I understand. For me, listening to mono was a learned pleasure over time. What I found is that with the better recordings, I could achieve a density of instrumental textures that offered its own set of listening values when the original recording was mono instead of a stereo recording blended into faux mono.
2 Likes
My first thought was…that’s something one can only explain to an audiophile, all normal folks would declare it nuts and freak’ish. My second thought was, live we mostly listen to a kind of mono, too.
I thought most non-audiophiles would say “stay away, they have mono”
1 Like
Don’t mistake me, I appreciate mono. But the only reason to do that imo is knowing bad stereo.
This isn’t a good precondition for a convincing argument 
Released this morning!
Also, I understand that HDTT has more tapes available to them from the same source as the KOB tape they released a little while back - more Miles Davis, maybe. And, the Mahler and Callas tapes are still coming, as are Nathaniel Rosen tapes - for those of the classical persuasion.
3 Likes
@Sohail , as I was downloading some new albums from HDTT today, I wondered if you have gone back to the original email HDTT sent to you with the download links. My email confirmation today looks like this and it takes me to a list of format choices. I only get to the screen you show once I click on one of those alternate format choices.
Mine takes me to a download page for the specific format. I did notice that my email is from @shopify.com where as yours is from @sendowl.com.
Robert did send me a link to the DSD128 format. All is good. Thanks for inquiring though!
Excellent. Glad to hear Robert got you taken care of!
1 Like
If I may ask…I remember you said you don’t have to buy those releases (I think it was „as a reviewer you get them for free“). Was this correct? Do you have a general marketing/promotion kind of agreement with Bob or do you just act as a private enthusiast + professional reviewer of the recordings?
Hi @jazznut , I’ve sent you a pm.
1 Like
Rushton’s very accurate on his assessment of these recordings. I listened to (Chet Baker in New York) DSD256, and these recordings are really very impressive! Don’t miss out on this DSD256, I’m listening to it right now and it’s like time stood still, it’s so involving! All the instruments are right there in the room playing in front of me!
2 Likes
Another great Release today! I haven’t heard it yet. But should be great!
4 Likes
Yes! I have high expectations 
, but I’m travelling and won’t be able to hear this until the weekend. 
I’m at work till 8am tomorrow so I have to wait but not quite as long as you.
Well, I got back from traveling a bit early and the first thing I did was go to HDTT to get this album. Now I’ve spent the past hour listening and comparing to several other digital reissues. And there is no disappointment here! Bob knocks this release out of the park. It is a terrific transfer in excellent sound: very detailed, present and alive, but with a beautiful rounded naturalness to the timbre of the instruments and voices.
When “The Girl from Ipanema” opens with João’s solo voice, it’s like he’s right here with me, with resolution, detail and depth of tone. The same can be said for the support from double bass and percussion. Then, when it’s time for Astrud to take over, she sounds as present and alive as I’ve ever heard from various issues of this album. Such a lovely voice, given such excellent reproduction in this release. Here in this transfer is the delicacy and articulation that other releases so often miss.
I’ve made a quick comparison to several other digital reissues of this album that I have in my library most of them sacrifice the beautiful analog naturalness of timbre in this release on the altar of detail for the sake of hyper-detail. And often they bring out that very typical hardness that plagues so many digital releases. Astrud’s voice is simply not the beautiful natural-sounding instrument that one hears in the HDTT Pure DSD256 transfer. The same can be said for the tone of Stan Getz’s sax.
Each time I go back to the HDTT Pure DSD256 my ears simply relax into enjoyment of the very analogue naturalness of the timbre of the instruments and voices. This is a superb transfer by HDTT. I don’t think anyone will be disappointed if you can hear it in DSD256.
7 Likes
A wonderful new release today. This transfer of the 1959 Heifetz recording of the Sibelius Violin Concerto is simply stunning. Arguably the greatest performance of the Sibelius concerto in the catalog, it is certainly the most passionate and intense, with Heifetz delivering a superb interpretation and Hendl and the CSO providing wonderful (if not overly imaginative) accompaniment. Lewis Layton’s recording is, of course, beyond excellent. And now HDTT allows us to hear every nuance of the resolution Layton extracted from Orchestral Hall. I can’t imagine anyone being the least disappointed by this release. I am ecstatic over it!
Download here. Review to come.
3 Likes
I was getting ready to get the Beethoven Pastoral the Heifetz is a no brainer for me! Now I have to get both!
2 Likes
Reiner’s Beethoven Pastoral (Symphony No. 6) is a nice transfer and the sound quality is a good Lewis Layton effort, but the performance always leaves me a bit flat. When I listened to this Redux release, I was left wanting more. So, I went back to the Bruno Walter recording, also at HDTT. To my tastes, this classic Bruno Walter recording captures more of the warmth and beauty that I think lies in this score:
Download here.
2 Likes
In this HDTT reissue, Bob Witrak has another huge sonic winner, in my opinion. This Pure DSD256 transfer from a 15ips tape sounds open, dynamic, and very alive. If I didn’t know this was a 1958 tape, I’d never have guessed it from the sound of this transfer. It could have been recorded last week. For points of comparison, I have in my music library two other digital reissues of this album, both PCM of different resolutions (192kHz and 44.1kHz). Neither comes close to the naturalness of instrumental tone captured in the HDTT transfer. Simply listen to the opening notes on Bobby Timmons’ piano and you know this will be an unfair comparison, totally in favor of the HDTT release. Neither of the other digital releases have the resolution and detail, the high end shimmer of Blakey’s cymbals, the resolution of Golson’s saxophone that makes is sound alive and authentic, or the great sense of air and openness around the instruments.
This is another superb reissue in the current series of 15ips jazz tapes that Bob has sourced for release. Don’t miss it!
6 Likes
HDTT released an updated “Redux” transfer of this album and the subtle improvements they’ve been able to make in the transfer are very nice, indeed. Not earth shattering, but I am pleased to get the even better sound from Tyner’s piano and Jones’ percussion that Bob has been able to tease out from the tape. If you already have the earlier HDTT release, you might stay happy if you don’t hear this. But, if you don’t have an HDTT release of this album, and you like the album, then definitely consider getting this. It will knock the socks off any other digital release you may have other than the SHM SACD (which still misses a bit of the analog delicacy this release captures).
3 Likes