I can’t tell you how much I love your show. I’m an old fart from SF and loved and lived in that scene but of course I have branched out and evolved and your educational programs have really helped me go back and catch up on some of the jazz stuff I missed back then or only stuck a toe in then and now. Every time I tune into a show I feel like I am sitting down in a university class but one delivered with such warmth, humor and vibrancy. Just amazing. We had to have been at so many of the same shows. Bravo Sir!
Saw Miles at Los Angeles at The Shrine Auditorium featured with Ms. Nina Simone & Reggie Andrews Ujoma Ensemble, lest I forget, The Last Poets....Thanks again for the feature.
The box looks great. I got into jazz and Miles quite late in years (I'm 71) and have almost everything Miles done. However I dont have the time to play different versions of the same album, but appreciate your videos and comments on these recordings and your knowledge of music in general.
Ryan K Smith did an amazing job on the box set. I do have all the MoFi titles and they do sound very good. I've been A/B'ing them and feel the VMP's sound more live, open and dynamic over my MoFi's, which sound a little neutered in comparison. Gear- McIntosh MC2102 tube amp, McIntosh C2300 tube pre-amp, McIntosh MT5 turntable, Clearaudio Concerto V2 MC cart, Sonos Faber Amati G5 speakers.
Hegel H390 is giving you that bright sound. I had it briefly and I didn't like it at all. I switched that integrated to separate components. You get much more dynamic and with tubes, you get full-body sound.
Actually the Hegel warmed up my entire system. Of course tubes would be different but I rarely get this sort of sound. There is more top end on the VMPs so it’s more of a choice of what folks like.
@@mazzysmusic So as I thought. I got it because of the first impression but then I got tired quickly of it. Anyway, if you enjoy your sound that is more important. I just wanted to share my thoughts
Great review Mazzy, thanks!. I ordered it from Germany so not cheap with customs & shipping. But I must say this is a very good box set. Jack Johnson is the big surprise, it starts off on side 1 like a ZZ Top or MC5 song😎 with a very cool vibe.
Oh Bitches Brew I love that record I don't have that much Miles Davis stuff but will investigate! I love Tu tu as well I just love that album! Mazzy another great video!
"system dependent" - yes, that is the key. I also don't have tone controls on my Meitner pre amp which can sometimes be a drag. What I was able to A/B/C on my system, the VMP had the edge over MoFi by a hair. A little more clarity and a little more full in the bass. I say if you want it all, get the VMP and if you only want certain titles, get the MoFis. Both are excellent, there are no losers here. It's a win/win for the customer.
I’ve gone back and forth a bit on this, but I’d give VMP the win for Jack Johnson and BB - I think my system tames the brightness a little and the effect is that RKS cuts just have a little more punch over the MoFi. OtC - It’s not my favourite of this set and I was undecided initially. I’ve gone back over it last night, and I’d give the win to the VMP. The more I listen, the MoFi sounds a little less nimble, a little flabbier at the bottom end, whereas the bass and kick drum sound more natural on the VMP. But the distinction, I think, is one of preference rather than ‘better’. The more I consider it, I think I incline to the MoFi for Silent. I’m at a disadvantage because my two MoFi copies aren’t as quiet as one would hope, but the sound is smoother (at the expense, maybe, of detail) - which, I think, suits this album. However, both the VMP and the MoFi are superb and the difference between the two is subtle in most cases (more so, maybe, with OtC) - and any preference, I think, is likely to pivot around systems, ears, and taste.
