Blue Note XRCD24

[PHC1]

Just got my first batch of Blue Note XRCD24 titles. Yes, I am collecting both Blue Note 45 LPs and XRCD24's since by its nature (XRCDs are stamped from the glass masters) the numbers are limited for both 45's and XRCD.

The first release titles are HANK MOBLEY/SOUL STATION, HORACE PARLAN/SPEAKIN' MY PIECE, SONNY CLARK/COOL STRUTTIN', TINA BROOKS/TRUE BLUE

For those familiar with the XRCD process already know that this is probably as good as it gets with redbook CDs. Analog master tapes to 24 bit A to D conversion to Sony PCM-9000 magneto-optical disc to digital K2 which eliminates jitter, 16 bit K2 Super Coding conversion to DVD K2 laser using Rubidium clock to "cut" glass masters to actual XRCD stamping.

These titles do not disappoint! Fantastic recording quality exhibiting much analog warmth, depth and dimensionality. There is very little if anything that the XRCD vs 45 LP gives up. No digital hash or edge with these recordings at all. I will play and enjoy these titles for many years to come leaving the same title LPs for "special occasions" when I am really in the mood to spin some vinyl.

I suggest anyone looking to build up their jazz collection consider these Blue Note XRCD24's. AUDIO WAVE MUSIC/BLUE NOTE SUBSCRIPTION 1 OF 25 XRCD24s - elusivedisc

[cmalak]

Serge...welcome back. In the latest issue of Tone Audio, they gave a very big thumbs up to the first 4 of the Blue Note XRCDs.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by cmalak

Serge...welcome back. In the latest issue of Tone Audio, they gave a very big thumbs up to the first 4 of the Blue Note XRCDs.

Thanks for the heads up, I have not read the latest Tone Audio yet.

[f1 fan]

Serge,

Thanks for the info. These titles come highly recommended and sound better than ever with this recording process. The Hank Mobley and Tina Brooks are awesome.




Dave

[80B]

Serge,
Got mine just before Christmas, and they're excellent. Look forward to LD+3, which I think is in the next batch. Love the 45RPM LPs, but at the end of the day a couple songs a side isn't my cup of tea except on rare occasion.

[vintage_tube]

I've heard only 1 of these XRCD's on a quality rig and agree, it was fantastic (however, when I die, my MM's will go with me).

Tidbits on these:

**Joe Harley and Robert Bantz are responsible for bringing these XRCD releases to frutrition.

**Limited pressings dictated by the license to press. I believe the license is for three years. There is no "licensing" of the XRCD name, either you use the well established (and documented in each booklet) protocol for XRCD or you don't.

**Mastered by Alan Yoshida at Ocean Way (old United Westen in Hollywood, Ca.). Alan is probably the best digital mastering engineer in the world today. He was assisted by Joe Hartley, a name that doesn't pop up much, but also highly respected (is also the VP of Audioquest -- cables). In the past, Joe worked as Creative Director of the JVC XRCD program from 1997 through 2002.

**Mastered from the Original Rudy Van Gelder Blue Note 2-Track Analog Tapes.

**There is one line set up at JVC Disc Manufacturing facility in Yokohama that has been completely rigged for XRCD replication (that line is not configured to produce SACD discs).

**Audio Wave is owned by Elusive Disc and Elusive Disc is the exclusive distributor of the JVC XRCD product line for North America.

**The Audio Wave team consists of Joe Harley along with Robert Bantz (president of Elusive Disc and now Audio Wave Music) and engineer Alan Yoshida along with Scott Warpool and the Blue Note maven Michael Cuscuna (Michael co-founded Mosaic Records in 1983 with Charlie Lourie).

**The original photographic negatives were used in artwork design.

**XRCDs are significantly more expensive to manufacture than SACD's (pressing is more expensive than SACD).

**Why XRCD & not SACD? From Joe Hartley:

"I've produced many SACDs...30+ easily. I know the format like the back of my hand. My own feeling is that what you get on the original hard drive with DSD is pretty much unimpeachable. It's damn good. BUT...something goes wacky when you bounce it down for production. I've noticed this for years...and I know some very smart people have tried to fix it. To my ears, the final SACD always sounds a bit "mechanical" for lack of a better word, certainly compared to the hard drive.

XRCD's, as mastered by Yoshida, never have this slightly artificial quality IMO. They have a naturalness and ease that is very appealing and true to the tonal balance on the master tapes. Someone here speculated that we went with XRCD due to some added "license see" with SACD. No. In fact it would have been considerably less expense to make SACDs. The decision to do these transfers with XRCD was an informed one."

Joe goes on to say:

"That pretty much sums up my feelings on SACD/XRCD. Ed Meitner, Tom Jung, Michael Bishop at Telarc....we've all heard this thing that happens once you bounce the data from the hard drive. I'm not knowledgeable enough on high speed digital theory to know how to even start addressing this issue....but these guys, especially Ed Meitner, are. To the best of my knowledge, no one has really solved this yet.

I recall doing a session at Bearsville NY...it might have been the Ronnie Earl and Friends sessions ("friends” being Levon Helm, James Cotton, Irma Thomas, Kim Wilson) where we were recording direct to DSD. We'd listen to the tracks off the hard drive and just be in awe. When the hard drive was full and we had to bounce to an AIT tape and played back, the whole band goes "what just happened??" It was that obvious.

Anyway, sorry for the diversion, but it got me thinking about my experiences mastering with Alan Yoshida and how the results ALWAYS impressed me for being SO close to the analog experience. As many others have mentioned, there are XRCD mastered by Alan Yoshida and there are XRCDs mastered by....let's just say "others". As with everything related to mastering, the driver of the car is far more important to the finished result than the particular engine being used.

SACD and XRCD are just tools. The guy using the tools is still, in my opinion, the key ingredient.

Think about it. I have a very good SACD/CD player, the latest Ayre CX-5eMP. I have SACDs that sound beautiful and I have SACDs the absolutely suck.

I have XRCDs that sound utterly amazing and I have XRCDs that suck.

The decision to use Alan Yoshida and use the XRCD process was simply that I find it, at this time, to be the most predictable way of getting the results that we (our team) want."

Above quote from Joe Hartley.



Get 'em before they go OOP down the road. $29.99 per title.

Bob

[80B]

VT,
Thanks for that insight.

On another note, I hope they do a box for the XRCDs.

[vintage_tube]

Originally Posted by 80B

VT,
Thanks for that insight.

On another note, I hope they do a box for the XRCDs.

Not in the cards -- if they didn't do it for the MM releases -- doubtful they would for the BM XRCD's. Analogue Productions offered a "empty box" for their 45RPM reissues for $74.99 -- but AP isn't MM nor AW.

I wish too they would, just stating (above) what I believe the liklihood of it coming to being.

[Gordon]

I entered my subscription this evening. I'm looking forward to these!

Gordon

[Gordon]

Have any of you guys received another batch yet? I've the first four and actually forgot about the subscription. I may have to call ED Monday to see if I missed the next batch.

Gordon