The Miles Davis Quintet - Cookin' (1956) [XRCD 1998 Remaster]
FLAC | EAC | LOG | CUE | Scans | 34:09 | 212 MB | RS
Jazz
Recorded three years before his landmark album
Kind Of Blue (Columbia, 1959),
Cookin' was part of Davis' remaining five-album commitment to Prestige, recorded a year to the day after Georges Avakian lured him to Columbia in October, 1955. The XRCD remaster is bound to draw comparisons with the equally brilliant but slightly warmer DCC remaster which preceded it, and the later disappointing Rudy Van Gelder remaster.
EAC LOG
Exact Audio Copy V0.99 prebeta 4 from 23. January 2008
EAC extraction logfile from 15. December 2008, 17:08
Miles Davis / Cookin' with the Miles Davis Quintet (XRCD)
Used drive : PLEXTOR DVDR PX-755A Adapter: 2 ID: 2
Read mode : Secure
Utilize accurate stream : Yes
Defeat audio cache : Yes
Make use of C2 pointers : Yes
Read offset correction : 30
Overread into Lead-In and Lead-Out : Yes
Fill up missing offset samples with silence : Yes
Delete leading and trailing silent blocks : No
Null samples used in CRC calculations : No
Used interface : Native Win32 interface for Win NT & 2000
Gap handling : Appended to previous track
Used output format : User Defined Encoder
Selected bitrate : 768 kBit/s
Quality : High
Add ID3 tag : No
Command line compressor : C:\Program Files\Exact Audio Copy\FLAC\FLAC.EXE
Additional command line options : -6 -V -T "ARTIST=%a" -T "TITLE=%t" -T "ALBUM=%g" -T "DATE=%y" -T "TRACKNUMBER=%n" -T "GENRE=%m" -T "COMMENT=%e" %s -o %d
TOC of the extracted CD
Track | Start | Length | Start sector | End sector
---------------------------------------------------------
1 | 0:00.37 | 6:03.38 | 37 | 27299
2 | 6:04.00 | 0:25.20 | 27300 | 29194
3 | 6:29.20 | 10:00.30 | 29195 | 74224
4 | 16:29.50 | 4:27.37 | 74225 | 94286
5 | 20:57.12 | 13:10.53 | 94287 | 153589
Track 1
Filename F:\(01) My Funny Valentine - Miles Davis.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:02.37
Peak level 82.4 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Copy CRC 8BD194CF
Accurately ripped (confidence 2) [9E1A7081]
Copy OK
Track 2
Filename F:\(02) Blues By Five [false start] - Miles Davis.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:02.57
Peak level 55.7 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Copy CRC 63318491
Accurately ripped (confidence 2) [E7D89833]
Copy OK
Track 3
Filename F:\(03) Blues By Five - Miles Davis.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:00.22
Peak level 97.7 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Copy CRC F573FDF8
Accurately ripped (confidence 2) [D94C6404]
Copy OK
Track 4
Filename F:\(04) Airegin - Miles Davis.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:02.64
Peak level 79.9 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Copy CRC 8554B7BC
Accurately ripped (confidence 2) [04EF2D2C]
Copy OK
Track 5
Filename F:\(05) Tune Up - When Lights Are Low - Miles Davis.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:03.06
Peak level 81.1 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Copy CRC F25747B4
Accurately ripped (confidence 2) [58EC4433]
Copy OK
All tracks accurately ripped
No errors occurred
End of status report
(01) My Funny Valentine - Miles Davis.flac
(02) Blues By Five [false start] - Miles Davis.flac
(03) Blues By Five - Miles Davis.flac
(04) Airegin - Miles Davis.flac
(05) Tune Up - When Lights Are Low - Miles Davis.flac
Will compare it to the DCC release.
All the best,
R.
-but will anybody else know if there is a diff?
Cheers,
sudz
For me the DCC is the best - dynamic and warm - it is perfection, and you can't improve on that.
The XRCD master is also very good - just as dynamic as the DCC, but a bit brighter - I prefer the warmth of the DCC.
The RVG master (to me) is just atrocious. Over-compressed and cold. But that applies to every RVG remaster I have heard so far. I wouldn't even call the RVG remasters "audiophile." And that's a shame because the man is a recording legend.
Just my humble opinion! ;)
More audiophile rips to come tonight! :)
Those are like small islands on the vinyl-rip ocean of Avax "Audiophile" category.
For me vinyl-rip is the same as analog-SACD-rip = non-canon, no collectible value. It is like for CD-rip you have a definitive copy where for vinyl-rip you always wonder if someone did it better. Having 200Gb not-yet-processed downloads on my HDD I just skip vinyl-rips :)
@LezDawson
Whether something is "warmer" or "brighter" may have something to do with one's system, though it's always very subjective. I've found that, for the most part, the XRCDs take the prize with most of their issues.
@MrGreenfinch
yes indeed, it's a sheer pleasure finding true "audiophile" recordings in a sea of murky vinyl rips of tired old pop tunes and mediocre talent that used to be considered laughable even when they were current. Let's have more great "audiophile" recordings in the real thing - once upon a time they were so plentiful here.
For a very fast test, just compare track 5 "Tune Up." Listen to the opening hi-hat pattern. It's subtle, but the XRCD is definitely a bit brighter - even a bit harsher - compared to the DCC.