Thanks for doing all that research. The number of options we have to choose from is dizzying, considering these records have been in print for so many decades. Overchoice, thy name is Miles Davis! My Miles stuff on LP, collected over 50 years, is a hodgepodge of mono and stereo pressings from all over the place. (I really should catalog everything on Discogs, but the prospect intimidates me.) I have the Prestige and complete Columbia metal-spine CD box sets (and some MoFi SACDs), but the vinyl is a mixture of early pressings (maybe a couple originals), two-eye and six-eye reissues, '70s Columbia repressings (with the orange label lettering, like the one you cite for "On the Corner"), Music on Vinyl, MoFi, Impex, Japanese and German and Canadian pressings, Columbia/Legacy/Sony reissues... Some of them sound gorgeous to me (just revisited Legacy "Bitches Brew" and "In A Silent Way," which I just kept rotating because I can never get enough, and I can't imagine anything sounding appreciably better) -- but, as you say, unless you're A-B-ing them to accentuate the differences, it's hard to tell. One title from the VMP set you remind me that I don't have on vinyl is "Live-Evil," and I don't remember it well, so now I'm wondering if I should... Well, maybe I'll listen to a CD of it first.
Great video! My box is sitting there waiting to be listened to. I have a few of the relevant MoFis, plus the old Mosaic boxes (which are incredible). Looking forward to comparing....
bonsoir je trouve l idée de rééditer ces vinyles, unique. j ai la version originale de certains albums, c est ma porte d entrée dans la musique de miles davis. ce coffret doit être extraordinaire.
I’m glad I bought all these original pressings minus the live album back in nineties. I got all these in great shape for under $60. The only one I would rebuy is Get Up With It. Mine is in good shape but it’s an eighties reissue. The originals have no issues, they all sound fantastic and are worth hunting down. ✌️
I saw your Hoffman post on this. I agree, I generally enjoy the Mofi a bit more. Maybe I like the BB a bit more as it seems cut more like a rock-n-roll record. Oddly enough, IaSW also seems to have more on the bottom end, to my ears. (Although the Mofi is tighter and present) Anyway, you cannot go wrong with either Mofi or the VMP versions of these titles.
This is the review that I was waiting for. I 'm finding so interesting that my way of thinking about mastering choices and record collecting in general alignes so well with yours. There have been a couple of reviews in discogs and the SH forum that made a lot of people excited about this boxset. But the common comments are "there is a lot of detail in a silent way" or "the mofi are much more polite". But, these are not necessarily the characteristics that excite me more from in a silent way and bitches brew. When I listen these two albums, I really like to engage with the music, and the very sharp sounds can make me distract a little bit. This reminds me other audiophile reissue comparisons like the miles relaxin' (craft one step vs. AP), and sketches of Spain (classic vs. mofi). I'm still going to get the boxset because I'm sure all of them sound great and it's such an achievement to have all these albums in such gorgeous presentation, but at least I have now a more realistic expectation about it.
Thanks for the great review. My system leans towards a dark sound, so I'm glad their cut is a bit bright. How did you get it so fast?? My order has said "pending" for over a week.
That VMP box presentation of the albums looks very nice . I really dig the Mofi pressings of Miles Davis Krieg W. did an amazing job the balance is perfect. In A Silent Way and a Bitches Brew I spin the Mofi a lot I never pull my OG anymore. I agree with the Jack Johnson I also don’t like the car on the cover I prefer the Miles photo with the trumpet.
I’m tempted to purchase but always nagged by the thought: do I really need another copy of something I already have when there are so many great records I have yet to discover? Case in point: I just ordered a copy of Van Morrison’s Common One. Thanks for the rec, Mazzy.
Really interesting comparison and very helpful. I have the MoFi’s and will stick to those. I think this shows also that MoFi can do magic with DSD and their in-house mastering engineers compared to AAA and one of the most praised, still active, mastering engineers in the world (Ryan).
I'm sure Mazzy's demo is young! These are literally the first jazz albums I got into as do many because they bridge from rock. Jack Johnson is the album I give friends who like good music, but are afraid to try jazz.
Thanks Mazzy, honest review. I think I will stick with my originals and mofi’s with these. Strangely I wasn’t a big fan of Miles On The Corner until I streamed the Complete Sessions. I immediately became a fan and purchased the original and the Mofi. I like the original on that one better. The Mofi sounds very different to my ears than the original. I dont have Big Fun, so Ill need to find that one. Man, that In A Silent Way VMP cover looks like Miles is made of plastic, wth? And even after all of that, I still feel a bit of a pull to get the VMP boxset. Its really pretty looking other than that In A Silent Way. I have the Philly and the Candid sets and they are beautiful.
