Quality of recording vs Musical tastes

How many of you purchase remastered versions of CDs that you already own? I find myself doing this often, most of the time the newer remastered versions have better sound quality, sometimes not. One of the most improved remastered versions that comes to mind is Miles Davis "Bitches Brew", a HUGE improvement over the orginial CD release. I am considering purchasing the Creedence Clearwataer Revival remasters that Fantasy released a few years ago. Any opinions on these remasters?

I am guilty of both sins, and I'm damn glad of it. I was, early on, a big rock and roll and progressive music fan, and I still like to blow it out once in a while - when everyone else has left the house. But I do find that I am drawn more and more to live performances of classical and acoustic music simply because I want to hear what the instruments and voices really sound like, not what some engineer cobbled together in the studio.

I heard a most remarkable two-CD live set just the other day, a friend turned me on to it - Bela Fleck and the Flecktones "Live Art". This is one of the better recordings I have ever heard, and the music was very smooth, pure, and engaging - my wife even remarked how nice it sounds, and she usually doesn't spend more than 5 minutes listening to anything. What is it with women, I've rarely seen one sit still long enough to really "listen" to an entire album? Me, I can (and do) sit there for hours at a time, lights dimmed, eyes closed, head swaying, digging it all. I guess it's a guy thing...

The expansion of my musical tastes, particularly in jazz, usually occurred for one of two reasons:
1. a good friend laid something new on me that I liked;
2. the guy who manages the jazz section at my local Tower Records either suggested or played something that I liked (yes, it makes sense to cultivate a relationship with someone in a retail record store).

Like others, I also subscribe to a number of audio mags, and sometimes try recordings they recommend. Interestingly, some of the best ideas for new recordings to try have come from "The Sensible Sound" magazine.

Most recently, I got hooked on the Naxos label, and have subsequently acquired a number of CD's of 20th Century classical composers that I probably would not have otherwise tried. At $6-7 per CD, it was inexpensive to try some new material. On the whole, I've been quite pleased with the Naxos label -- and did a post about a month ago of about 45 of the CD's that have gotten multiple, positive critical reviews.

I wish that more people who read this forum regularly would take 10-15 minutes every month or two to post an informative review of a recording they think has particular merit -- older recordings as well as new.

Yes, I would not have discovered the MA Recordings label and their exquisite music, both artist and quality.

Sean; an interesting thread, and if I gave you the idea idea for it I don't know how-- but thanks for the "nod" anyway-- been having those "senior moments" more often these days.

I have done what both of your points suggest, but mainly I have tried to build my stereo system so that it would sound good with typical "run of the mill" CDs. But I do have my share of "great recordings" of music that I don't particularly care for, ie P. Barber's "Cafe Blue". But OTOH, I really do like J. Warnes "Famous Blue Raincoat"-- doesn't everyone have that CD? BTW, Leonard Cohen's new CD "Ten New Songs" is very well recorded and also good music/lyrics.

I think Stbhorn nailed it for me too. I often buy remasters of music I like, and already have, in hope of getting better recordings-- but as he states sometimes they're better and sometimes not.

Stbhorn; I can highly recommend the newly remastered (about year 2000) CCR CDs using the JVC K2 20 bit Super Coding process-- much more natural sounding than the originals and a lot of the glare, excess brightness, and electronic sound is gone.

Also, I have found that the major labels that record C/W music in Nashville are almost always very good to excellent. I like some C/W music, and the good quality recordings are quite a bonus to me. I just picked up "Waylon Jenning's GH", and was pleasantly surprised to hear an excellent recording.

I have found good re-masters of Buddy Holly, Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, and Chuck Berry-- these may not still be great recordings, but they are much better than the original CD recordings. I suppose looking for re-masters is especially important with older music. Cheers. Craig