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Analogue Productions announces May 21st release of ultimate Kind Of Blue LP

What makes this version the ultimate Kind Of Blue?

- Source is the 3-track master tape.

- The three songs recorded at a slightly incorrect speed (the multi-track recorder, unbeknownst to the recording engineer, was running slow!) have been speed-corrected. The speed issue was not noticed until Classic Records did their release of the album, back in the 1990’s. All pressings prior to that have the three songs playing slightly out-of-tune!

- Mastering done by Bernie Grundman.

- Analogue productions owner Chad Kassem acquired the rights to the UHQR name and process from MoFi awhile back. This LP is manufactured in the UHQR fashion at QRP, each LP being 200 grams of Clarity vinyl. Clarity vinyl LP’s have a opaque milky white appearance, the vinyl being 100% free of the carbon element in non-Clarity vinyl. The quietest LP’s in the history of LP manufacturing. The LP pressing cycle is a very long (by LP manufacturing standards) 1.5-2 minutes, allowing the warm vinyl to cool before being removed from the press. That time minimizes the chance of warped LP's.

- The album is a single disc that plays at 33-1/3. Hallelujah! I think breaking up an LP side into two halves destroys the flow of the music as it was meant to be heard. I prefer to sacrifice the small increase in sound quality that 45 RPM affords to keep the music intact.

- The LP is packaged in a deluxe box (each copy numbered), with a booklet containing historical information about the album.

The album is limited to 25,000 copies worldwide. MoFi’s 1-Step pressing of Carole King’s Tapestry album, announced a coupla months ago at a retail price of $125.00, has sold out prior to release date. Kind Of Blue is a much more sacred album in the minds of many music lovers, so if you are interested in this new AP pressing of the album, I wouldn’t wait too long to order it. It is listed on the Acoustic Sounds and Music Direct websites, but not on Elusive Disc.
128x128bdp24
tablejockey
3,902 posts
 
"If you haven't bought from them before, orders over $99 ship free, and you pay no sales tax."

Ahem...

bdp24 meant to say-you pay sales tax by claiming out of state purchase come tax time as we're all good citizens...yes? Of course!

I have a mostly crappy, but quite good side 2 of the real deal
https://www.discogs.com/Miles-Davis-Kind-Of-Blue/release/2252871
I thought $25 was too much when I purchased years ago, but I had to 
have a period  mono press.

Also, this 70's stereo reissue-very good condition.
https://www.discogs.com/Miles-Davis-Kind-of-Blue/release/11621882

I like the mono press for the "everything in the center" presentation-more believable.

Both seem to have a little more organic sound compared to  a 2010 RI, which has punched up, mushy Paul Chambers bass.

If I didn't have ANY copies, I would maybe consider hitting the "buy now" button.

Is this press mono or stereo?

bdp24's avatar
bdp24 OP
9,795 posts
 
@tablejockey, AP is doing it in Stereo. The mono vs. stereo issue is widely discussed amongst collectors of late-50’s to the late-60’s recordings. There are valid rationales for both, and if both are available I decide which way to go depending on the artist and the nature of the recording itself. In a few instances I have gone for both: The AP pressing of The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds and Smiley Smile albums ($35 each), for instance.

But I love those albums to death, and the original Capitol LP’s are two of the worst sounding records I’ve ever heard: extremely veiled, muffled, and castrated. The AP reissues---mixed by Mark Linett and mastered by Kevin Gray from the original multi-track tapes---are a revelation! Michael Fremer graded the mono version 11/11, the only case of him doing that I recall.

Michael (45 RPM Audiophile) includes the stereo AP pressing of The Beach Boys’ Surfer Girl album (the only true stereo recording of theirs until the very-late 60’s) in his "The Ten Best Sounding LP’s Of All Time" list.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24 OP
9,795 posts
 
I just went onto YouTube, and the first video that popped up was a new one from earlier today: Michael (45 RPM Audiophile) interviewing Chad Kassem about yesterday's announcement of the May 21st release of the UHQR Kind Of Blue. Acoustic Sounds was bombarded with orders, selling out of the first pressing of 6,000 copies in one day! They were receiving one order for the LP every 5 seconds.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24 OP
9,795 posts
 
We learn one thing in the interview: my guess that the tape source for this AP reissue of KOB was the mix done in 1995 by Kevin Gray for Classic Records was indeed correct. The mastering was done at the same time. Chad says he has been asked why AP didn't do a new mastering, and the answer is simple: 1- Sony will never again let the 3-track master tape leave it's vault; and 2- There is no way to improve on the job Gray did in 1995. It's as good as it gets.

Michael is hosting a live stream on his YouTube channel this Saturday at 12 noon CST. Joining him will be Analogue Productions owner Chad Kassem, Michael Hobson of Classic Records, Kevin Gray, the guy in charge of LP pressing at QRP (Quality Record Production, AP's in-house LP manufacturing plant, one of the three best in the world), and Michael Fremer. Submitted questions will be answered by the assembled panel. Be there or be square.
audioquest4life
771 posts
 
Watched the Miles Davis Kind of Blue live panel today. Very interesting discussion about the source of the new UHQR. Michael Hobson spoke at length for the first hour or so and provided some insight on the origination of Classic Records production process and how Chad at Acoustic Sounds has taken it to another level with the UHQR pressings. It was engaging enough for me to stay on the entire session. I also ordered my copies a few days ago. 
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