Dialing this up to see what I spend $350 on, missing last 2 lps - the rest have mofi and 2 eyes Answer is….. don’t buy it Spend $350 on some other vinyl Interesting how our MoFi Davis 64 sample DSDs sound the best. Did they stay away from enhancing them? Then tweek the 192 k releases? Thanks Norman Fing Mazlov
Thanks for the video! Informative and entertaining as usual 🙂. So since almost all your copies are better than the VMP, will you sell your box? I’m kicking myself for not buying the last batch of the Mofi Bitches Brew but might hang fire for the one step.
I can’t tell you how much I love your show. I’m an old fart from SF and loved and lived in that scene but of course I have branched out and evolved and your educational programs have really helped me go back and catch up on some of the jazz stuff I missed back then or only stuck a toe in then and now. Every time I tune into a show I feel like I am sitting down in a university class but one delivered with such warmth, humor and vibrancy. Just amazing. We had to have been at so many of the same shows. Bravo Sir!
Saw Miles at Los Angeles at The Shrine Auditorium featured with Ms. Nina Simone & Reggie Andrews Ujoma Ensemble, lest I forget, The Last Poets....Thanks again for the feature.
The box looks great. I got into jazz and Miles quite late in years (I'm 71) and have almost everything Miles done. However I dont have the time to play different versions of the same album, but appreciate your videos and comments on these recordings and your knowledge of music in general.
I only had 'normal' versions of some of these and the MOFI of Jack Johnson, so this box is a big upgrade for me. Glad I ordered it.
Miles opening for the New Riders?!? What a show?!?
Ryan K Smith did an amazing job on the box set. I do have all the MoFi titles and they do sound very good. I've been A/B'ing them and feel the VMP's sound more live, open and dynamic over my MoFi's, which sound a little neutered in comparison.
Gear- McIntosh MC2102 tube amp, McIntosh C2300 tube pre-amp, McIntosh MT5 turntable, Clearaudio Concerto V2 MC cart, Sonos Faber Amati G5 speakers.
Completely agree. The VMP box is a lion in the jungle. The MoFi is that same lion but in the zoo. Same beasts, just different surroundings.
This box looks fantastic! Admittedly, most of my Miles records are from his earlier days, but I love this stuff. Great video!
I’m a super Big Fun fan and wanted to hear this comparison because it’s an album that hasn’t had much (if any) proper remastering. Thanks for this.
It’s quite good. It’s fun ❣️ See what I did there 🤡
Hegel H390 is giving you that bright sound. I had it briefly and I didn't like it at all. I switched that integrated to separate components. You get much more dynamic and with tubes, you get full-body sound.
Actually the Hegel warmed up my entire system. Of course tubes would be different but I rarely get this sort of sound. There is more top end on the VMPs so it’s more of a choice of what folks like.
@@mazzysmusic So as I thought. I got it because of the first impression but then I got tired quickly of it. Anyway, if you enjoy your sound that is more important. I just wanted to share my thoughts
The Miles sound good enough for me ...
Great review Mazzy, thanks!. I ordered it from Germany so not cheap with customs & shipping. But I must say this is a very good box set. Jack Johnson is the big surprise, it starts off on side 1 like a ZZ Top or MC5 song😎 with a very cool vibe.
"audition before you buy". strange you have to remind ppl, but happy you put that in at the end. thanks mazzy, another good one.
Oh Bitches Brew I love that record I don't have that much Miles Davis stuff but will investigate! I love Tu tu as well I just love that album! Mazzy another great video!
