Adventures in Mastering: James Taylor “SWEET BABY JAMES” for Audio Fidelity Gold CD

Got the invoice today, the disc can't be far.

 

Steve - you have outdone yourself. This is your best work to date.

I closed my eyes to listen and James was in the room.

 

Just played mine. F**king Incredible!!!

 

This title is long in coming and it is one of the albums most of us "know well". I started to write this after my 4th listen. (during my 5th)

But, the best part of listening to this disc is that every song takes it's place in your room, but not your room. Country Road and Fire and Rain are as big as you always thought they were suppose to be. Sunny Skies and Blossom are smaller set in this musical place.

IN the smaller set you can pick out every instrument. In the larger settings you can feel the music hit you harder, not louder, it's like turning a fan from low to medium. You can feel the horns and strings start and stop playing!!

Through the whole time James Taylor is front and center (backing vocals are just either side of center) and the "Being There" feeling expands and contracts until the end of Suite for 20G and you're back from 1970, and that is "OK"

From the 180-gram vinyl to this Gold CD. Steve knows this album, and he know how to make it shine.

Thank You, Steve, well done.

IMO

 

Convinced enough to throw one in the Amazon Pre Order cart, and put my 20P2 from Darcy in the classifieds...

Looking forward to this

 

Because of my Amazon card points + being a Prime member = $3.20 for my copy of the AF Gold Sweet Baby James !!!

 

Still waiting for my order to ship from Acoustic Sounds, whose website shows a 9-6-11 arrival date...however, I have Steve's Rhino LP remaster with Kevin Grey to hold me over until then...

 

For $3.20, you just get the booklet. And no slipcase either.

 

I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on the gold CD versus the LP.

 

Got my Audio Fidelity Gold CD today (along with the Heart issue - I'm a subscriber).

I LOVE the latest Warner Brothers vinyl issue done by Kevin and Steve a few years ago, so I wanted to compare a few songs on the vinyl to the new CD.

Steve was able to nearly catch the sparkle and dynamics of the vinyl he did a few years back. The tonality of the songs I listened to on both formats, sounded VERY close.

To my ears the vinyl was more open sounding, a bit more dynamic and had a nice sparkle to the overall sound. The CD was bit more closed in sounding, but the dynamics were fairly intact (just slightly less open). The CD was very warm sounding, no harshness at all even at very loud volumes. The mids were smooth as silk.

On my system I preferred the sound of the vinyl, and when I want to really listen to this album closely (along with the stuff that goes along with playing a vinyl record), I will grab the vinyl copy. But that said, the new Audio Fidelity CD seems to be as close a CD can get to the newest WB vinyl re-issue.

Nice work.

 

I've been hoping for an DCC/AF Hoffman mastering of this gem. I'm getting mine on the 6th!

 

Interesting. What do you mean by "open" and "closed in"? How much is due to the ClearAudio set up vs the Sony / Oppo?

I'm hoping that my AF gold will be with me before the end of the month, but I won't have anything with which it can be compared.

 

I knew it was nearly impossible to beat the LP

 

I never bought the LP Steve mastered, but it sounds like I will be set with the gold CD. The target and Japanese 20P2 CDs have always been an enjoyable listen, but it seems that the gold disc takes things to a new level. Can't wait for it to arrive. Just a few more days.

 

I seem to recall Steve posted something about this. Vinyl's clicks & pops somehow "add" a more 3-D image to the sound, "opening" the room. CDs tend to lack this, and sound more like a "closed" room. Best way to test this is to compare an LP and CD of the same album yourself, especially if both are mastered by the same guy(s).

I'm sure others here can comment on how your equipment affects this "open/closed" perception, so...

 

My gold CD arrived Friday. Next up ...

 

So...You are saying you prefer the cd to vinyl. I listened to the lp recently and it was fantastic. I haven't heard the cd yet, as it is in the mail. This will be interesting to hear.

 

Yes, I was also surprised to hear that (haven't heard the AF)... the LP sounds wonderful on a good LP playback... one of the best vinyl remasters I've heard in the last years.

 

yeah, that vinyl nails it on my system. I am very happy with the vinyl. I bought the cd to complete the set and have something to listen to on my other non-vinyl systems.

 

True, this lp didn't sound as good with my cheaper cart. Once I upgraded the cart, the lp really bloomed.

 

I only hear LPs at the analog playback of my buddy... He uses a Clearaudio Innovation turntable, Graham Phantom II arm, Lyra Titan cart and the big FM Acoustics phono stage. That is a high resolution combo.... Transparency at its best with all the advantages of an analog playback system.

Sweet Baby James sounds like almost like an audiophile "live recording". Probably the mastering sounds better than the final cut, but as I will never hear the master tape, the Rhino is the reference for me.

I will post my impressions, when I get the AF.

 

Looking forward to this CD more than any I can remember. This thread is not helping.