Shirley Horn Trio – Softly

I have also had to send one back, side c track one had huge pops even after cleaning the record multiple times with a spin clean. Did not order a second one yet.

Had to sent 2 copies back; the 3rd. isn’t perfect either. Sound quality is superb.

Shirley Horn’s performances here, surrounded by devoted friends, protected from the time-is-money anxiety and clinical ambience of commercial recording studios, is more introspective and emotionally intense than anything she has recorded to date.

The lady is really amazingly on target with her approach to every tune she had chosen to perform in this album. Seldom will a recording session yield only indispensable tracks. This Shirley Horn studio visit did. https://www.openreeltoreel.com/2xhd/index.html

DELUXE DOUBLE-DISC 45 rpm 200g VINYL
This exceptional recording of a remarkable interpretation captures the reflective mood of the late-night intimacy of the recording sessions. Shirley Horn’s performances here, surrounded by devoted friends, protected from the time-is-money anxiety and the clinical ambience of commercial recording studios, is more introspective and emotionally intense than anything she has recorded before. The recording is so remarkable, the sheer beauty of her sound will warm your heart.

The 2018 master uses dramatically less reverb than the 1987 CD master, and it has a higher dynamic range (comparing digital hi res file to CD, not LP versions of either release). I agree with the comment by "vwestlife" that the high end frequencies feel a little attenuated or rolled off.

I doubt the dullness in the high frequencies is noise reduction strictly speaking, as that is usually referring to technology used on much older master tapes or pre-1950 disc sources to remove sonic artifacts like groove noise or extreme tape hiss, neither of which was likely to be an issue with a studio recording from 1987.

While I wish the cymbals shimmered a little more, the 2018 master does overall sound more natural and intimate, more like what Shirley would sound like playing in a nightclub, than the original CD.

The original record label that released this, Audiophile, did not always adhere to what most people would think of as audiophile sound standards (i.e. neutral sounding, high dynamic range recordings). The label's CD releases of historical (1940s) Lee Wiley recordings sounded frankly terrible, with way too much actual noise reduction, giving the issues a very dead and muffled sound. Based on that, I get the feeling that label owner George H. Buck, Jr. was something of a sonic tinkerer, meaning he felt he could reveal hidden qualities of vintage recordings, or improve contemporary recordings, through technological interventions like noise reduction and digital reverb.

2xHD is a brand known to audiophiles who love jazz. The team of producer André Perry and audiophile sound engineer René Laflamme have produced exceptional transfers from analog tape featuring great artists such as Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Bill Evans, Sarah Vaughn, and Chet Baker (among many others) in the mix.

Now 2xHD presents on reel-to-reel 1/4-inch 15-inch-per-second tape a collection of jazz and classical titles to meet and exceed the highest audiophile standards. All 2xHD tapes are from the original analog master and transfered in the analog domain using a Nagra-T tape recorder, modified with high-end tube playback electronics, wired with OCC silver cable from the playback head direct to a Nick Doshi tube head preamplifier. The Nagra T, with its four direct drive motors, two pinch rollers and a tape tension head, is one of the best transports ever made. A custom-built carbon fiber head block and a head damping electronic system permit 2xHD FUSION to obtain more transparency and better 3D imaging. This copy was recorded on a Nagra IV-S 1/4" at 15 ips.

The transfer is made to Recording The Masters SM468 magnetic tape which has all the features of a master tape, with the best print-through protection and longest storage life.

The reflective mood of this recording captures the late night intimacy of the sessions. Shirley Horn's performances here, surrounded by devoted friends, protected from the time-is-money anxiety and clinical ambiance of commercial recording studios, is more introspective and emotionally intense than anything she has recorded to date.

The lady is really amazingly on target with her approach to every tune she had chosen to perform. Seldom will a recording session yield only indispensable tracks. This Shirley Horn studio visit did.

They used way too much noise reduction, causing a loss of treble response in all except the loudest parts of the music. I would've gladly accepted hearing some background hiss in exchange for a more natural sound.