Norah Jones sibilance distortion on Blue Note reissue of "Come away with me"

[ripblade]

I have no complaints but don't believe me as you read it online and it differs from a complaint you read online.

My complaint comes from buying the records and listening to them first hand. Opinions on the web has nothing at all to do with it.

Point taken about the nature of the system used to reproduce these...I guess what I have is too revealing, or unforgiving of bad mastering. I will say I tried to make the Jeff Beck work by playing it with a different cartridge....it still sucked. I even took it to a friend's place to play on his system. It sucked there, too.

This is my opinion based on 1st hand experience. I'm entitled to it as you are yours.

 

[JP]

There are those that know how to put a flat (within reason with phono cartridges) reproduction chain together. Changing loading to suit a situation is just a form of EQ to taste. Nothing wrong with that, but let’s call a spade a spade.

 

[ripblade]

Some vid clips can be found hidden under other names.

Even here, with brick wall filtering, it's a searingly bright recording, IMO.

 

[PiotrekN]

Ok I listened to the CD, the Analogue Production/Blue Note, and the 2012 Blue Note.

For this song only, "Feelin' the same way"

The CD doesn't have distortion, but she sings with a bit of sibilance anyway on a digital copy of this song.

The AP record sounds awesome, no complaints the way my system is setup.

The Blue Note has distortion and it makes the sibilance worse. However I switch my phono stage loading from 100ohms to 30ohms, volume was raised at the preamp. The song sounded awesome, all distortion was gone.

As I said above, we sometimes have to adjust our equipment gain and loading instead of pointing at the manufacturers. Not every phono stage is the same, nor are carts, preamps or records.

This comparison is very helpful! As I mentioned, I do not have an adjustable preamp, but I do have experience with guitar amps and this sibilance distortion sounds exactly like a bit too much gain.
When you say "change loading" is this the same as changing gain?
Given the current prices of the 45rpm box set of this album a reasonable preamp will be probably cheaper...

 

[4-2-7]

This comparison is very helpful! As I mentioned, I do not have an adjustable preamp, but I do have experience with guitar amps and this sibilance distortion sounds exactly like a bit too much gain.

Cartridge + phono stage + Preamp all start adding a bit more gain in each step. If the total of that gain is to much gain because of the record mastering it will distort. Some records where mastered with a big boost in the gain while cutting the lacquer.

When you say "change loading" is this the same as changing gain?

Loading is resistance, but they add gain or subtract it in essence and it happens prior to the preamp.
For instance setting the loading at 100ohms will have a boost in gain over a 30ohm resistance. It will not be as loud in the overall system but it is also dropping the output prior to the preamp.

For this song only, "Feelin' the same way"

The CD doesn't have distortion, but she sings with a bit of sibilance anyway on a digital copy of this song.

The AP record sounds awesome, no complaints the way my system is setup.

The Blue Note has distortion and it makes the sibilance worse. However I switch my phono stage loading from 100ohms to 30ohms, volume was raised at the preamp. The song sounded awesome, all distortion was gone.

That's why the above happened.

 

[gusten]

They can track, but they won't make a bad record sound good.

No but they will not add even more sibilances to the built in ones. So the sound will be much better IME.

 

[dontmindme]

I get no sibilance at all from this album. Meager system, but new cartridge and set up correctly. Pioneer PL-45D, SX-434 ad Heresy II’s. Small room.....

 

[fiddlefye]

My experience has been that the farther one goes up the analogue totem pole, the tougher it is to avoid odd sibilances and such from time to time. I use the Linda Rondstadt/Nelson Riddle LPs for working through such issues in setting up a tough cart/arm. If I can get all of her diction down pat then I've got it. Amazing how every other aspect can sound dead on and still have issues here and there.

 

[Kgveteran]

So glad you started this thread! I though “all is lost, my system stinks”

i threw on JamesTaylor and put that foolishness to rest, it was PRISTINE compared to this 180grams of c***

 

[KentTeffeteller]

Sure, I'll try to do my best, give me half an hour or so. I don't have a a-to-d converter, so it will have to be my phone in front of the speaker.

But actually, I just did a small experiment, which I have not thought of before: I hooked up Tidal from my Mac to the aux input and ran the LP and the Tidal copy (their Master=MQA quality) in parallel, and I could switch between them with a push of a button. Now the Tidal copy does not have the sibilance and distortion, but it also sounds definitely muddier, boomier and compressed. Sounds like it was ran through some filters/dessers to reduce the highs. So perhaps this is the trade-off? I definitely preferred the vinyl copy with the sibilance and distortion to the Tidal one...

