corrected, Kind of Blue on both vinyl and digital formats, although arguably never a definitive LP rendering until the release of the Music On Vinyl set reviewed here. The credit on this story should be updated to correct that. Bridgeport mother/stamper process control process? Not just the LPs, but the CDs, cassettes, reel to reel tapes and MiniDiscs, Sound engineer Mark Wilder, who made this discovery in 1992, then corrected it using the backup three-track stereo tape for the subsequent remastered reissues. And sometimes each version has its own equally attractive but different qualities.

. For more information, please see our Most Columbia pressings have asymmetrical non-sequential pairings, such as 1D/1AC. All KoB promos are pre 11/59 (have Side 2 track-list error) with matrix code letter 1D or higher. If people didn't buy their products, then they wouldn't make them. The mono tapes have gone missing. OPENING HOURS MON-THURS: 16-00 FRI-SAT: 16-02 . Sign up to receive our Wednesday Breakfast Headlines, Miles Davis Kind of Blue (Deluxe) (Music On Vinyl MOVLP-019. The Mono Box from 2009 was not cut from pristine LP masters. Unfortunately for vinyl fans, there were reportedly widespread problems with the vinyl, thanks to poor, noisy pressings. Where? Mono or Stereo - is it really just a matter of preference? These recordings were made in the early days of "stereo". :thmbsp: Monaural Cartridge Miyajima: " Spirit MONO high out-put " p.s. The Law of Diminishing Returns another unproven Hi Fimaxim, LJC home recipe for vacuum record cleaningmachines, Blue Note recordings and pressings: best audioquality, Blue Note Records: Complete Guide To The Blue NoteLabels, Blue Note labels: 1500 series, alltitles, Blue Note covers: company addresses andchanges, Blue Note covers: spine, lamination, and companyaddress, Blue Note recordings: mono, stereo,pseudo-stereo, Blue Note recordings: transition from mono tostereo, Blue Note recordings: date of session andrelease, Blue Note vinyl: flat, beaded, serratededges, Blue Note typography: fonts andtypesetting, Blue Note originals without the Plastylite ear, Blue Note Records: the Liberty era,1966-70, Blue Note Records The United Artists Years1970-79, Division of United Artists ReplicaSeries, Blue Note Records: the EMI era, 1979 to presentday, Blue Note guides: Dottorjazz guide to 1stpressings, Blue Note guides: LJC 1st presschecklist, Blue Note catalogue: 1500 serieslisting, Blue Note catalogue: United Artists BN-LA serieslisting, Blue Note Catalogue: United Artists LT serieslisting, Atlantic First Pressing Guide Part 1-Mono, Atlantic First Pressing Guide Part 2 Stereo, Columbia Matrix Codes case study: Kind ofBlue, Covers: frames and text, and coveraddresses, Contemporary labels by title, complete referenceset, Contemporary covers by title complete ReferenceSet, Prestige and Esquire covers, side byside, Esquire 12 32-000 series covers complete, Esquire catalogue number by Prestigenumber, Esquire Cover Art Gallery personalcollection, Impulse! Seems a reasonable definition. Miles Daviss spiralling, restless trumpet on Freddie Freeloader and its seesaw insinuation on All Blues, Bill Evanss delicate, meditative haiku of a piano in Flamenco Sketches, Coltranes silken, slithering tenor lament on Blue in Green, Paul Chambers low, slow heartbeat of a bass, the soft, considered percussion of Jimmy Cobbs drums and the pulsing tick of his cymbals are all immaculately rendered. Take that away and things work quite differently in practice. I'll be grabbing this mono version! The mono original (and reissue) provides a better overall instrumental balance, with greater emphasis on the piano and more solid imaging. See original listing. A small number of lacquers were responsible for generating mono and stereo promos, said to be manufactured in one plant, Bridgeport CT (WB New York, based on characteristics of centre label typesetting) though contradicted by local jacket manufacture codes accompanying promos. and we'd love to turn you on. Probably got the high rez files from Sterling and pressed them at their own pressing plant (Record Industry, which presses great records). A possibly dumb question about reprocessed stereo and mono switches (Also, the mono mix for "Flowers Never Bend with the Rainfall" sounds better to me, but that mix seems to only appear on the single and not on the album) The stereo has far higher dynamic range and feels less compressed. Which Beatles Mono Collection? - Music in General - Audiophile Style Is there any evidence to indicate that the mono was mixed from the same 3-track tape as the stereo? Yes, its not as ethereally spacious, but it better layers and balances the instruments in my opinion and if you remain unconvinced that mono can produce three-dimensionality, this record will convince you. LPs deriving from a digital source should be anathema to analog purists (like myself) but the Music On Vinyl Kind of Blue sounds terrific, crisp and precise, yet never lacking in warmth or immediacy. A major project took place in 2009 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the albums release, and attempts at an ultimate version were made then. