Oldest Recordings that sound “audiophile”

@chrismini,

"Vinyl is the best,.."

If one record has persistently eluded all of the best efforts of digital to get close to the original vinyl release, it’s this one.

I’ve heard far too many digital versions and none of them, not even the Sony SBM remaster came close to capturing the warmth and body of the 200 gram Classic Records Reissue.

Apparently it was mastered by Bernie Grundman, and for once with success.

https://www.discogs.com/Miles-Davis-Kind-Of-Blue/release/1800281

The original 1959 ’6 eye’ pressing is almost as good sonically, just a touch less vivid, but certainly not worth the usual asking price.

The Mo-Fi reissue is also highly rated as is the 45rpm 2 disc version of the Classic itself, but I’ve not heard either. To be honest I don’t particularly want to, for me the 209 gram Classic is more than good enough.

Here’s Mike from theingroove.com sharing his knowledge. As a caution he mentions that there are many damaged copies knocking about.

https://youtu.be/rm7l57TfOjY

Jo Stafford/Art Van Damme Quintet-Once Over Lightly.
Columbia CL 968 Mono 6 Eye 1957.
Found a mint copy(jacket and vinyl) at a thrift store for 49 cents.

Is not comparable to most audiophile recordings, Recorded in mono it does have that beaming effect but the sound is very natural.

Miles Davis - Kinda Blue 
Dave Brubeck -  Jazz at Oberlin 1953 , the Finney Chapel as well as Brubeck makes that album. 

Some of the very best stereo recordings were done in the late 1950's.  It is a bit sad that the state of the art has not advanced that much.  For example, a number of 6-eye Columbia's from that time are incredible sounding, such as Ellington's "Blues in Orbit" (1959); Brubeck's "Time Out" and Goodman's "Benny in Brussels (1958).  Another beautifully recorded stereo recording from that era is Armstrong's "Louis Armstrong Plays King Oliver."  I use these as demonstration records.

Some standard audio demonstration recordings from the 1960's include "Belafonte at Carnegie Hall" and the Weaver's "Reunion at Carnegie Hall 1963."

There are plenty of mono records that sound great, but, being mono, they give away their age.  Still, who is not amazed by Rollins' "Saxophone Colossus" ?

For classical, I like the Cozart/Fine recordings for Mercury.