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Best sounding VINYL labels?

The only time I've been stunned, speechless and just plain freaked out by reproduced music was listening to Louis Armstrong's "Saint James Infirmary" Classic Records 45speed release at a high-end shop.* This led me to assumed Classic Records was THE standard for audiophile re-releases. Now I've been reading that their offerings are hit and miss.

With the understanding that no label is going to be 100% successful, what labels are the best bet for truly outstanding re-issues?

And it would be helpful to know which labels are best to avoid?

*Just FYI, the shop was in Santa Monica and I went with some fellow goners (such as Dekay...great guy) and others. The setup wasn't in any especially interestingly arranged acoustic room. The amps were two Audio Research VT200s, an Audio Research Ref phonostage, an Oracle MK5 with a Graham (2.2 I think but I don't know the cart) and since it was when I was just getting into all this that's about all I can remember (it was 7 years ago!) Dekay, you there? What were the speakers?? Since then I've heard systems costing several hundred thousand dollars (many just sounded like crap, frankly) but I've never heard anything close to that Satchmo session. The man was in the room. It's what we all dream about. (OK, I usually dream about Ashley Judd being in the room with me but that's a post for another time and another site.)
kublakhan
audiotomb's avatar
audiotomb
1,112 posts
 
old Blue Notes - NYC Lexington Ave - get your checkbook ready
cmo
471 posts
 
I would have to say I have been very impressed with everything I have heard on the Acoustic Sounds label.... Their 45rpm (expensive) reissues are incredible.

Chris
hifimaniac
508 posts
 
I have had issues with Acoustic Sounds 200 gram reissues! The vinyl is noisy! I have been told they have had a problem spreading the vinyl properly during production to create the 200 gram LPs. I have the Satchmo Plays King Oliver LP mentioned in this thread with St James Infirmary and it sounded terrible after the third play. I have avoided Acoustic sounds reissues. Audiotomb has it right; the 47 Lexington Ave Blue Notes, the flat edge ones are incredible. I have heard Horace Silver's Six Pieces of Silver on the Lex Ave Blue note and on the reissue from Clasic Records, I believe, and they don't even sound like the same performance. The Rudy Van Gelder on blue Note sounds superior to the reissue that was mixed differently and sounds more like a big band mix than the intimacy of the original recording. Too bad the engineers today didn't listen to the original to get it right. The LP's pressed at RTI by Stan Ricker have been superior sounding and quality vinyl.
pawlowski6132's avatar
pawlowski6132
592 posts
 
I thought, in general, MFSL (I've only bought 80's releases including UHQR) was pretty good. And, I thought that was the popular opinion. But, I've also read much more negative things about this label too. Any other thoughts? My other favorite label is Pablo and ECM.
mothra
110 posts
 
Remasters and originals always are going to sound different. Blue note's, Black label chess mono's etc., were all cut hotter and more agressive in the upper mids originally compared to remasters which are usually more "polite". This does not mean they are worse, that's for you to judge.

Sometimes reissues can be better. I felt this about a couple of the shaded dogs and Mercs and the creedence stuff from steve hoffman.

There is no rule. Check out some stuff. 9.99 OJC's from Fantasy are a great place to start.
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