Hello reynman,
I put on the Columbia 20 bit remaster and listened at 7:10 (+ and -) and the intro to track 2.
In both cases, I can hear a kind of hushed-raspy sound that I'm guessing is the sound you're hearing . At the start of track 2, it's primarily in the Left side ..., I think this is the reed on one of the sax's ,...Miles's trumpet is more center and smoother/cleaner sounding. It really does sound a lot like the distortion you'd get on an LP that was once new, but now is almost too worn out ..., But I think it might just be real sounds (like the spittle/reed interface on the sax, etc. ).
Something else ...you're right as well about the noise floor, the tape is obvious to hear (right from the begining of track 1). I think this might be a little like cooking a lobster. When they put a lobster in the pot, the water is cold and they don't noticed the heat getting hotter ...until the next thing they know they're dinner. If they put a live lobster in boiling water, he'd react and try to climb out. Many have listened to KOB for years, on all kinds of systems for a number of years, and perhaps they are more forgiving of the water temperature . You're take on the recording quality is probably clearer.., . It's not a reference for recording quality (though good considering the age and circumstances).
...just listened to the start of track 4 and I hear the crackle sound again ; again, this sounds like the reeds ? (Cannonball Adderley on the alto sax, John Coltrane on the tenor)
http://www.epinions.com/musc-review-...tk_~CB001.1.13
The above link is just a fans review of the CD, ...but he kind of talks you through each track, who's doing what etc. . You might be interested to read his comments and follow along ; this might help to follow the moods and melodys and the different personalities and to take some of the light off the recording quality itself. I find that it's all the different voices that grow on you as they become more familiar ; and the more familiar, the more forever nuanced they become.
It's striking me as well that this isn't the ideal CD for headphone listening, at least without a good cross-feed circuit. For a start, good headphones put you closer to the recording (so analog tape hiss is more of an issue) . Further, many of the solo's are recorded pretty hard left or right ...
The LP's would no doubt be a great way to experience KOB,...but I'd suggest SACD as an alternate, perhaps equally good route. The KOB SACD is at once lessy glossy, there's a kind of sheen gone (quick A /B makes the CD sound more instantly exciting ...I think because of this sheen) ; but the SACD has a more organic, quality ..and even though it loses the sheen, it's also clearer and more detailed. Sounds have more body to them. I've posted before on Headwize about SACD, so I don't want to over-do the point ...but it is an alternative. For reference, you can get a 333es for $500 to $550 (J&R Music World in NY and Oade Brothers in GA),....this machine is discounted heavily because Sony have started to roll out the multi-channel models (not needed for headphones ...) . Some of the multi-channel SACD/CD players are $400 or under, ...but I'd guess the 333es would be better ...
For anyone that has an SACD/CD player, I'd highly recommend the new Miles 'Round Midnight SACD (anyone tried it ?) ,...Bye Bye Blackbird is hard to get out of your head after listening ...
Back to the main point,...on the 20 bit and the SACD,...their are *anomolies* present, and they are around where you've id'd them ; is it distortion ? or were these the sounds of sax reeds rattling with spittle ? Any sax players out there that can say how likely this might be ?
One more quick thing on the SACD ..., the versions of classics, *will* be limited to the quality of the master ; it'll be better, perhaps far more enjoyable. But, if you want to hear what SACD can do, you'll need to listen to direct DSD recordings (made purely in the SACD Direct Stream Digital format ,...though I don't know that hi-rez PCM isn't used somewhere in the chain),...For example , try the DMP does DSD sampler SACD,...or many of the Telarc SACD's, they do things I've never heard the likes of from CD.
Agggh ! I'm changing the topic, sorry. Martin.