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. But most importantly, the music experience is complete and organically "whole," making a strong case for the superiority of the mono mix. There must be a mechanical reason why they are mostly though not always offset mirrored pairs (Side 1 stamper from one lacquer, side 2 stamper from another lacquer)and not symmetrical pairs (e.g.1E/1E), possibly to run two presses simultaneously, or to ensure metal sets from each lacquer wear equally, but that is for another day. cwitt1980, 2 minutes ago. Either way he claimed that he hated the Sony releases. From then until an October 30, 1958 Art Blakey session, Rudy simultaneously ran both mono and stereo session tapes. The SACD always sounded kind of tubby/boomy but the CD is awful compared to these new files. Since I was just listening to this new reissue from Sony on mono, I thought I would revisit Mikey's writing about it. Similar pattern of asymmetrical lacquer pairings e.g these found . The stereo version, which they were very apathetic on, works to our advantage because they didn't use as much compression, they just turned it up and hit start! Have you read Fremer's review? I saw Arthur's comments about distortion and as I was listening I instantly understood what Arthur was commenting on. Another great mono is Dave Bruebeck's "Jazz In The USA.". Analog Planet - 24 Sep 13 Miles Davis "Kind of Blue" Monophonic Reissue From Sony/Legacy: An Analog. Give me a rest from dissecting records. (Yeah,they start with an A.) There is no real distortion on any version of KOB that I own but there certainly IS the sound of reeds vibrating. Analog Planet is a Stereophile owned Web side and as such cannot be trusted for an unbiased opinion, i.e. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Miles Davis Kind of Blue (CD) Mono & Stereo Collector's Album (US IMPORT) at the best online prices at eBay! that is no longer there. A Love SupremeMono or Stereo?? - Audiokarma Home Audio Stereo And Crosley, maker of the cheap, groove chewing turntables is a participant. The prime stereo tape recorder had been running just over one percent slow, so on playback and during the mastering of albums it ran a little fast. LP review by Andrew Cartmel). . Yes, hearing "stereo" was exciting for me too, but over time I've come to realize that much of what was called "stereo" was just mono channels divided between the channels. If you love this record (and who in the world does not? With Indianas convenient central US location, equidistant to East And West Coast, and a short distance for Illinois, it was possibly more economical to manufacture covers centrally and ship to pressing plants, but it takes some explaining why Kind of Blue promo jackets were manufactured at two locations, unless they were also being pressed at two plants Terre Haute and Bridgeport or even three, Hollywood, hence the code 6. Band 2so French. Columbia went down the letters to a certain point and then started double letters (AJ) so I'd say that was fairly early. The Crossword Solver finds answers to classic crosswords and cryptic crossword puzzles. Milestones was manufactured through a similar process as Kind of Blue . The track sequence error remained on the jacket in perpetuity. For this reason, it doesnt really matter whether your copy is a Bridgeport, Pitman, Terre Haute or Hollywood. It looks like all of these were mixed at 24/192k (not in the analog domain). One of the interesting discoveries made in 1992 when the tapes were first exhumed, was that Side 1 of the stereo issue, consisting of the tracks recorded at the first session, So What, Freddie Freeloader and Blue in Green, had been playing at the wrong speed since 1959. Click here if you want this pressing without paying 4-20x retail (Come on now, you really should be ashamed of yourselves). I suppose that is a personal preference. These recordings were made in what, '59? Bonus enjoyment if you have a 5.1 setup. Of course this did not affect the mono version, which was sourced from a different recorder, but for this mono reissue, the speed had to again be corrected. Since the mono tapes apparently no longer exist, recent monophonic reissues (yes, some people do prefer mono) were created by mixing down the three tracks on the backup stereo master to a single track. The number of channels used while recording and listening to audio is the primary distinction between Mono and Stereo sound. Again from a personal view I think that either of the 2 vinyl box sets, MFSL or the Blue Box BC-13 are better options. 9 Modern Album of Terre Haute, IN when supplying Chicago Jacksonville, IL plant. So how does the mono compare to the stereo and how does this mono compare to the original? Don't prejudge! No point now crying over degaussed tape or whatever happened. This was released as a single recordafter the blue vinyl(different masteringfrom Kevin gray). The stereo versions are mixed in a similar fashion with center mixed into both left and right channels. Hi michael, Do you know about Music on vinyl in EU. At least that's my understanding of how it worked. Affiliate programs and Most people today use stereo since it sounds wider, more detailed, and a lot more realistic. 