Quote:
Originally Posted by FranklinLG
Jérôme,
I need to note my view is very subjective. But I have found that some of the records that I have that are not well done are obviously so now. The added detail reveals more clearly the areas in the record that are lacking. The reference to Adele's vinyl is spot on. So I would rather listen to her blu-ray performance and just enjoy. Also, some of my older and sadly more worn records are not as sweet sounding, as there is just more clarity coming through and those age and usage issues are more pronounced.
That said, we're only talking about 10-15% of my collection that fails to make the grade. Average or well produced vinyl certainly sounds swell. And I am enjoying that a great deal more. Van Morrison's Poetic Champions is a regular heavy rotation. Its an album that I've probably played as much (or close to) as Sinatra's Wee Small Hours - and both are right up there in my top 10 listening sessions. Listening to it through my system has always been a pleasure. But it tends to shine even more so and I hear new detail not previously culled from my prior pre-amps. So here's an average mastering and pressing from the mid-1980's, and I love it. it is better now than I have ever heard it.
On the other hand, my Wee Small Hours has some wear issues. The disc came in "NM", but was really more of a VG+ to excellent for its surface. And then i discovered some significant groove wear on the first side on the last 2 tracks. Unfortunately, both issues are more clearly noticeable and detract from the experience. And while I could tolerate it before, as there are so few original grey labels out there to be found of this amazing album, the added noise and distortion is too much for my Koetsu to compensate for to allow me to enjoy this album. Here's to hoping MoFi includes it in its reissues.
So what's my point - I don't know. But I'll try to recap. I like the Giscours a lot. It is taking me more closely to the performance than anything else I've had in the Pre-Amp spot. My take is it does this, in part, by the way it reproduces so much more detail that was somehow not coming through with my prior pre-amps. This is a blessing and a curse. Great masterings are amazing. Average ones are wonderful. Poor ones just stink.... Put another way, there's no way to make supermarket Welch's grape juice into fine wine! The damage is already done.
Cheers!
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FranklinLG-
Happy New Year !
Another great, and well written chapter in your Giscours saga-
Thank you for giving us such a comprehensive description-
Guess you're just going to have to crush those 'sour grapes' of yours, & get some more 'fine wine'-
David