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Beating the RVG Horse

I wanted to throw yet another question out there related to the Rudy Van Gelder re-masters.

If you read any of the previous threads on this topic you might recall that I'm not a huge fan of the sound quality, generally finding the recordings to sound thin and tinny.

Ordinarily I try to stay away from the tone controls on my pre-amp, or as Rotel calls it “tone contouring” (I guess it’s sort of an internal EQ with four pre-set levels plus neutral). I try to stick with the sound as originally recorded on the grounds of trying to get a sound as true to originally played as possible. I do confess that this position is born out of some sort of ‘don’t mess with mother nature’ philosophy rather than any consideration to whether or not it sounds any better. Neurotic or not, I generally equate these things to touching up the Mona Lisa because you don’t like the color of the dress.

On the other hand, I have recently started playing around with the tone control on my pre-amp and found that –particularly with some of these thin RVG recordings, they do help to fill out the sound, even if it is by artificially boosting the bass.

Anyone have any thoughts on this kind of fiddling?
grimace

Showing 4 responses by grimace

grimace OP
624 posts
 
Yes, I suppose "if it sounds better is it better" is a good way to think about it. Plus, I have pretty much concluded that my 120 watt Rotel amp doesn't generate enough current to really drive my Spendor S8s. It never seems like it has enough juice to get the bass really cooking.

Thanks guys.
grimace OP
624 posts
 
Foster,

The other thing about the vinyl guys is that if they own the originals - and a lot of them claim to - they may be forgeting how rare and expensive all that stuff is. It would be nice, but it's not always as easily done as said.

I have 'Quiet Kenny' too, but mine is the 24-bit re-master, not the RVG re-master. The mid/bass isn't awful, but it isn't a very good recording in general.
grimace OP
624 posts
 
Started another good thread here.

I'm not trying to boost the bass to the point that it is obtrusive or bloated. What I am trying to do is boost it enough to fill out the sound, which in turn reduces the tinnyness of some of these recording. And yes, although it is a pre-set eq in my pre-amp, it is simply a more advanced version of the old fashioned 'loudness' button.
grimace OP
624 posts
 
Not sure if anyone is still reading this thread but....

This thread had touched on the original vinyl vs. the CD reissues. As I now have a TT and one Blue Note record I can offer some additional observations - I mean as far as I can get with one record anyway. The record in question is Kenny Dorham's Whistle Stop on a 1984 French reissue (I couldn't bring myself to spend the bread on an original). This seems to be a pretty high quality pressing.

In general, the sound of the horns is fuller, richer and more present, but the record still has some of the RVG hallmarks, such as the piano that sounds like a cheap upright stuffed in a corner and drums that sound like they were recorded as an afterthought. Great music though.
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