Best record ever made?

[Greg Wells]

I just bought an affordable audiophile-ish turntable and for 32 bucks on eBay bought a new 200 gram vinyl pressing of "Kind Of Blue". We listened to the first side yesterday at my studio and could barely speak afterwards. It's my favorite record anyway, but hearing it that way was a religious experience.

I get why engineers used to wear white lab coats. They were truly "engineering" and knew how far to place the mic from the double bass because they'd studied the length of an 80 Hz soundwave, etc. So many of those jazz records from the late 50's into the 60's sound incredible.

[not_so_new]

Originally Posted by Greg Wells

So many of those jazz records from the late 50's into the 60's sound incredible.

Dave Brubeck Take 5.... all that needs to be said.....

[Sqye]

i would think blair witch project soundtrack would do the trick (no pun intended )

oh, and the ladies man soundtrack.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

on a a serious note, since someone's gonna say it eventually, i might as well -

gaucho - i still think that RECORD KICKS ASS - i used to listen to that on my old treasured Acoustics Research turntable CONSTANTLY.

eventually, a really talented vintage gear repair guy stole that unit from me : ( - I was SOOOO bummed, it was my favoorite turntable.

now, i've got some 1200s, that double up for spinning in the studio : )

sorry - i had to be the gaucho cliche here. i really do LOVE aja and nightfly, as well - OMIGOD, DOUBLE CLICHE.

ot -

i heard the gaucho (cd) during a dynaudio demo at aes a few years back

(over a pair of dynaudio m1's, which we subsequently bought, used and LOVED for years - still my FAVORITE speakers, to date,
then listened to that cd quite a bit once we had the speakers installed - and it's still one of my favorite cd's, as well - though it's been a while).

[Gregg Sartiano]

When's the L.A. chapter Gearslutz vinyl listening party?

[eyesore]

Originally Posted by Greg Wells

I just bought an affordable audiophile-ish turntable and for 32 bucks on eBay bought a new 200 gram vinyl pressing of "Kind Of Blue". We listened to the first side yesterday at my studio and could barely speak afterwards. It's my favorite record anyway, but hearing it that way was a religious experience.

I get why engineers used to wear white lab coats. They were truly "engineering" and knew how far to place the mic from the double bass because they'd studied the length of an 80 Hz soundwave, etc. So many of those jazz records from the late 50's into the 60's sound incredible.

I see some different guys with white coats in your future.

[s.d.finley]

I love Soultrane....alot of that early Blue Note stuff is amazing.

sdf

[Greg Wells]

Originally Posted by eyesore

I see some different guys with white coats in your future.

They're with me right now.

[sedohr]

Kind of blue and Gaucho on vinyl: thumbsup
It´s really amazing how good those vintage recordings sound. We should all try a little bit harder!

Kalli

[lucey]

Kind of Blue is on my short list too.

[doorknocker]

'Kind of Blue' for sure. Though in the sad event that i would be forced to spend the rest of my days on an island with a lone record player and power supply, I would choose Miles 'In a Silent way'- it's the most magical recording ever in my book.

As far as 'how the hell did they make it sound so god '-records are concerned, another fave is Sinatra's 'Sings for only the lonely' , insanely great performances and recording quality.

[Fletcher]

Sticky Fingers... or Never Mind the Bollocks

Both are really superior captures of a fleeting moment in time.

Hank Williams version of "I saw the light" isn't too far behind.

[GearHunter]

The original single version of Jumpin' Jack Flash.
Dark Side of The Moon.
The First Three Zepplin LPs
Pretty much any Beatles LP, at least from Rubber Soul on.

[van Overhalen]

Originally Posted by GearHunter

Pretty much any Beatles LP, at least from Rubber Soul on.

Yesssss !
...and even before that ... thumbsup

[not_so_new]

Hummm I thought we were taling late 50's early 60's jazz here?

Well okay, all the Beatles from Rubber Soul on (the early stuff is great to listen to but they did not have the sonic greatness that the middle and later stuff had)....

All the Zep albums...

Aja from Steeley Dan (Two Against Nature kick ass as well)...

There are 100's of great sounding products out there. Go look at Bob K's list on his site, I agree with all of them.

But for late 50's and 60's jazz, "Kind of Blue" and "Take 5" are right up there for me.

