I was lucky enough to stumble upon a web-site about a week (DESIGN W SOUND) ago that offered some hi-rez download samples. I downloaded both of the free samples offered on this site, at 24/96 because the files are BIG. After a few emails back and forth with the proprietor, Kent Poon, it turned out he was going to be in the same place I was a few days ago---CES!

I made it a point to meet him, and perhaps try to procure his brand new release "Jazz Prologue #3". Basically this release includes a “Premium Made CD-R” that you can play anywhere and a “High Resolution Files Disc“ which has 3 different bit and sample rate files to choose from---16/44.1, 24/96 and 24/192. The files are in AIFF format. Anyhow, I did meet him there at CES; he was stationed in the Weiss room. Kent is a very friendly guy and extremely knowledgeable about all things audio. We chatted for a bit and I was mystified by all the things he has accomplished for someone of his young age. I was also able to procure his latest release which I mentioned above. I could not WAIT to get back home and hear it.

Well, it didn't even take THAT long to hear it. Just a few hours later, I was in the Genesis room, meeting up with Gary Koh, president of Genesis. He was running a hi-rez music server there (Weiss/Foobar) into all of the Genesis stuff. I asked Gary on a whim if he had ever heard of Kent and the "Jazz Prologue" release. He smiled and said he had met Ken, and would I like to hear the Jazz Prologue right now??!! Of course I said yes, and we fired it up. The sound was amazing! Very smooth, detailed, lifelike, and transparent. The piano and vocals in particular really stand out as being recorded incredibly well. This was about as good as it gets, period.

Well, I've been home from Vegas a few days and have been listening to the Jazz Prologue off and on my own system which I am obviously more familiar with then the stuff in the Genesis room. I think this release is just incredible!! Some of the best sound you'll ever hear, period. I bought some really cool stuff at the show---new DXD releases from FIM (Winston Ma) and 3 HRx releases from Reference recordings (Prof. Johnson) and Kent's release is as good if not better sonically. Plus, as a jazz fan (female vocals in particular); I can foresee that this release will be played a LOT here. I have also compared the redbook cdr (16/44.1) included in the package to the 24/192 material on the dvd-data disc. I was able to do this in "real-time" using my Raysonic 128 cdp feeding 1 input and my PC audio interface feeding another. Switching back and forth between them, the 24/192 was clearly better BUT I will tell you that the 16/44 sounds so good on its own that even if you CAN'T play back the high rez stuff; this is still a worthwhile release to pick up! The difference between the 2 formats (the redbook cdr and the 24/192 hi-rez) is that the 24/192 sounds more open, more refined, and smoother overall. The cdr, by comparison, sounds slightly harder, and glassier, with the same small glare that I hear from all redbook. On the 24/192, that all vanishes! Bravo!!

One last thing of note. The packaging and attention to detail of is release is spectacular. As an open reel buff and Tape Project subscriber, I love the package design and "references" to analog tape. Actually, this release sounds VERY close to the best master tape, so the logos and graphics on the packaging makes a lot of sense to me! You also get a "quality control check" graph which is done individually for each release---very nice touch.

Kent mentioned to me that he may "re-release" the Jazz prologues #1 and #2 that came before this one. I sure hope he does, because I missed the boat on those. Obviously, Kent was way ahead of his time there....

If you want to check out the Design w sound website and perhaps try a few of the free downloads before ordering, go here:

http://www.designwsound.com/dwsblog/?tag=kent-poon

Looks like he already has some pics up from CES 2009! Check those out too.....

Regards, Joel