Best Vinyl of Dave Brubeck Quartet’s Time Out?

Ron Resnick

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Which is the best sound quality reissue pressing of the Dave Brubeck Quartet’s Time Out?


1. Classic Records original reissue 45RPM 4LP 180g (1995)

2. Classic Records second reissue 45RPM 4LP 200g (2000) on proprietary Quiex SV-P vinyl

3. Classic Records third reissue 45RPM 4LP 200g (2008) on proprietary Clarity SV-P II clear vinyl

4. Analog Productions first reissue 45RPM 2LP 200g (2012)

5. Analog Productions second reissue 45RPM 2LP 200g (2014 - High quality gatefold jacket)
 

astrotoy

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Not sure how many people started with Classics when they first came out with their RCA Living Stereo reissues of the essentially unobtainable great recordings and having HP's stamp of approval on the reissues. Then they added some of the great Columbia jazz titles, again pulled from HP's TAS Superdisc list. Then the 45 versions, then different vinyl formulations, then Chad buying Classics and reissuing the same titles, etc. Did anyone actually buy all the different versions (and you only list the 45's)?

I bought the first 33, and then the first 45s from the mid 90's. I really enjoyed the 45, compared to the 33 Classics and the original Columbia I have which was bought used - replacing an original I bought in the '60's - first jazz album I ever bought.

Can't answer your question, since I didn't go beyond two Classic reissues (although I did buy the 33 and two 45 reissues of the Belafonte at Carnegie Hall and the Weavers Carnegie Hall Reunion).

I don't listen to any of the vinyl pressings anymore, now I have a 1/2" safety master tape. :)

Chad may be planning on releasing on tape TO and some of the other great Columbia jazz from the Classics reissues (Ah-Um, Sketches in Spain, KOB, maybe one or two others that I can't remember). Fortunately, I already have safety masters of Ah-Uh (on 1/4") and KOB (on 1/2").

Larry
 

jeff1225

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The best presentation of Time Out I've ever heard is in Jeffrey Catalano's room at the Show. He played the original 1st press mono, which is how it was recorded. Stunning.

Cessero speakers, Tron tube equipment, TW Acoustic, Ortofon MONO SPU
 

jazdoc

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The best presentation of Time Out I've ever heard is in Jeffrey Catalano's room at the Show. He played the original 1st press mono, which is how it was recorded. Stunning.

Cessero speakers, Tron tube equipment, TW Acoustic, Ortofon MONO SPU

What he said. I own original mono 6 eye, stereo 6 eye and Classic 45 rpm 1995. They are all great; the mono is exceptional.
 

astrotoy

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Some of the early jazz and rock albums sound best in mono. I know that in the time period between the start of recording in stereo in 1954 and the first stereo records which came out in 1958, many of the record companies put their A team on the mono release, since that was the one that would bring in the money. Also, even though stereo records started in 1958, it took many years before it was common, so the mono versions were the best selling version. Famously the Beatles early albums had their stereo versions as afterthoughts, with George Martin and the "Boys" focusing their attention on the mono versions.

Larry
 

KeithR

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Ron - I have the Analogue Productions that you can borrow at length if you wish to compare. Think its the 33 version though. I've played it once.
 

Ron Resnick

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Thank you! :)
 

cjfrbw

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I have both mono and stereo thrift copies of original issues from vintage. Take Five is a huge, analog and voluptuous sounding record. I don't know how much they could spiff it up from the originals.

I know that audiophiles scoop up re-issues like caramel corn at the fair, and some might actually sound better, but I think I would first try to get a good original issue version in VG to E, even if they were 33.
 

astrotoy

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One of the most interesting days we spent was back in 1987 while we were visiting my parents in CT. My brother and his then wife had been in the same Lamaze class as Chris Brubeck and his then wife. They gave birth to their kids about the same time and through Chris my brother and sister-in-law got to know Dave and Iola. So on one day of our visit we went to the Brubeck's home which was not too far from my parents home and spent the afternoon. Dave and Iola were extremely nice, and Dave spent some time showing us his mass that he was writing for the Pope's visit to Candlestick Park later that year. He explained and demonstrated how he put together the parts of the mass. My wife Pearl got to play Dave's giant Baldwin grand piano. Chris happened to drop by also, and we got to meet him, too.

Larry
 

Ron Resnick

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Very cool, Larry!
 

cjfrbw

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Even with the compression over the internet, you can hear differences in the versions with headphones. The open reel release goes very sharp on the cymbals compared to the master.

Transitions @ 2:20, 4:20, and 6:20
 
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Pb Blimp

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I love the 200G by Analog Productions but its not on the list. In fact, I am going to go listen to it now.



https://store.acousticsounds.com/index.cfm?get=detail&Title_ID=105103

Praise for the 200-gram 45 RPM version of Analogue Productions' Time Out reissue

"The results speak for themselves: the platters from QRP are in my experience the most consistently flat and quiet being pressed today ... at least for the foreseeable here and now, Analogue Productions' newly mastered 45 RPM (Brubeck) is the edition to own. You'll hear it right from the familiar piano intro to "Blue Rondo a la Turk," where Brubeck's playing seems richer, more lyrical, more rhythmically alive. It seems to me that as our gear gets ever more quiet, these QRP LPs continue to wring more musical nuance from the finest recordings." — Music = 5/5; Sound = 5/5 — Wayne Garcia, The Absolute Sound, January 2013.