It's the slightly softer, warmer sound on the DCC that makes it the preferred listen for me. It's simply more relaxing (and yes, that IS subjective!).
I do agree though, that usually XRCD takes the prize - I have some incredible XRCD jazz and classical CDs.
And I agree with all comments above about vinyl rips. Even the very best vinyl rips I have heard are not as good as genuine audiophile CD rips. There's always something not quite right - too much sibilance (the "S" sound and cymbals are often distorted), pitch wobble, decreased tonal range (less extended bass and treble). Vinyl is much much more prone to manufacturing errors than CD. Then you have to factor in the ripper's equipment (tone arm, cartridge, pre-amp, audio cables, etc, etc). And after all that, the vinyl rips are 3 times the size of CD rips due to the higher sample rates and bit rates. I'm convinced the reason that CD has got a bad name is because the vast majority of CDs are awfully mastered. If every CD was mastered like a DCC CD (or XRCD, Mastersound, etc) then people would have a much higher opinion of the 16/44.1 CD format, for all its faults. :)
I think we can agree to disagree, especially when it has to do with one's system and listening experience (live and recorded) over the years. When I hear recordings described as "warm", red flags immediately go up, as this subjective characteristic is indicative of coloration, pleasing as it may sound. The HD 650s are a perfect example of this with their plump & pleasing middle range, having had them and the 600s (much less coloration than their forerunners) but now both happily replaced by AKG 701s and a great headphone amp, as neutral a can I've heard and owned.
But as mentioned previously, it still boils down to subjectivity and personal preference. Having attended many many live jazz sessions, I've observed brightness and sizzle that are frequently part of the experience and/or venue. The truth of the matter will never be known; trying to judge how "true to life" a recording is, is pointless -- the blind men and the elephant:)
As for vinyl rips, I agree with you on every point. The resulting rips are a countless number of steps removed from any kind of master and at the mercy of someone's ripping equipment, related software and DAC devices as well as inner groove distortion, etc...talk about introducing coloration and distortion! CDs have recently gotten a "bad name" as something trendy, and mainly among those who find bloated wave files ego-gratifying...the further irony being that most of those rips are played back on PCs or burned and played by DVD units with inferior DACs. Ah well...let's hope more XRCD, DCCs, Mastersounds etc. keep on coming :)
I already said, the fact that I prefer the DCC IS subjective, but the fact that it has less top end is NOT subjective - it is a simple fact (and detectable with your ears when comparing the two masters on any system).
Absolutely agree with your additional comments about vinyl rips.
Last comment on the topic, we've beaten it to death:)
When it comes to recorded reproduction, there are no real facts, only subject judgement. More top end isn't a bad thing, as is less top end. All a matter of preference, whether one prefers the DCC or XRCD remastering...it's all about how we respond to it. I don't mean to get philosophical, but the real quandary is: what's closer to the "real thing" whatever that may be? When I go to jazz clubs and hear live music, the sizzle is definitely there...nothing sanitized or equalized or warmed up. That was my only point. Maybe, after the fact, we'd prefer it "warmer" but what the heck, the music is really what it's all and quibbling about whose mastering is preferable is still totally subjective...accuracy be damned:)
I just put up my first post here, Bags' Groove on XRCD (posted awhile ago but now defunct) which sounds...to my ears...spectacular...pending the loooooong waiting period when avax gets around to making it accessible. Didn't know how much of a wait there is in the queue.
Cheers!
Example: If I turn up the treble on my amp, it produces louder top end. Again, it's not subjective, it's a basic fact. If I turn up the bass control, it produces louder bottom end frequencies. FACT! So when I say that the XRCD has more "top end" than the DCC, I am stating a fact that it has louder top-end frequencies. OK, I COULD import each CD into some software to produce a graphical image showing the average frequency responses of each master to prove it once and for all, but quite frankly I can't be arsed! I trust my ears to hear top end, like I trust my eyes to tell me when the sky is blue or grey. And again, I'm not saying which is "preferable" (I may prefer grey, I may prefer blue) - I'm simply saying there is a difference, regardless of subjectivity. And the XRCD has more top end than the DCC.
Oh wow, BAGS GROOVE XRCD!!!! I requested that ages ago, after hearing the abysmal RVG remaster (it's criminally bad)! I have wanted the XRCD for ages! BIG thanks man, can't wait! :)
As for the "Bags' Groove" XRCD, I just logged on this morning to see that "Pasha13" refused it because it's a "duplicate." I just PMd him to point out that the original post links are no longer available and that mine is a fresh LIVE one and very much available. Very weird the way they do things around here, we'll see what turns up.
PS: after copping a plea with the powers-that-be here, they finally released my "Bags'" XRCD. Enjoy!
Thanks for the Bags' Groove XRCD!
now you have to show a picture to prove that. Otherwise it's just a fact for you but not for us! How do we know which tits are bigger? ;)
Thanks for this one!
I'm getting a nasty glitch at 2:17 into Track 3. Has anyone else experienced this?
UPDATE: I downloaded the files again and this time everything seems OK. Must have got a glitch in the first download. Thanks again for this great share.
Muchas gracias !!!
abomb