[van Overhalen]

How do you measure "sonic greatness" ???

[not_so_new]

Originally Posted by van Overhalen

How do you measure "sonic greatness" ???

Depth, dimension, quality.....



My point was not to compare early to later Beatles albums on song writing it was to compare them on the quality of the recordings. The performances are great but up to interpretation. The sonics are great and also up to interpretation but.....

Lets say this. I think we can all agree that there is a difference between a 30's recording and a late 70's recording (I pick the late 70's because I personally feel that is the pinnacle of the recording craft where technology and usage were at the best junction). I also believe that most people in the world would choose the sonics of a 70's recording to the 30's not taking into account the musical style etc.

If the 30's recording does not sound as good as the 70's then 1) the gear was better in the 70's and 2) the people using the gear in the 70's had more experience as individuals from first hand usage and from handed down knowledge all the way back to the 20's and 30's.

If the above is true then this can also be true in a limited way with the early Beatles recordings and the later right? All the people involved in the Beatles productions 1) had better gear later in their career and 2) had more experience with that gear.

So in my eyes (ears) the sonic quality of the Beatles recordings were better after Rubber Soul, sonic greatness to my ears that comes from the logical evolution of the gear and the people using it.

[madstrat]

i have a tendency to seperate great artistic perfomances
from great recording and production work....
whatever that means...

but i like the work neil young did with david briggs in the 70s.

[lucey]

Originally Posted by van Overhalen

How do you measure "sonic greatness" ???

Anything YOU can listen to that totally recharges you as an engineer AND a music lover ... that's your record of "sonic greatness". Yet the "greatest of all time" needs to be timeless music and timeless engineering on another level. I can't put any Zeppelin in there, or the Beatles, or Floyd. They're all amazing classics, yet dated somehow.

Kind of Blue is the definitive record of recorded Jazz for reasons beyond simple explanation. It still sounds like it could be made today and the engineering and music would still be amazing. I believe it's the best seller in Jazz and has eclipsed most rock or pop records. The Beatles and Zeppelin could not be made today and meet all the engineering criteria that Kind of Blue does. There are many "classics" from each era.





Here's an interview with the Biographer of a book on Kind of Blue.


When it comes to listeners KIND OF BLUE seems to cross all the lines. What is it about this album that appeals to everyone?

There is just something about the melancholy atmosphere, the bluesy feel and almost classical pensiveness on KIND OF BLUE that defies categories. Punk rockers and classical buffs embrace it. Hip-hoppers and club kids swear by it. KIND OF BLUE keeps adding to its fan base and mystique, through a word-of-mouth, grass-roots manner.

Why so enduring, why so universally popular? There's the question -- and the real motivation for my writing the book. After the many reasons put forward to explain the enduring appeal and singular qualities of KIND OF BLUE -- the incredible talent assembled in Miles' sextet-plus-one; the freshness and delight in their new modal jazz approach; the classical and folk music referenced by Davis and Evans in the compositions; the nature of the wooden interior of the high-ceilinged studio -- do any or all of these explanations really answer the "why" of KIND OF BLUE? I must admit that even after all the discoveries and research -- and I truly believe that information can help add to the enjoyment of music -- there is something about Kind of Blue that defies explanation. A large part of the album's magic and mystery will forever be approachable only through listening and feeling.

[Roger Starr]

Doesn't exist at all! Loads of great and best stuff has been done and will be done...

Regards,

Roger

[van Overhalen]

Originally Posted by not_so_new

Depth, dimension, quality.....



My point was not to compare early to later Beatles albums on song writing it was to compare them on the quality of the recordings. The performances are great but up to interpretation. The sonics are great and also up to interpretation but.....

Lets say this. I think we can all agree that there is a difference between a 30's recording and a late 70's recording (I pick the late 70's because I personally feel that is the pinnacle of the recording craft where technology and usage were at the best junction). I also believe that most people in the world would choose the sonics of a 70's recording to the 30's not taking into account the musical style etc.

If the 30's recording does not sound as good as the 70's then 1) the gear was better in the 70's and 2) the people using the gear in the 70's had more experience as individuals from first hand usage and from handed down knowledge all the way back to the 20's and 30's.

If the above is true then this can also be true in a limited way with the early Beatles recordings and the later right? All the people involved in the Beatles productions 1) had better gear later in their career and 2) had more experience with that gear.