2001-2023 Head-Fi.org. If I can have a choice between Stereo & mono I always take the mono-album. All rights reserved. The original recording sessions for Kind of Blue took place at the Columbia 30th Street Studios in Manhattan, nicknamed the Church, in March and April 1959. My 6 eye copy isn't a 1AJ, it's just a 1J (both sides). The love and care taken by Music On Vinyl on this release even extends to the printing of the labels, which on these discs are a homage to the 1959 Columbia six eye design. The Sonys don't sound bad by any stretch, I just prefer the MoFi's more relaxed sound. Location: Carbondale, IL USA. Many sellers omitted mention of matrix codes completely, oridentified only one side, on the assumption the other side would be the same (they are usually not). It is not known how many labels with the side 2 error were printed, but the presence of the Side 2 error is proof of earlypressing status 8/59 to 11/59. Mono VS Stereo - Which One Should You Use - And Why! - Wealthy Sound When I tell them its mono, they just shake there heads in disbelief. It's probably the best selling jazz album ever, and like Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon is likely to remain in print forever. They can't find the tapes. Over the years, further cuttings from the original mastering were brought into service. During these sessions both a mono and a three-track stereo master were created, using a total of four tape recorders running in synchronisation one prime recorder and one safety backup each for mono and stereo. I purchased one of the Dino-Lite USB microscopes and intend on using it to see how well my RCM is working. A must have! The two stereo tapes were stored safely in a vault for over three decades before anyone thought of taking them out for remastering. Anyone who thinks this has never been in a proper recording session and doesn't know any real recording engineers. Perfect consistent quality. Again, I'm very happy with my Columbia RSD pressing. It was remixed properly. Columbia may eventually have arrived at aneat andorderly system of lacquer distribution withthis combination of plants, but the evidence from Kind of Blue shows that was not how the system worked in 1959. Epais comme un vinyl de pressage us. A stereo record contains separate left and right channel information on each groove-wall at a 45-degree angle from each other.The groove is a more complicated shape with both lateral and vertical information. I'd like to thank you for all the valuable advice that I've been able to glean from your Stereophile column over the years. The two bonus tracks are of particular interest. Complete 1st Pressing Label Reference Set: Mono(1961-8), Impulse! Also what comes to trusting the recommendations of people on audio forums, I stopped paying any attention to what critics of any kind music, audio, or otherwise have to say years ago, but the people who write their opinions on audio forums I have equally low faith in. Bummer. As mentioned before, I noticed the same "rightness" on RCA's mono vinyl of Belafone at Carnegie Hall. Click the answer to find similar crossword clues . the site simply writes whatever their advertisers tells them to, so just follow the recommendations given by your fellow forum members. Unanswered Question Conventional Wisdom does not explaintheasymmetrical pairing is Side 1 and Side2 lacquers. Miles Davis' The Original Mono Recordings: A Buyer's Guide Now I'm curious if I should drop more cash on 'Round About Midnight Columbia Mono they just released. Alpha lacquer identifier, starting with A through to L (11 unique lettersin first cohort) then AA to AL (11 in second cohort) then BA to BL (11 in third cohort), and CA to CL thereafter. That's a killer disc all right, and the 5(3).1 is a wonder to behold. Mono feels a bit more powerful because of the nature of mono. All Blues is a series of five scales, each to be played as long as the soloist wishes until he has completed the series. and our There are reasons for this! Instrumental timbers are natural and textures rich. So when I read imbeciles claiming Columbia used it into the 1980s because some records sound "better" with it, I get a bit crazy (er). The stereo is better seperated. The Holy Grail, Kind of Blue, six eye stereo KoB 3. A surprising number of audiophiles don't even know what is the difference between mixing and mastering, let alone how a well-recorded album differs from a well-mastered one. Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by youraveragevinylcollector, Mar 22, 2016. Pour a glass or cup of your preference and press play. Kevin Gray: Columbia used PAL and PBL prefixes for side 1 and 2, and A and B suffixes for the Santa Maria, Ca. One was selling in the marketplace but asking a question about something for sale is apparently a 'conversation.'