“I've now heard a number of LPs from Quality Record Pressings (QRP), Chad Kassem's year-and-a-half-old record-pressing plant. Before Time Out, I would have said that some positive trends were apparent from the earlier LPs I've heard. However, this current pressing is so much better than those that came before it, which were certainly very good, that it's obvious things have improved considerably over the past year. It's a positive sign when the noise floor is defined by the hiss of the master tape, not the quality of the pressing or vinyl, and that's the case here. Having heard many, many Pallas and RTI pressings, the main competition for QRP, I would say that QRP pressings combine the strengths of both its competitors: the very low surface noise and bottom-of-the-groove quiet of Pallas LPs and the sharp delineation of musical detail of RTI." — Sound = 4.5/5; Music = 5/5 — Marc Mickelson, The Audio Beat, August 2012
 

astrotoy

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Even with the compression over the internet, you can hear differences in the versions with headphones. The open reel release goes very sharp on the cymbals compared to the master.

Transitions @ 2:20, 4:20, and 6:20

Thanks. What versions are you comparing? Easy to hear difference between 1 and 2. Normally master tape and open reel are both tape. Is open reel the 7.5ips 1/4 track version and the master tape 15ips 2 track. What about the other two? Thanks, Larry
 

cjfrbw

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Thanks. What versions are you comparing? Easy to hear difference between 1 and 2. Normally master tape and open reel are both tape. Is open reel the 7.5ips 1/4 track version and the master tape 15ips 2 track. What about the other two? Thanks, Larry

Hi, Larry. Don't really know except what is provided by the you tube page. First is master, second is tape R to R (I presume, probably commercial 7.5 ips), third is vinyl (no spec on TT or cartridge/arm, vinyl version etc.) and last is the tape cassette, which you can hear capstan wobble/flutter.

Comparison is probably rather pointless with the compression etc., but the vinyl sounds a little closer to the master in this particular demo. However, this is with enormous grains of salt comparing things that probably can't be compared that well to begin with. It was just a curiosity that I came across and decided to post it.

"1959 2tk 15IPS Master Tape(1) vs 1959 Original open reel tape 4tk 7 1/2IPS(2) vs 1959 U.S. LP(3) vs 1973 Greece cassette tape(4)"

I suppose you could e-mail the author of the video and ask him more specific questions.
 
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Ron Resnick

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I love the 200G by Analog Productions but its not on the list. In fact, I am going to go listen to it now.



https://store.acousticsounds.com/index.cfm?get=detail&Title_ID=105103

Praise for the 200-gram 45 RPM version of Analogue Productions' Time Out reissue

"The results speak for themselves: the platters from QRP are in my experience the most consistently flat and quiet being pressed today ... at least for the foreseeable here and now, Analogue Productions' newly mastered 45 RPM (Brubeck) is the edition to own. You'll hear it right from the familiar piano intro to "Blue Rondo a la Turk," where Brubeck's playing seems richer, more lyrical, more rhythmically alive. It seems to me that as our gear gets ever more quiet, these QRP LPs continue to wring more musical nuance from the finest recordings." — Music = 5/5; Sound = 5/5 — Wayne Garcia, The Absolute Sound, January 2013.

“I've now heard a number of LPs from Quality Record Pressings (QRP), Chad Kassem's year-and-a-half-old record-pressing plant. Before Time Out, I would have said that some positive trends were apparent from the earlier LPs I've heard. However, this current pressing is so much better than those that came before it, which were certainly very good, that it's obvious things have improved considerably over the past year. It's a positive sign when the noise floor is defined by the hiss of the master tape, not the quality of the pressing or vinyl, and that's the case here. Having heard many, many Pallas and RTI pressings, the main competition for QRP, I would say that QRP pressings combine the strengths of both its competitors: the very low surface noise and bottom-of-the-groove quiet of Pallas LPs and the sharp delineation of musical detail of RTI." — Sound = 4.5/5; Music = 5/5 — Marc Mickelson, The Audio Beat, August 2012


Hi Paul,

Have you compared directly the AP reissue to any of the Classic Records reissues?
 

Pb Blimp

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zerostargeneral

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Dear Ron,

I have procured a mint condition ED1 mono for you,this is the benchmark for me.

I have not rushed because I thought you were without a system for now.

Please advise if I am incorrect?

Kindest regards,G.
 

bonzo75

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I don't think Ron will be able to compare a mono vinyl easily as many on this thread seem to not have dedicated mono (larry and jazz doc aside), and Ron from my understanding is not moving that way at least now? But someone with a mono cart should pick this up pronto
 

Tango

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Dear Ron,

I have procured a mint condition ED1 mono for you,this is the benchmark for me.

I have not rushed because I thought you were without a system for now.

Please advise if I am incorrect?

Kindest regards,G.

If Ron decides otherwise, there is always me.

Kind regards,
Tang
 

zerostargeneral

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Dear Mr. Tang,

I will put you second on the list.

Kindest regards,G.

P.S. I thought the sound of both the Opus and the Lyra was sublime on the AS2000 with the 30 12R.

Bravissimo.
 

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