MQA is not high res, nor is it master quality. Audiophile Productions LP, or files is the best this recording will sound, without degradation.

 

[KentTeffeteller]

That's the 75th anniversary issue....the one I have, with the FR posted above, pressed in the US. I gather yours was pressed in the EU? I've read elsewhere that these are better, and not just the pressing itself.

The FR was done with a microridge stylus BTW. Maybe a big old fat spherical will gloss over the HF garbage.

The Blue Note US pressings were pressed at Rainbo. Mine was a noisy piece of crap. I got rid of it quickly. Audiophile Productions a quantum improvement.

 

[Audiofreak71]

MQA is not high res, nor is it master quality. Audiophile Productions LP, or files is the best this recording will sound, without degradation.

True until the UHQR version of it comes out soon, so we’ll see how that one is and hopefully isn’t cut hot like the AP version.


Audiofreak71

 

[Santos_sanabria]

Have same sibilance problem with the reissue of this LP, which I love, by the way. Last night received a Parasound JC3 jr and still same issue, only with the “Come Away with Me” record. Now early morning listening to the same production, but in Qobuz 192/24 hi-def version using AKG712 headphones. As with the LP, every instrument is right, the only thing is the SSSS in her singing. I suspect it could be related to the mic, since all instrumentation is perfect. Anyways, for me it was a good excuse to get a better preamp. Highly recommended,

To compare Norah’s issue I listened to several LPs with women vocals, including Diana Krall with Tony Bennet and also listened to one of my favorite records, “GRP In Session Live”, from 1985 I think, with no issues at all. By the way, Diane Schurr version of Revered Lee sounds like I have never heard it, and I have been listening to this record since the 80s, in all media possible, including cassette, LP, CD, hi-def files in Roon, and even the Live DVD. I discovered hidden sounds in this old record (second copy I found recently for $5.). The next excuse is getting a decent cartridge/stylus.
Recommendations are welcome for a Technics 1200 mk2 $500 top.
Regards!

 

[Chubba]

After reading this thread I listened to my Blue Note reissue of this Norah Jones album. No sibilance,just great sound with a new om 40 on a Pioneer PL-518 and Pro-Ject Tube Box S phono stage.

 

[Audiofreak71]

Have same sibilance problem with the reissue of this LP, which I love, by the way. Last night received a Parasound JC3 jr and still same issue, only with the “Come Away with Me” record. Now early morning listening to the same production, but in Qobuz 192/24 hi-def version using AKG712 headphones. As with the LP, every instrument is right, the only thing is the SSSS in her singing. I suspect it could be related to the mic, since all instrumentation is perfect. Anyways, for me it was a good excuse to get a better preamp. Highly recommended,

To compare Norah’s issue I listened to several LPs with women vocals, including Diana Krall with Tony Bennet and also listened to one of my favorite records, “GRP In Session Live”, from 1985 I think, with no issues at all. By the way, Diane Schurr version of Revered Lee sounds like I have never heard it, and I have been listening to this record since the 80s, in all media possible, including cassette, LP, CD, hi-def files in Roon, and even the Live DVD. I discovered hidden sounds in this old record (second copy I found recently for $5.). The next excuse is getting a decent cartridge/stylus.
Recommendations are welcome for a Technics 1200 mk2 $500 top.
Regards!

Check out the AT carts they’re a good performance for the money. The AT33PTG/2 is a very good cart as well as the AT-OC9XSL


Audiofreak71

 

[SterlingOne]

I've been going crazy over distortion issues with Norah Jones' Blue Note LP, the 2015 reissue of her debut album m "Come away with me" (https://www.discogs.com/Norah-Jones-Come-Away-With-Me/release/8844547).

I am getting a lot of sibilance and distortion -- while all my other albums are sibilance free -- especially on the track "Feelin' the same way", which is in the middle of Side 1, and in the inner grooves. Now, I don't have IGD issues on any other LP, for instance Eva Cassidy's "Songbird" is distortion and sibilance free on my setup, although her last track on side B, "Over the rainbow", is quite demanding.

I've spent hours by now triple checking and tweaking all adjustments, alignment, and nothing helps, while all my other albums continue to sound good. I know this particular Norah Jones' album has distortion issues baked into the recording, but could be this pronounced on vinyl? Is the pressing/reissue really bad? Is it my TT?
The Norah Jones album sounds a bit loud too, could this be the problem?
The TT is a Sansui SR-636 with Nagaoka MP-110, aligned very carefully using Baerwald protractor. VTF 1.75g.

I would really appreciate some help...

I do not have vinyl version, just 5.1 SACD and no sibilance.