John Coltrane Quartet* – Ballads

"Digitally remastered from the original stereo master tapes."

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This entry submitter merely repeated the above hype text from the jacket's rear. But this ad copy is false. Steve Hoffman has repeatedly corrected this b.s., clarifying that he and other engineers remastered the Impulse jazz catalog in the latter 1980s all analog, directly from the original master tapes.

For me, the overall sound is good, but the solo crash cymbal has a strange crackling distortion when it peaks. Has anyone else noticed this?

Could this really be mono? Seems like a mistake. One random mono pressing in 1980? Nothing since the 1960s and then a random mono? Also the runouts suggest it’s stereo because they say AS-33. Mono copies only A-33. Thoughts?

On the A-side, the sound is harsh, the percussion sibilates VERY, VERY much! There are a lot of clicks and sand on both sides. This reissue is of very poor quality, perhaps unlucky with this copy.

No complaints, this pressing sounds great to my ears. It's the record of choice for any candlelight dinner with my beloved sweetheart.

I like jazz, but when I say I like jazz I mainly mean ballads and oh man they’re probably the most easy listening thing you can hear. Coltranes sax on this is just so warm and sexy. Definitely love it’s easy to remember, say it, too young to go steady, and Nancy.

Great sounding pressing! I'm sure the AP is ever so slightly better, but I'm really happy with this copy as it is and upgrading isn't a priority

Sounds fantastic, says mastered by Ryan Smith 2022. Whats the difference between this and the 2024 acoustic sounds one also mastered by him, I assume its same mastering used or did he remaster the same album twice in 2 years?

It seems good to me. wide and dynamic. a little dark maybe, but flat and clean. very enjoyable.

There's no denying whose blowin' on this session, and for so many people it is a joy, but for myself, Coltrane's appeal is a huge mystery. The 20bit remaster series is a winner, though.