Herb Alpert & the TJB Greatest Hits--A&M audiophile s

[luv8tracks]

Hi,
Wanted to know how rare this lp is. Also wanted to know opinions about A&M's audiophile series. It was short lived but was it worth it.
Phil

 

[Rudy]

I have a couple of these LPs--they used virgin vinyl, and half speed mastered them. Beyond that, I don't know if they went back to original two-tracks masters or not. (The Mobile Fidelity pressing of the first Brasil '66 album still beats any CD version out there, IMHO.) Still, A&M's series benefits from the good vinyl and they sound very good. I have the TJB Greatest Hits too, and I think it may be the best sounding version of that album available (including CD).

I don't know if these sold all that well or not, or how many titles were released. I do recall Supertramp's Breakfast In America being on this label (since Crime Of The Century was done by Mobile Fidelity), and possibly one or two of the Styx albums. Anytime I see one now, I pick it up. They're usually not very pricey at all. I got Alpert's Rise for under $10.

One warning though--Columbia's half-speed "Mastersound" series should be avoided at all costs. All of them were mastered incorrectly, which is why they have a very poor sound to them. (When the cutting speed is halved, the equalization also needs to be lowered by an octave, which they failed to do.) Still, these fetch a premium on eBay and Audiogon...I may get rid of mine since there is a demand for them. We're talking over $50 on many of these titles.

 

[luv8tracks]

I know what you mean about the CBS stuff...I have S&G's Bridge over troubled water and its terrible. My original copy sounds better as well as the Quad pressing. When it comes to vinyl I still like the stuff presses in the 60' vs the later 70's and 80's vinyl.

I just picked up a whole set of TJB mono lp's up through Beat of the Brass. It cost me 5 bucks at the local thrift store and they are mint.
Phil