Bernie is a world class mastering engineer who's been at this for over a half a century. Bernie did all the Classic Records Blue Note titles. He done tons for ORG, Impex, Mosaic, and Rhino to name some. He's just about as good as it gets.
Vinyl Me Please Anthology
- Thread starter mdmost
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Bernie is a world class mastering engineer who's been at this for over a half a century. Bernie did all the Classic Records Blue Note titles. He done tons for ORG, Impex, Mosaic, and Rhino to name some. He's just about as good as it gets.
MikeH
Well-Known Member
Some of the mastering isn't bad on that series--it's more the QC that was atrocious. Looked up some of my BG jazz albums. I have a Mingus ORG (Let My Children Hear Music), Chet is Back! ORG, a couple Classics Records issues (Dizzy Reece - Soundin Off, Horace Parlan - Speakin My Piece)...they all sound good from what I remember but I don't recall any of them blowing me away. KG's cuts are pretty consistently great IMO especially on jazz, even with digital sources.
NewsFedora
Well-Known Member
Yeah that’s a bigger red flag for me than GZ.
Ok that’s a lot more reassuring.
the problem with those were that they were pressed at united with almost all digital masters
dhodo
Well-Known Member
I am familiar with BG, I just wasn't sure if I have any Jazz reissues he did. I may.
Yeah I've got a bunch of his Jazz releases and they're all great. I was just joking with my "ouch" comment in regards to the description of him doing some of the BN75s. I don't think anyone could have done a good job with those considering the sources and the fact that they were pressed at places like United. Hell my Soul Station is literally re-mastered by a different engineer on each side! That's nuts!
MikeH
Well-Known Member
I like Bernie. But for me, if KG and BG did remasters of the same jazz album from the same source, I'd take KG most of the time. I still like BG and I'm sure these will sound great though. I don't know that Bernie would make Takin Off sound better than KG did for the BN80 considering both are AAA (and both pressed at mediocre plants). I think quite a few of these in the box already have AAA KG cuts as well but could be mistaken on that. So if I already had some of the KG cuts of a lot of these albums, I would find it hard to justify buying this. If I liked the titles and only owned one or two of the albums in the box, I think it's actually a pretty decent price.
Does anyone have the MOV Mwandishi/Sextant/Thrust and have anything to say about them good or bad? I expect it's the usual MOV deal where they are totally clean flat pressings but sound pretty lifeless and digital? But I ask because A. there aren't really any other recent pressings of these that are any good and B. MOV occasionally actually does some pretty nice stuff, I have MOV Live Evil from Miles and it's actually pretty good in terms of dynamics.
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NathanRicaud
Well-Known Member
I’ve got the Music On Vinyl pressing for Thrust and it does sound a bit digital actually. It’s clean but doesn’t have much of a soundstage/presence. I don’t know if I can recommend it. It’s a decent sounding pressing but it’s nowhere near as good as the Analogue Productions pressing for Headhunters!
Might listen to it tonight and play Headhunters before and if I do, I’ll confirm what I think!
jamieanderson1968
Well-Known Member
Have not heard the Hancock MOV titles but you pretty much hit the nail on the head with their pressings. I like all the MOV presses I have, even if some sound do sounds a bit lifeless. I have Live Evil and Get Up With It and really like both.
agutierrezb
Well-Known Member
So, tell us Nathan, where you currently at in regards to buying this Anthology?
MadLucas
Well-Known Member
Don't do it.
Buy the albums you want and you will be happy with.
...and any Herbie collection that doesn't include Inventions & Dimensions or any VSOP material is kidding itself.
NathanRicaud
Well-Known Member
I’m not sure to be honest but I think I’m leaning towards a ‘No’, because I have Headhunters and don’t really care for 1+1 and The Piano too much. Also, I’m not the biggest fan of Rivers: The Joni Letters - it’s a good album but I know it’s an album I wouldn’t spin too much!
The only selections from that Boxset I really like are Future Shock, Maiden Voyage and the live album. That’s only 3/8 of the selections I’m content with!
If I didn’t have great sounding pressings of Takin’ Off and Headhunters, it would be 5/8 of the selections I’d be happy with! And I would purchase the Boxset, but 3 out of 8 of the selections is too low! The Piano is a beautiful album, but again, not one I’d spin a lot!
I’m more excited about the two John Coltrane verve Acoustic Sounds reissues than this Herbie Hancock Boxset...
And I’m also very excited about the two upcoming Nina Simone Acoustic Sounds reissues as well!
NathanRicaud
Well-Known Member
What about you @agutierrezb ? What are your thoughts on the Boxset with the album picks, to the pressing details, and USD$289 price (USD$50 international shipping)? Overall, do you like this VMP Anthology?
MikeH
Well-Known Member
People (at least on Reddit) keep thinking Herbie hand selected these albums from everything in this anthology but I’d be willing to be almost anything that they gave him a list of 12 albums they had access to and he chose 8 of them. There no way he chose these out of his entire discography.
NathanRicaud
Well-Known Member
You think so?!? I have a feeling he really did completely select these 8 albums!
What makes you think otherwise?
Bloodlemons
Well-Known Member
You keep posting reasonable thoughts that are making me rethink biting on this one...
roffle24
Member
You keep posting reasonable thoughts that are making me rethink biting on this one...
"These are great albums. The gems here are the following:
The Piano was released on vinyl in Japan only, one time in 1979. Median to buy a copy on Discogs is $45.
For 1+1, this is the first time it's been released on vinyl. Previously, this album was CD only.
Live Under the Sky (as VMP mentions on their page) has the tracks in a different order, plus an additional track has been added."
Someone commented this on reddit and I found it to be a bit reassuring for those that are buying it. Whether the albums are good or not might be up for debate, but there's a few decent "exclusive" releases here. If Headhunters and Maiden Voyage come out as solid pressings this anthology might be a decent buy if you don't have much Herbie in your collection already.
I personally only have "Takin' off" from the BN80 release so I'm considering buying this.
MikeH
Well-Known Member
I bought two anthologies so far. I like both of them a lot. The pressings sound great. If you like Herbie and don’t own most or any of these, I don’t doubt that you’ll enjoy this. If you can afford it comfortably then I think it’s likely a good purchase!You keep posting reasonable thoughts that are making me rethink biting on this one...
in @NathanRicaud’s case, since he has some of these already in audiophile quality and doesn’t love the other choices, I say save your money and buy albums you truly love and will spin more!
I’m personally skipping out on this as I own pretty solid versions of the albums in here that I most like. I may go for the AP Head Hunters but I can live without the other albums in this box.
I have it. Not the greatest pressing, but serviceable. Digital master so unlikely to be a huge sound difference, mine sounds quite good.