So in my eyes (ears) the sonic quality of the Beatles recordings were better after Rubber Soul, sonic greatness to my ears that comes from the logical evolution of the gear and the people using it.

Well I personally would never ever dare to say:
This sounds good or better and this sounds bad or worse in an "objective" kind of way.
All I can tell you is:
I like this or I don't like that.

What you basically say is that "Rubber Soul" MUST sound better than "Kind of Blue",
because "Rubber Soul" was recorded later and therefore they had "better" gear to record it.
By the way what is "better" gear?

[wwittman]

I think you have to hear:

Crime Of THe Century - Supertramp

5000 Spirits or the Layers of the Onion - Incredible String Band



but this is really as dumb as saying what's the best movie ever made...

documentaries are as valid as cinema verité which is as valid as intense actor dirven drama which is as valid as screwball comedy which is as valid as Star Wars which is as valid as The Incredibles...

know what i mean?

I mean i could say Pyromania is incredible record making... but so is Never Mind The Bollocks in a completely different way.

[Rufuss Sewell]

I like this topic, But maybe it should have some more strict rules. Like you only get to name one album and you can't say why you like it or make any comments about it... I think I'll start another thread.

[not_so_new]

Originally Posted by van Overhalen

Well I personally would never ever dare to say:
This sounds good or better and this sounds bad or worse in an "objective" kind of way.
All I can tell you is:
I like this or I don't like that.

What you basically say is that "Rubber Soul" MUST sound better than "Kind of Blue",
because "Rubber Soul" was recorded later and therefore they had "better" gear to record it.
By the way what is "better" gear?

When did I say that... ?? I think we are heading down a bad road here man. Let's just drop it and agree that the Beatles are cool and Kind Of Blue is cool as well. You sound like you are looking for a fight and I am not really up to it today....

Have a good one.

[not_so_new]

Originally Posted by wwittman

I think you have to hear:

Crime Of THe Century - Supertramp

5000 Spirits or the Layers of the Onion - Incredible String Band



but this is really as dumb as saying what's the best movie ever made...

documentaries are as valid as cinema verité which is as valid as intense actor dirven drama which is as valid as screwball comedy which is as valid as Star Wars which is as valid as The Incredibles...

know what i mean?

I mean i could say Pyromania is incredible record making... but so is Never Mind The Bollocks in a completely different way.

For the record (pun intended.. ) I think that Greg was saying that "Kind of Blue" is maybe "the best record ever made?" and that "so many of those jazz records from the late 50's into the 60's sound incredible." We have gotten pretty far off topic by this point. Sorry if I have this wrong Greg, it is your thread after all.

I think the topic is how great Kind of Blue sounds and how great all the late 50's and 60's jazz recordings were... then people saw the title of the thread without reading the first post and starting talking about The Beatles and the Stones etc.

[Greg Wells]

I'm wearing a seatbelt.... enjoying the ride.

[Greg Wells]

Originally Posted by Sounds Great

You might also check out the 'Kind Of Blue' SACD. It was done right. It's all there.

Forgive me - what's an SACD?

[wwittman]

okay I'll respond to the original question: Best record ever made?

No.

[max cooper]

Originally Posted by wwittman

but this is really as dumb as saying what's the best movie ever made...

Yeah. The greatest record ever made is the last one that really inspired you.


One of the finest L.P. records I've ever seen, with regard to the quality of the pressing is "Transatlanticism" by Death Cab.

Truly a beautiful slab of vinyl. I don't think I've seen a smoother surface in my life. The music's pretty good, too.

It's truly one of the "greatest records ever made".

[not_so_new]

Originally Posted by wwittman

okay I'll respond to the original question: Best record ever made?

No.

LOL.....

thumbsup

Best jazz record then maybe?

[Bob Ross]

Originally Posted by van Overhalen

How do you measure "sonic greatness" ???

See, that's the problem with these youngsters whose only experience with recording technology is a DAW: They never had the pleasure of working on a big old discrete analog console with its ubiquitous Sonic Greatness meter. It was usually located right next to the Master L/R output meters. When the Sonic Greatness meter was just starting to tickle the red, you were done: your mix sounded Great, and measurably so.

Then some daring engineers tried slamming the Sonic Greatness meter way off the scale, and all hell broke loose.