Please be patient as I share some personal backstory. When I was a kid, our family had certain traditions for Christmas week that were lovingly established and then re-enforced by my father every year. He and my mother seemed to enjoy them as much or more than the seven kids. These traditions have carried on with my own immediate family and also with those of my siblings and their families, so they really made an impression. There were many, but some of the most important traditions included the following.
We always attended Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve and then followed up with opening our gifts and having a late night celebration with cookies, cakes and various other desserts. These were home made by my mother and each had a special family recipe and legacy of their own.
Each year's event was captured on my father's VHS camera, which was quite a beast compared to today's iPhones. He actually had to use a shoulder mount and strap to carry it around while recording. Those videos have been transferred to digital files and are still shared and watched every year by the entire extended family!
We also had four movies or TV specials that we watched together as a family every year. That included White Christmas, It's a Wonderful Life, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and Gulliver's Travels. That last one is a classic 1939 animated movie from Fleischer Studios and Paramount Pictures. Most folks have never heard of it, but it is a terrific production with one of the best soundtracks ever. A real sleeper—check it out!
Lastly, we also listened to music throughout the week that still remains quite memorable to this day. That included albums like A Jolly Christmas by Frank Sinatra, Merry Christmas by Bing Crosby, A Charlie Brown Christmas by Vince Guaraldi, A Christmas Song by Nat King Cole, and A Christmas Gift For You from Phil Spector.
All of this sounded wonderful on my father's Heathkit AA-1800 amps and AR-3 speakers. All were located in prominent positions against the wall in the family room, so that the music could be heard across the entire house. He was very proud of those powerhouse Heathkit amps as he had built them himself.
You will also note that the Christmas albums mentioned above from Vince Guaraldi and Nat King Cole are now available as UHQR and One-Step pressings (respectively), and from two of our very best audiophile labels. I cannot tell you how excited I was when they were announced! I have several versions of each on various formats (see below), but I was now hoping for something super special in terms of packaging and sound quality.
I was not disappointed! The results are spectacular! As important albums to so many people with so many memories, these reissues have the potential to make the yearly holiday traditions even more enjoyable. I apologize upfront, as this might seem over the top, but I am convinced that these two limited edition pressings are so impressive, that many folks might even consider them family heirlooms. And again, they will be limited!
The idea that records could be some kind of a heirloom is not an original thought on my part. This subject has been broached by many in the Vinyl Community (VC). In fact, I at first dismissed the idea. But, the more I listened to these two remarkable if not iconic albums during the holidays, I have no doubt that these pressings will be highly cherished and passed on from generation to generation. They are that good!
Vince Guaraldi, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Analogue Productions (45 RPM UHQR)
Obviously, the animated television special and the soundtrack for A Charlie Brown Christmas are both considered all time classics. The album was originally released in 1965 on the Fantasy label. Having received a multitude of awards and attention, it was voted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2007 and added to the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress in 2012. It has also been certified five times platinum with sales of over 5 million copies.
With all of this success, it is now the tenth best-selling Christmas album and the second best-selling jazz album of all time. As you might guess, the Miles Davis Kind of Blue album holds the number one slot on that jazz list, so this ranking does indicate how important A Charlie Brown Christmas was and is. It has often been praised for introducing jazz to a variety of audiences and for its considerable cultural impact!
The initial concept and final realization for this project was somewhat complicated. Vince Guaraldi was originally contacted by producer Lee Mendelson to compose music for a documentary on Charles M. Schultz, who was the creator of the comic strip Peanuts. The 1964 documentary was never aired, but the Coca-Cola Company followed up with a commission for Guaraldi to score a Peanuts Christmas television special in 1965.
In addition to several new compositions, elements of traditional carols like "O Tannenbaum" and "Hark, The Angels Sing," were also used. The soundtrack was eventually recorded at two different studios and with a variety of different session musicians on each track. This also included a children's choir from St. Paul's Episcopal Church in San Rafael, California.
Packaging and Production
The AP UHQR is cut at 45 RPM and pressed on two LP's. Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab cut the lacquers and all vinyl discs were pressed at Quality Record Pressings (QRP) on super quiet 200 gram Clarity vinyl. The UHQR also includes an elegantly designed slip cover with gold foil accents and a tip-on style gatefold jacket manufactured by Stoughton Printing. This is a 100% all analog AAA reissue and it will be limited to 2750 numbered copies.
