JerryS wrote: > This is probably a really dumb question for such an expert forum, but > let's see if you can help. After spending most of my adult life > listening to classical music I became interested in Jazz after > retirement. Initially I bought cds and ripped these to flac. I then > discovered by abx testing that I can't tell the difference between flac > and mp3 (no surprise there as I am 70). This was great news since I can > now download mp3s from Amazon instantly, cheaper than the cds. I am not > an audophile, I like to listen to music rather than think too much about > the sound quality as long as it sounds 'ok' and don't understand many of > the technicalities discussed in this forum. The bulk of my jazz > collection was recorded between 1955 to the present. My questions are, > given the choice, should I be buying remastered or non-remastered music? > Am I likely to be able to hear the difference anyway since I can't tell > the difference between mp3 and flac? I suspect the answer will be "It > depends on a multitude of factors, including the quality of the > original, the skill of the remasterer, etc, etc". I am sure someone > will tell me to see if I can tell the difference, but, that is not > really an option unless I am willing to buy two of everything and keep > that which I prefer. Any thoughts or general guidelines? Don't get too > technical as I won't understand! > > Thanks > Jerry
Stratmangler wrote: > I wouldn't have thought that many recordings in the Jazz idiom would be > badly aflicted by being remastered - the material isn't mainstream, and > it's unlikely to have been mistreated in the same way as Pop music has. > The Jazz audience wouldn't buy on a whim, unlike the consumers of the > rubbish we call Pop music today. > I grew up when there was real creativity in the pop genre - sadly not > the case today. As an avid jazz fan, listener and collector who has been enjoying jazz for over 40 years I have to wholeheartedly agree with Stratmangler in that most jazz remasters do not suffer the same "loudness" fate as popular music remasters. As has been stated jazz remasters often include extra tracks and alternated takes so they are often very worthwhile, in addition most older jazz, i.e. from before the introduction of the long playing LP, was originally released on 78rpm records and is now available on single and multi disc compilations, for example the 3 disc Duke Ellington release "The Blanton-Webster Band" which collects recordings made in the late 1930s and early 1940s, and many of these collections are quite enjoyable. I also think that matka's streaming suggestion is a very good idea since it will enable you explore many of the side roads that jazz listening offers. What I mean is that for example you might be listening to a Miles Davis recording and discover that you enjoy the playing of one of the sidemen. With a streaming service you can look for and listen to some of the other recordings by or featuring that musician. By the way, if you any questions on jazz or would like a few recommendations please send me a PM. Living Rm: Transporter-SimAudio pre/power amps-Vandersteen 3A Sign. & sub Home Theater: Touch-Marantz HTR-Energy Veritas 2.1 & Linn sub Computer Rm: Touch-Headroom Desktop w/DAC-Aragon amp-Energy Veritas 2.1 & Energy sub Bedroom: Touch-HR Desktop w/DAC-Audio Refinement amp-Energy Veritas 2.0 Guest Rm: Duet-Sony soundbar Garage: SB3-JVC compact system Controls: iPeng; SB Controller; Moose & Muso Server: SBS on dedicated windows 7 computer w/2 Drobos 'Last.fm' (http://www.last.fm/user/jazzfann/) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ralphpnj's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=10827 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=102391 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles
