HiFi-Do E-mail Newsletter

Hello, this is Asai from Hi Fi Do Record Shop.
Recently a lot of various import records are coming in here.
By coincidence we got two "The Sidewinder" by Lee Morgan in the off times.
Let me go right ahead with the report on that.

Well, this is the concerned records.
The left one is from LIBERTY and the right one is from UNITED ARTISTS.

VAN GELDER STEREO is stamped on both albums.
(You cannot confirm in the pictures though, the stamp is between the ditch and the label.) This means that VAN GELDER is involved not only in recording but also in cutting the original record. Each album has preserved the sound quality by using the original record cut by VAN GELDER even though the times are different for BLUE NOTE, LIBERTY and UNITED ARTISTS.
You may think that all the sound will be the same because by the VAN GELDER recording and VAN GELDER cutting techniques, but there is one pitfall.

Records are made by being literally pressed with a stamper made from the original record. But the original record deteriorates day by day. It will change the depth of grooves and even the pitch.
In the long run, records become totally different from the originally pressed one.

Then let's see actually how different the sound will become.
Let's focus on the main subject.
First I listened to the one from UNITED ARTISTS, and I got a decent first impression.
Compared to the normal record, it sounds vivid. You would feel the music are playing right front of you no matter what sound system you use. This is VAN GELDER at his best.

Second is from LIBERTY.
As soon as the sound came out, I though "Wow, it is totally different." The uplifting feeling is totally different from the UNITED ARTISTS with the impression that the sound is alive.
If I compare two records, UA record is like Jazz in Morgan's later life and LIBERTY record is like Morgan's performance in his prime.
The price difference is a few thousand yen though, the sound of LIBERTY is much better.

I knew the world of record is still so deep.
This kind of report is very stimulating (actually very fun) for me and I thank you for reading my report and hope you enjoy it from now on.

Detail search