BTW, Matthew Lutthans is really on a roll! His excellent work at Analogue Productions has obviously been very noticeable with all the new AP reissue programs, but he has cut some excellent reissues for several other labels including those from Rhino, Verve, Muse, Jackpot and many more. Keep your eye out for this man's work! His superb skills are finally getting the attention that is deserved!
Comparisons
For comparison, I have a 1978 Fantasy LP reissue, the original 1986 Fantasy CD, and the rare 2006 Analogue Productions (AP) 45 RPM double LP reissue mastered and cut by Steve Hoffman and Kevin Gray. The 2006 AP pressing has a median sale price of $292 on Discogs, and a high selling price of $552. All have their strengths and weaknesses from a sound perspective, but my go to was generally the CD. Yes, the CD! No, I don't have a 1978 original LP for comparison. At a median price of $217 and a high of $400 for a Hollywood original pressing, I am very pleased that the UHQR is now available.
Over the years, I have noticed all of the praise and glory showered on the 2006 AP reissue, but on my system, I continue to find my own copy to be slightly dark and somewhat restrained. It does not have the overall presence that I yearn for—especially for a 45 rpm. Maybe I just got unlucky with the quality of my specific individual pressing. The 1978 Fantasy LP reissue is nice, but a just little too bright on the top end and slightly lacking in the lower registers. I find the 1986 CD to have the best balance with a fair amount of detail and dynamics, and a reasonable amount of timbre and weight on Guaraldi's piano. However, regardless of the reissue or format, I always had this gut feeling that this recording had so much more to offer.
The Sound Of The UHQR
Before I comment more on the sound quality, it is important to note that the original pressing of A Charlie Brown Christmas and many of the reissues utilized a variety of different mixed down two track sources and from different generations. It was also realized, that a combination of both analog and digital sources were used depending on the reissue and the pressing.
For this UHQR, the original three track analog master tapes were now directly utilized as the source. This just might provide the logic why this UHQR pressing is so unique and why it sounds so distinctly better. Please see the following video hosted by Matthew Lutthans who explains the process, the complexities and the results—it was definitely more challenging than you might think. You can click HERE to see that video.
Bottom line. I was astonished by the sound coming off this vinyl! If I had an emotional connection with this music before, I was now taken to an entirely different place and feeling. There was a rhythmic vitality and a correctness of presentation that just swept me away. There was also an air and openness in the highs and mids that provided a presence and an assertive immediacy that was never apparent before.
Overall tone and timbre were spot on and fully saturated. There was an additional punch and depth to the low end that was not overstated but added greatly to the enjoyment of each and every track. Vocals hung beautifully over the sound stage with a bloom and three dimensionality that made you want the music and the pleasure to never end!
A great example is the track entitled "Skating." As we all know, piano can be one of the more difficult instruments to reproduce correctly. No longer do we have the top to bottom edge and false ping on Guaraldi's piano. Now we are afforded a beautiful woody resonance with plenty of inner detail and proper weight.
Snares are vibrant, if not dense and resonant as you skate along the ice in sync with the piano and the music. The sound stage has now opened up and expanded in every direction, as again, you feel like you might be dancing back and forth across a frozen pond in pure happiness. Absolutely enchanting!
Nat King Cole, The Christmas Song, Capital Records, The Definitive Sound Series (33 RPM One-Step)
Somewhat like the A Charlie Brown Christmas above, we have some interesting history behind the original pressing and the many reissues of The Christmas Song. The confusing part of all of this is that the title "The Christmas Song," was used for both the specific track and for several complete Christmas albums that followed. Please hang in there with me, and let's see if you can keep up with the time line and the milestones.
The song entitled "The Christmas Song," was written by Mel Tormé and Robert Wells in 1945. In 1946, it was recorded two times by The Nat King Cole Trio in mono, with and without a small string section. The second recording with both the Trio and string section became a huge hit that same year. In 1953, it was then recorded and released a third time in "high-fidelity mono," again with the Trio and a small string section.
