Herbie Mann: Memphis Underground -- which CD remaster is best sounding?

[monkboughtlunch]

What's the best sounding Herbie Mann: Memphis Underground CD remastering?  "Atlantic Masters" or any of the Japanese remasters?  Is there any difference?

[Bill Nelson]

The Japanese SHM of 'Underground' (WPCR-29031) has been a pleasure -- all instruments are better defined, esp. the bass and drums.  As I've been through several sealed vinyl copies, it's good to finally hear it in much better detail.  Can't speak for the 'Atlantic Masters' but I've got the first CD issue which was mastered by Stephen Innocenzi -- with the effect of cloaking by a wet blanket. 

In all cases of this album, the usual muddy touch of original session engineer Tom Dowd keeps 'Underground' from achieving, by comparison, the startling brilliance of the SHM CD of Roland Kirk's 'Inflated Tear'.  (Well worth the upgrade for any devotee of Rahsaan.)

[mikeweil]

Just ordered a copy of the SHM issue of Memphis Underground. Tom Dowd's recordings always had a lot of tape hiss, and in most cases when engineers try to reduce that the results are awful. 

It's no wonder the Kirk sounds great in the remaster - "New Process CSG Stereo" - whatever that was.

[monkboughtlunch]

Thanks for info.  Mikeweil, where did you order the SHM issue?

[Kevin Bresnahan]

7 hours ago, monkboughtlunch said:

Thanks for info.  Mikeweil, where did you order the SHM issue?

I would use these guys: http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/WPCR-29031

[mikeweil]

I ordered from JPC, who sell them for € 15,99 a piece.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

18 hours ago, mikeweil said:

I ordered from JPC, who sell them for € 15,99 a piece.

Buying it from CD Japan would have cost you €13,15 (including shipping). It would be even cheaper if you ordered more discs, so you might want to check on them in the future.

[sonnymax]

On 8/8/2017 at 5:06 AM, mikeweil said:

Just ordered a copy of the SHM issue of Memphis Underground. Tom Dowd's recordings always had a lot of tape hiss, and in most cases when engineers try to reduce that the results are awful. 

It's no wonder the Kirk sounds great in the remaster - "New Process CSG Stereo" - whatever that was.

According to Wikipedia:

The Haeco-CSG, or Holzer Audio Engineering-Compatible Stereo Generator system, was an analog electronic device process designed to make stereophonic vinyl LP records compatible with mono playback equipment. These recordings were intended to make the 2 channel stereo mix to automatically "fold-down" properly to a single mono channel.

[mikeweil]

Engineering on the Kirk was done by Paul Goodman - totally different from the tinny sound of his work for Prestige in the 1960's. 

Kevin, thanks for the info about CDJapan, It's only that I get 5% discount from JPC and never pay for postage. And I try to buy less CDs ... 

[JSngry]

I like tape hiss, it sounds like a record. I dare anybody to go hear live music of this - or most any other - nature that is heard in a totally "quiet" environment. There's always some kind of ambient noise in the air, might as well be tape hiss on a record as an air conditioner in a club.

[Teasing the Korean]

1 hour ago, JSngry said:

I like tape hiss, it sounds like a record. I dare anybody to go hear live music of this - or most any other - nature that is heard in a totally "quiet" environment. There's always some kind of ambient noise in the air, might as well be tape hiss on a record as an air conditioner in a club.

You never realize how noisy our world is until there is a power outage, and you're in dead silence.  It's scary.  We're surrounded by all these humming, whirring, buzzing pieces of equipment, and we are oblivious to them until they stop working.   You know, with classical music, I much prefer older analog recordings on CD than I do digital recordings.  

[JSngry]

And even after a power outage, a lot of us are close enough to a major-ish urban or suburban thoroughfare that there's traffic noises somewhere. I know I can't recall not having some kind of traffic noise since I started living in my own houses, any of them, then or now. And it doesn't bother me.

But every once in a while, I'll have occasion to go "out yonder", to the really "boondock-y" country. And then, not only do you realize how unquiet your normal world is, but at night, you realize what "the dark" really means, especially when there's no moon.

I still remember the first time I was in the desert, first time outside of some kind of greenish terrian. Fell asleep in Amarillo, woke up somewhere in New Mexico just one skinny ribbon of a road with nobody else on it, and no other trace of the human touch. I freaked out, literally, had a sort of anxiety attack, took a good half-hour to even begin to calm down.

"Alone"...be careful what you ask for, etc. Know what that can be before you go after it!

[jazzbo]

I'm living close to that boondocky country location. . . I have a state nature preserve on the other side of our narrow little road and not many neighbors and live half a mile from a man-made lake state park. I get about thirty cars total a workday go up and down the road, rarely are there two crossing each other on the road. Very quiet (except for the sounds of wind and bugs and birds) and very dark at night. It's like paradise imo.