Nice hat, Norman. 🤠😎🥳
"system dependent" - yes, that is the key. I also don't have tone controls on my Meitner pre amp which can sometimes be a drag. What I was able to A/B/C on my system, the VMP had the edge over MoFi by a hair. A little more clarity and a little more full in the bass. I say if you want it all, get the VMP and if you only want certain titles, get the MoFis. Both are excellent, there are no losers here. It's a win/win for the customer.
Great info thanks. I will be giving my first part of my shootouts tomorrow with my Mofi and early pressings.
I’ve gone back and forth a bit on this, but I’d give VMP the win for Jack Johnson and BB - I think my system tames the brightness a little and the effect is that RKS cuts just have a little more punch over the MoFi. OtC - It’s not my favourite of this set and I was undecided initially. I’ve gone back over it last night, and I’d give the win to the VMP. The more I listen, the MoFi sounds a little less nimble, a little flabbier at the bottom end, whereas the bass and kick drum sound more natural on the VMP. But the distinction, I think, is one of preference rather than ‘better’.
The more I consider it, I think I incline to the MoFi for Silent. I’m at a disadvantage because my two MoFi copies aren’t as quiet as one would hope, but the sound is smoother (at the expense, maybe, of detail) - which, I think, suits this album.
However, both the VMP and the MoFi are superb and the difference between the two is subtle in most cases (more so, maybe, with OtC) - and any preference, I think, is likely to pivot around systems, ears, and taste.
Well said. I agree that is more a preference and system room thing. Not one being better. All are good just different
Thanks for doing all that research. The number of options we have to choose from is dizzying, considering these records have been in print for so many decades. Overchoice, thy name is Miles Davis! My Miles stuff on LP, collected over 50 years, is a hodgepodge of mono and stereo pressings from all over the place. (I really should catalog everything on Discogs, but the prospect intimidates me.) I have the Prestige and complete Columbia metal-spine CD box sets (and some MoFi SACDs), but the vinyl is a mixture of early pressings (maybe a couple originals), two-eye and six-eye reissues, '70s Columbia repressings (with the orange label lettering, like the one you cite for "On the Corner"), Music on Vinyl, MoFi, Impex, Japanese and German and Canadian pressings, Columbia/Legacy/Sony reissues... Some of them sound gorgeous to me (just revisited Legacy "Bitches Brew" and "In A Silent Way," which I just kept rotating because I can never get enough, and I can't imagine anything sounding appreciably better) -- but, as you say, unless you're A-B-ing them to accentuate the differences, it's hard to tell. One title from the VMP set you remind me that I don't have on vinyl is "Live-Evil," and I don't remember it well, so now I'm wondering if I should... Well, maybe I'll listen to a CD of it first.
Excellent review, Mazzy. Looking forward to giving this box set a listen myself.
We love too ✌️
Great video! My box is sitting there waiting to be listened to. I have a few of the relevant MoFis, plus the old Mosaic boxes (which are incredible). Looking forward to comparing....
bonsoir je trouve l idée de rééditer ces vinyles, unique. j ai la version originale de certains albums, c est ma porte d entrée dans la musique de miles davis. ce coffret doit être extraordinaire.
I’m glad I bought all these original pressings minus the live album back in nineties. I got all these in great shape for under $60. The only one I would rebuy is Get Up With It. Mine is in good shape but it’s an eighties reissue. The originals have no issues, they all sound fantastic and are worth hunting down. ✌️
Nice one Mazzy, I’m always down for some miles talk :)
I saw your Hoffman post on this. I agree, I generally enjoy the Mofi a bit more. Maybe I like the BB a bit more as it seems cut more like a rock-n-roll record. Oddly enough, IaSW also seems to have more on the bottom end, to my ears. (Although the Mofi is tighter and present) Anyway, you cannot go wrong with either Mofi or the VMP versions of these titles.