. Only the letters A to L were used, excluding I: A 1st cutting; B 2nd; C 3rd; D 4th; E 5th; F 6th; G 7th; H 8th; J 9th; K 10th; L 11th; AA 12th; AB 13th; AC 14th; AD 15h etc -. How many times have I seen one of the most mediocre albums I've heard in my life be named the album of the year? Mono & Stereo 2022: INTERVIEW WITH STEVE HOFFMAN Mono vs. There may have been 27 lacquers cut but many letters never appear, and only a limited number of lacquers appear to have been actually used for pressing. When stereo appeared, I was overwhelmed (pace the ping pong crap). Other fonts were used by printers for other plant locations. Another waxed lyrical over a 1A/1B six-eye stereo RARE! Matrix codes found on mono promos, produced from FOUR lacquers: A G, D and H (UPDATE 30/5/21: one promo with 1A has just come to light, with track sequence error, courtesy of a reader. Have a look. They're very impressive for mono recordings. plant, C and D for Terra Haute, In. I didn't realize Music On Vinyl was releasing this same version on RSD as the Columbia pressing. I caughtone seller claiming he had a 1A/1A in the auction headline which later in the description expanded to 1AC/1AE. Then they would start again, fill four tracks and mix those down to one track. None were found 1A,1B or 1C, ( which are found only on the commercial release). The vinyl isnow secondand the SACD is third on the list (IMHO). It sounds like a microphone that is being over-driven. I've looked at the website and so far all I've learned is to find a local participating record store. this can result in this site earning a commission. I found 20 sufficiently sharp pictures of back covers acompanying promos. Without your info, I'm sure it would have been a lot more work for me to build up my system and collection of records. La version stro belle la vitesse dite rectifiee' Les cinq titres en version mono une decouverte pour moi. Mono tracks send only one channel for all speakers. 1A stereo is only found paired with higher value letter (e.g. The process-control system to keep track of lacquers, mothers and stampers did not require matching or sequencing, becauseit did not matter which lacquer was used, as they were all the same as long as you had a Side 1 and a Side 2 stamper mounted in the press. You may ask how a perfectionist like Miles Davis or one of the other members of the band did not notice the pitch shift. Also, I've known a few people who bought one and then later upgraded when the used-record bug started biting. The good news is that unlike "The Starry Night", there were many identical first pressings of KOB made from the first mothers.and they are much cheaper than a original Van Gogh. The prime stereo tape recorder had been running just over one percent slow, so on playback and during the mastering of albums it ran a little fast. It's truly stupid for vinyl sellers like Insound.com to sell those things. Kind of Blue, an Album by Miles Davis. Apparently it is the one that Miles Davis actually approved and gave input on. There are pictures of some of the models as well. I just finished comparing the HD tracks 24/192 wave files with theJapanese SACD and the Legacy vinyl (not the poorly pressed blue vinyl). Is there anything left to say on the most popular and arguably greatest jazz LP of all time? This was corrected (ie order reversed) on the label of commercial release pressings, at the instruction of Teo Macero, around November 1959. Though T has been suggested as referring to Terre Haute, it remains likely a Bridgeport pressing suggested by the label fonts. Who knows? 2011 Vinyl LP Not Now / NOT2LP145 Kind of . I can crank the MoFi much more and it just fills the room, letting the music breathe. OP, I can try to explain it but it's only after people listen to it that they get it. I even threw in the 90's SBM cd for the hell of it. Most modern speakers are are small or narrow. They occur in similar offset mirrored pairs: E/K, K/E, AC/AE, AE/AC. More rock n roll. Mostly these are high values like BC/BGand BH/BJ , close to the CBS overprint and transition to two-eye label (1962/63) where lacquers from the third cohort 1CA to 1CL begin to appear. I have several stereo copies of this record, my preference is the Classic Records1995 issue. So many people out there. It has cleverly placed itself between the high-end audiophile labels, whose LPs can be very pricey, and the cheap low-end labels, whose noisy pressings can sound like bacon frying. hows the quality of the LP in the box set? Every tape machine in a proper recording studio is calibrated directly before the recording session to make sure it is performing to spec using alignment tapes and an oscilliscope. This according to some grizzled veterans who did the cutting. The record industry says, conservatively,one master lacquercangenerate at least five mothers of acceptable quality, each mothercan generate atleast five stampers, with each stamper capable of pressing around 4,000 albums.