Mr. A.wayne, I do apologize for not getting back to you sooner. As you know, life does get in the way sometimes and in this case it did. That said, here's an offering of my unprofessional observations/review of the Dave Brubeck album of The Crossing. As mentioned before, this is on the RB layer and not the DSD due to a faulty disc.
I'd like to first point out that this is extremely enjoyable for what it has to offer with regards to its recording [to a degree] but more importantly for it's musical content. What a great album for one to enjoy! As mentioned before, I see why folks have come to love DB. With that said, I'd like to offer you my observations.
Please keep in mind that I am not a professional reviewer and I just jot things down as I observe them. Here goes. The overall dynamics of the album, I feel, would be among the top 15% of albums recorded. The natural roll off of the upper frequency instruments are very well played back and not "tinny", heavily compressed or otherwise something that one would have to "put up with". While they not be the best of the best, it's enjoyable, relaxing and only slightly rolled off on only the upper most of frequencies. There is a good sense of a perceived sound stage.
The bassist and drums as well as any other instrument that plays the lower octave of registers are not well defined at all. There is no texture, no micro-detail or in any sense, resolution. The presence is obviously there but with a complete lack of subtleties or definitive definition within. One further note, it seems as if the lower register instruments are far back. Too far back for the microphones to pick up any semblance of accuracy for the playback. While this may be the age of the recording or the recording techniques, I do not know. I can only offer what I have observed. I will say this, the lower registers sounded fine at the beginning of song 4 but were still not detailed enough for a worthy mention of an attribute to the album but I thought it prudent to mention that not all of the album was exactly the same. Basically, the lower registers were my main gripe. Both in the listening position on different players and off axis......many times the lower register instruments get lost in heavy passages with the rest of the performance [may be a result of the age and recording technology of the time].
Otherwise, throughout the album, many subtle details were easily heard. At all levels including low listening levels, reasonable listening levels and levels that would mimic the actual live performance. I would also like to point out that I now would love to hear the DSD layer, which might make up for some of these differences but honestly, I doubt it would. I could easily hear the breaths a musician took as they moved on with their performance and many other subtitles and though, as I re-read my review, there are many negatives? The musical content alone should be enough to make one want to have this in their collection.
For full disclosure, this is my first DB album. I have nothing to compare it too but I will say this. I will most definitely be getting more and I could kick myself for not enjoying him and his talent before now. I hope this helps.
Tom