Both good. Just different. And your gear and room adds to it as usual
Great commentary
This is the review that I was waiting for. I 'm finding so interesting that my way of thinking about mastering choices and record collecting in general alignes so well with yours. There have been a couple of reviews in discogs and the SH forum that made a lot of people excited about this boxset. But the common comments are "there is a lot of detail in a silent way" or "the mofi are much more polite". But, these are not necessarily the characteristics that excite me more from in a silent way and bitches brew. When I listen these two albums, I really like to engage with the music, and the very sharp sounds can make me distract a little bit. This reminds me other audiophile reissue comparisons like the miles relaxin' (craft one step vs. AP), and sketches of Spain (classic vs. mofi). I'm still going to get the boxset because I'm sure all of them sound great and it's such an achievement to have all these albums in such gorgeous presentation, but at least I have now a more realistic expectation about it.
It really comes down to tastes. And your room and gear. Different mastering Choices. Both good ✌🏼
Mas.... I own the Jack Johnson [ steel spine ], box set. And it does kick ass along with On The Corner [ steel spine ]....
Thanks for the great review. My system leans towards a dark sound, so I'm glad their cut is a bit bright. How did you get it so fast?? My order has said "pending" for over a week.
That VMP box presentation of the albums looks very nice . I really dig the Mofi pressings of Miles Davis Krieg W. did an amazing job the balance is perfect. In A Silent Way and a Bitches Brew I spin the Mofi a lot I never pull my OG anymore. I agree with the Jack Johnson I also don’t like the car on the cover I prefer the Miles photo with the trumpet.
Rumor has it you will be in NYC for the WFUV show .
Yes I will on Saturday
I’m tempted to purchase but always nagged by the thought: do I really need another copy of something I already have when there are so many great records I have yet to discover? Case in point: I just ordered a copy of Van Morrison’s Common One. Thanks for the rec, Mazzy.
Thoughts on Sly Stone and his new autobiography?
The MoFi electric period of Miles Davis (sacd) are too "in your face". I much prefer the early CD editions.
Really interesting comparison and very helpful. I have the MoFi’s and will stick to those. I think this shows also that MoFi can do magic with DSD and their in-house mastering engineers compared to AAA and one of the most praised, still active, mastering engineers in the world (Ryan).
Yes. MoFi did a great job. So did VMP. I’m going sit with VMP for a while. They may warm up to be. Take me in a different direction
People don't know these records? Are they 15?
Get Up With It is seldom talked about and is one of my favorite Miles albums.
I'm sure Mazzy's demo is young! These are literally the first jazz albums I got into as do many because they bridge from rock. Jack Johnson is the album I give friends who like good music, but are afraid to try jazz.
Thanks Mazzy, honest review. I think I will stick with my originals and mofi’s with these. Strangely I wasn’t a big fan of Miles On The Corner until I streamed the Complete Sessions. I immediately became a fan and purchased the original and the Mofi. I like the original on that one better. The Mofi sounds very different to my ears than the original.
I dont have Big Fun, so Ill need to find that one. Man, that In A Silent Way VMP cover looks like Miles is made of plastic, wth?
And even after all of that, I still feel a bit of a pull to get the VMP boxset. Its really pretty looking other than that In A Silent Way. I have the Philly and the Candid sets and they are beautiful.
Was this a blind comparison to avoid introducing preconceived biases? If not, I believe Steve Westman will perma-ban you.
😉 Tom
Not blind at all. I love the music and didn’t care which versions I preferred. All are good but different visions
I’m not a fan of fusion or this period of his so I will be passing but to those who like that period, hope you like the box.
Dialing this up to see what I spend $350 on, missing last 2 lps - the rest have mofi and 2 eyes
Answer is….. don’t buy it
Spend $350 on some other vinyl
Interesting how our MoFi Davis 64 sample DSDs sound the best. Did they stay away from enhancing them? Then tweek the 192 k releases?
Thanks Norman Fing Mazlov
Cool video, Mazzy
Thank you ✌🏼
Nice review! Thank you sir…
Thanks for the video! Informative and entertaining as usual 🙂.
So since almost all your copies are better than the VMP, will you sell your box? I’m kicking myself for not buying the last batch of the Mofi Bitches Brew but might hang fire for the one step.