I found it interesting to watch. This video is by the same author who shared his best vinyl jazz 2021 reissues, posted in the music room too.
4 Likes
I have to say, he’s spot on here regarding the hit or miss QC of the Optimal pressed BN Classic reissues. The Herbie Hancock LP he held up as an example I actually found to be one of the better ones though, but overall I had a number where the non-fill ranged from pretty bad to unplayable. Optimal, please do better in 2022.
I’m pleased I saw his earlier video re. the Joni Mitchell box set. It was enough to make me seek out the US RTI pressed set with the much nicer tip-on sleeves.
3 Likes
Some great points said with such passion.
I did have to smile when he mentioned the rubber dwarfs on All Things Must Pass.
1 Like
The Abbey Rd Half Speed remasters are very hit and miss the Bob Marley ones a very good but the Marvin Gaye What’s Goin’ On from a couple of years back was horrible and the Back to Black wasn’t very much better.
I have to say I don’t usually buy the Abbey Rds unless I’ve read write ups on them before hand as the reputations are not great.
2 Likes
So better focus on RTI ?
On these are just some bad examples, but not reflecting the real general quality of Optimal today?
I agree that the main LP of the Abbey Road What’s Goin’ On was somewhat disappointing. Not bad, but a bit flat sounding, like it was cut from a worn or later generation tape. However, the revelation of that set was the Detroit Mix, which was superb.
I’m a bit confused by the Abbey Roads - some are excellent, others a bit odd. There’s something weird with the central image focus I find, like a phase anomaly that causes som discomfort to my ears. It’s there with the Bob Marley reissues I have found. However, the earlier cuts, such as the Genesis reissues are fine.
1 Like
I think so yes. I generally look for the RTI pressings but often that means importing from the US, which isn’t always possible, and sometimes I’ve been sent the European press from the US anyway (annoying).
1 Like
You too Pete! We are only 4 . The other part lives in Poland. Here is an exceptional 15 C today, like in Spring!
1 Like
Yes I agree with you regarding the Detroit Mix of What’s Going On which I have a file of but the Marley copies I have when played on my system do hold up to scrutiny Survival especially we play a lot but of course these things can alter a bit on each different system.
Hit and miss is positive or negative? Google translate is not clear .
I remind a thread on “ let it be “ box set . Michael Fremer enjoyed it. Not the reviewer here.
Have you it? Anyone? Just curious.
Hit and Miss is ‘random’; sometimes good, sometimes bad. Not predictable.
1 Like
One of the disappointments is to have to pay taxes now, if the lps come from outside Europe.
When I received an lp from UK recently, bought with Discogs, I had to pay taxes at my post office.
But today I was delivered by Juno, 2 lps at my home. I had no taxes to pay.
Strange. Anybody knows? Or I was lucky today?
In the uk if they have your email…fed ex bill you…….others too?
Hope not. We will see….
1 Like
To be clear, the BN Classic or Blue Note 80 reissues are not pressed at RTI. The Tone Poet reissues (and Music Matters Jazz before that) are. In the U.S. we also get the BN80/BNC reissues from Optimal.
The U.S. Joni Mitchell box set is pretty awesome. Great pressings, beautiful packaging with Stoughton tip-on jackets.
Yes, unfortunately I’m all too aware that the BN 80s and Classics are all from Optimal - otherwise I would have definitely tried to source them from the US, such was my misfortune with non-fill.
Yup, the US RTI JM box set is definitely the one to get. Same with the earlier JM reissues - the RTI pressed ones sounded better despite using the same cuts.
1 Like
Another to watch out for is the Kevin Gray remastered version of Vive Guaraldi Trio A Boy Named Charlie Brown. It turns out that in the U.S. we get that cut, while in Europe/UK they were apparently packaging some other older cut (not by Kevin Gray, maybe digitally-sourced) and pressed in EU, but still labelling it with the Kevin Gray hype sticker.
1 Like
Uugh! I hate that kind of thing. It’s like the Fleetwood Mac Rumours 2 x 45rpm reissue from some years back. The US got LPs cut by Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman and pressed by Pallas, whereas UK and Europe got LPs cut by who knows and pressed by Optimal. I bought both but quickly sold on the UK/Europe issue as it sounded flat, rolled offer and lacking the verve and excitement of the far superior US issue.
A big part of the problem is that most of music industry long ago ceased to be run by music lovers, replaced by bean counters and lawyers who don’t care and don’t know how to do things the right way.
OTOH, we see what can happen when the opposite is true, i.e. Don Was, Joe Harley and Kevin Gray coming together for the Tone Poet series.
5 Likes