Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series

These Blue Note Classic and Tone Poets are such a treat.. they contest with even NM original releases I have and are priced very fairly. I wish other recording companies would follow and put out QUALITY re presses.

I'm not sure if this makes any difference, but I tend to buy the records in this series (as well as the Tone Poet Series) directly from the Blue Note online store whenever they are having a sale. So far (about thirty or so titles in) I've yet to have had a problem with any of them. Time and time again I get impeccably flat and quiet pressings. And the mastering is as excellent as everyone is saying. About the only quirk is that with some of the titles you don't get a poly lined inner sleeve, just a stock paper one. At least it's an easy fix, but it'd be nice if they were a little more consistent in that regard.

I own about two-thirds of this series to date. The mastering and sound quality is consistently fantastic.

Unfortunately, I have had to exchange many of the titles at least once due to manufacturing or QC errors... most commonly no-fill/non-fill issues causing that tell-tale ripping sound.

I don't mind having to exchanges, but on some titles, like the recent Lee Morgan Search for the New Land, it has taken 3-4 copies before I get one that is a keeper. That's just plain sad imo.

The Blue Note Tone Poet Series has a much better track record. I own every release from that series, but I have only had to exchange a handful of them.

Warning!!! - Lee Morgan Search for the New Land - I've got over 70 Blue note Classics and 75 Tone Poets and never had a problem, all superb pressings, this one however is a dog, 4 copies from different sellers each has the same issue, edge warp, ranging in 2 cases from unplayable to 2 just plays but very annoying thump for first 30 seconds, it may be wise to avoid this one

I have been collecting the Blue Note Classic and 80 Series pressed at optimal. The strike rate for non fill on over 40 records is worse than 1 in every 8 records. I just do not understand why Blue Note would go to the trouble of pulling out the original tapes, have Kevin Gray cut the lacquers and then have this shit show press them? It makes no sense, it dishonours the music, makes a mockery of the remastering work and kills any pleasure there was in collecting these records.

Uptill now I have no complaint about this series. I have collected a total of 40+ from this series combined with the Tone Poet and Classic 80-series. All of them are just perfect. No pressing-errors, no cracks, pops or warped records. The price is great, the sound is great, the (re-)mastering is great and the artwork and design are flawless.

In all cases I bought my reissues at JPC and are therefor European pressings. Everytime when I take a peek at the list of albums that have a future re-release I get excited.
There are over 1000 Blue Notes to be re-released and until now some were hit-records (Moanin', Sidewinder etc.) and some more obscure (to me). The balance between well-known and lesser-known albums is just fine. I keep an eye open to buying albums I already know and 'have to have' on vinyl and albums I don't know and am curious about.

Thank you people at Blue Note, and thank you all the people at pressing plants and JPC for all the trouble and love you put in all this.

I’ve got 5 copies from this Blue Note series and they have all sounded excellent. For $25, this is the best find you could hope for. Big boy records for big boy systems!!

Up to this point I have bought about 15 Classic/80 series records. Only one (Rumprolller) affected by non-fill. A ratio that is nothing to be proud of, but acceptable.
However, the order I just received that included 8 Classic/80 series ( 6 for me and 2 for a friend which are hopefully ok) . A shipment that cost me about $80 to ship to the other side of the world . 2 of the 5 records I have listened to so far have severe non-fill. I am almost afraid to open the 6th. With the cost of shipping it is not practical to return them and I do not have money to roll the dice and re-order replacements, so that willl be my last blue note classic order. Do Optimal give a damn about pressing records at all? They are ruining the vinyl experience for many. I cannot understand the thinking behind getting Kevin Gray to master form the original tape and then sending them off to an outfit like Optimal to press. I would gladly pay the extra $10 for RTI pressings of these records.

There are so many great titles in this series and KG's mastering is on point. The problem I have had with this series is pressing defects. I've had copies that were pressed off-center and factory dish warped. While I haven't had any major problems with non-fill on this series lately, it does affect these records sometimes if you are unlucky.

I'm not suggesting anyone avoid this series, just realize that Optimal's QC/QA is hit or miss and you may end up returning some of these. Better hope you buy them from a place that will take returns without hassle. I won't buy them from local record stores because they won't take them back and the chances of defects are too high. Sadly this is affecting a lot of pressing plants right now, not just Optimal. Getting to the point where I will seldom take a chance on new vinyl at shops anymore...quality is slipping everywhere over the last 3-4 years.

If Optimal is reading this the first thing you can do is get rid of the ultra-tight shrink wrap and put these in loose bags like RTI do. Then let the records cool all the way before jamming them into jackets for assembly.

I have a few of these reissues. Not had any problems, always received beautiful clean flat vinyl. The latest Lee Morgan, Caramba! is stunning