Charles Lloyd Water is Wide ECM question

[mkrzych]

Hello,

I've found this album really amazing, but talking about sonic quality, I can hear time to time distortions especially in higher registers and clippings. Have you guys noticed ir as well over the time listening to this CD. I can easily see clippings on some songs in Audacity, which shouldn't be a case foe ECM recordings right?

[musicargyle]

Yes- I find this true of many of the EMC CD's I own & love. A bit of haze, compression and maybe phase(IE) stuff in the mix. I put up w/ it because I enjoy the music but discovered that my digital cables ) transport to DAC) and make it better or worse. Audience AU24 SE new cable is very very good.

[mkrzych]

It's a pity, I thought that ECM is free from that kind of disease?! Really!

[mkrzych]

BTW, which one do you recommend free of that mistakes and sounding spectacular?

[Mike48]

I agree, it's a fantastic album musically. I have been listening to Charles Lloyd since the 1960s & am happy to see his comeback has been so successful.

 

As to SQ, I haven't looked at the waveforms nor analyzed the sound on this one carefully, but in general ECM releases sound very good, but not great nor particularly natural, to me.

[mkrzych]

In general, Canto for instance is very good, but I like Water is Wide more, but when listening over the cans it's easy to find those mastering mistakes and it's disturbing.

[Mike48]

In general, Canto for instance is very good, but I like Water is Wide more, but when listening over the cans it's easy to find those mastering mistakes and it's disturbing.

I rarely use cans, because I haven't found a pair comfortable to me. You've given me another reason not to look for them! ;-)

[jazzy1]

In general, Canto for instance is very good, but I like Water is Wide more, but when listening over the cans it's easy to find those mastering mistakes and it's disturbing.

 

Can you provide a specific time track/time where one of these mastering "mistakes" occurs and is easily audible?

[mkrzych]

Sure, let you know soon.

[mkrzych]

OK, so lets listen to to that parts pf the first song: 0:15, 3:22, 3:43, 4:12. Distortion I hear are for the piano track. Do you hear the same?

[mkrzych]

Anyone?

[Mike48]

Anyone?

I'll check it and post when I get back from vacation, in about a week.

[jcalleja]

Maybe I am wrong but it seems to me this cd was HDCD processed , so maybe some of this irregularities are related to decoding the data without this into account

Just for info

[mkrzych]

No it is regular ECM CD.

[Mike48]

OK, so lets listen to to that parts pf the first song: 0:15, 3:22, 3:43, 4:12. Distortion I hear are for the piano track. Do you hear the same?

On the track "Georgia," there may be a momentary overload at 0:14, and near the other times you mention. I hear it as a change in piano timbre on the attacks. Unfortunately, microphones can overload, and mic preamps, and tape recorders, and if so, nothing can be done afterwards to correct it. That's my guess, rather than later processing in the digital realm (where it would be easy to avoid adding overload). Another possibility (maybe a remote one) is that that's how that piano sounds when hit hard.

 

To put this in perspective (at least my perspective): I grew up in the LP era, and many recordings were far worse than this. For example, compared to any of the old Blue Notes, this is gorgeous. And any venue with amplified sound -- which means anywhere one could hear Charles Lloyd -- typically has sound distortion worse than this CD. The last time I heard C.L. was at the Village Vanguard in the late 1970s, and the sound was mediocre -- but the feeling was fabulous!

[mkrzych]

Thanks a lot for your time and excellent conclusion. At least I hear the same as yoy and more importantly I really enjoy this album. Lets the music play!

[Mike48]

Thanks a lot for your time and excellent conclusion. At least I hear the same as you and more importantly I really enjoy this album. Let the music play!

Indeed!

[mkrzych]

After hours of listening I must say it. Water is Wide is one of the best albums EVER!

[57gold]

Hyperion with Higgins is just as good. Maybe better.

 

Apparently from same sessions. Supremely musical cats playing with their hearts.

 

Using HQPlayer for first time, CD rip to DSD128...clarity, body and color!!!

[mkrzych]

Hyperion with Higgins is just as good. Maybe better.

 

Apparently from same sessions. Supremely musical cats playing with their hearts.

 

Using HQPlayer for first time, CD rip to DSD128...clarity, body and color!!!

 

Thanks for recommendation. CD already ordered and waiting for shipment.

[57gold]

Thanks for recommendation. CD already ordered and waiting for shipment.

 

My pleasure. Had both albums queued up and playing when I read your post. Played them on HQPlayer bumped to DSD128..sweet sounding. In a similar vein are Paul Motian's recordings with young turks and John Abercrombie's last decade of albums, would start with "Within a song".

 

Mehldau's playing on those Charles Lloyd albums is fantastic, as is his sideman's work on J Redman's "Moodswings", J Scofield's "works for me" and J Henry's "Scar"...

[mkrzych]

My pleasure. Had both albums queued up and playing when I read your post. Played them on HQPlayer bumped to DSD128..sweet sounding. In a similar vein are Paul Motian's recordings with young turks and John Abercrombie's last decade of albums, would start with "Within a song".

 

Mehldau's playing on those Charles Lloyd albums is fantastic, as is his sideman's work on J Redman's "Moodswings", J Scofield's "works for me" and J Henry's "Scar"...

 

Definitevely. "Within a song" is one of my fav of his so called solo career. I like also Arcade and Classic Trip. For Charles, Canto also.