In 1961 it was recorded a fourth time in stereo. This is the recording that most folks are familiar with, as it did receive considerable air time on many popular radio stations every year during the Christmas season. The instrumental arrangements were very similar to the 1953 recording. This 1961 recording was included in the album entitled The Nat King Cole Story, which was a 1961 compilation of re-recorded hits.
Lastly, the 1961 recording was also added to an album originally released in 1960 and originally entitled The Magic of Christmas. The title of that album was then renamed from The Magic of Christmas to The Christmas Song. These two changes happened in 1962 when the retitled album was first released. The rest is history.
I hope that I got all of the above correct, but I am sure that readers will keep me honest in the comments section. Again, there are many versions of the specific track and the album that use the same title. I also hope that this helps when making comparisons to what you may already have in your collection.
With all of the above in mind, all of these recordings utilized mono or two track analog sources of various generations. No need to provide the detail. The key point, is that for this new One-Step album, the original three track analog master tapes were now utilized as the source.
It gets even more complicated than that, as the mastering engineer Chris Bellman had to mix down and splice these tracks together to match the order of the original track list. He also spliced in two extra tracks that were added to this One-Step reissue, making it even more unique and collectable. Those two tracks are "O Come All Ye Faithful" and "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen".
Bottom line. Producer Tom "Grover" Biery and mastering engineer Chris Bellman were absolutely determined to seek out the very best sources and to provide the very best sounding reissue that was possible! The results speak for themselves—see below. Thank you Tom and Chris!
One-Step Packaging and Production
As mentioned earlier, this Definitive Sound Series (DSS) One-Step version of The Christmas Song was mastered by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering utilizing the original analog 3 track master tapes. Via a One-Step process, all vinyl was pressed at Record Technology Incorperated (RTI) on 180 gram Neotech VR900-D2 High-Definition vinyl compound. Also included are a distinctive and well designed slipcase and a heavyweight tip-on gatefold jacket. All printing and packaging was provided by ASG/Spark. This one-time pressing will be a limited edition of 3000 numbered copies, and each with a Certificate of Authenticity.
Comparisons
I have two reissues for comparison. I do not have a 1962 OG. The first is a 1968 Capital reissue that was pressed at Jacksonville. The second is the extremely rare 2010 Analogue Productions, The Nat King Cole Story 5 LP box set. It was mastered and cut at 45 RPM by Steve Hoffman and Kevin Gray. If there ever was a genuine Holy Grail, this box set is it! It does include the specific track "The Christmas Song," but I wanted to listen to the entire multi LP reissue for more than just that, as it is considered by many as a true benchmark and the best sound ever produced for a Nat King Cole OG or reissue. I was curious if this new 33 RPM One-Step could come close to the magic of this amazing box set pressing. Currently, the 2010 AP has a median price of $399 on Discogs, and a high selling price of $581.
The 1968 Capital reissue surprised me. It was reasonably transparent and three dimensional. Instruments and vocals were nicely locked in and there was an appealing amount of dynamic contrast and detail. This says a bunch about the quality of the original recordings. I would rate the vinyl condition as M- with a fantastic sheen and no apparent marks or even hairline scratches. However, the playback quality was nowhere near that. It breaks my heart when noisy vinyl can really make or break an emotional connection with the music. Unfortunately this was the case here. I have to wonder if this is more typical than not. Good luck finding a clean and quiet copy of an OG or an early reissue, even if the vinyl looks super clean like mine.
The 2010 AP box set was a more interesting comparison. We get all of the advantages of 45 rpm and the quiet audiophile vinyl. I was mesmerized by the sonic beauty and immediacy of Nat King Cole's vocals. The dynamic headroom was off the charts with a breath taking speed and punch that the 1968 reissue could not even touch.
When compared to the One-Step, we have to be careful. As I will discuss below, the One-Step almost sounds like a different recording as it was remixed by Chris Bellman. Much of the studio reverb has been cut back to leave a more vivid if not more palpable presentation (to my ears at least). However, if magic was what we wanted, the One-Step provides that too and maybe even more than the 2010 AP box set. I would be hard pressed to pick between the two mastering choices. To each his own, but the One-Step is an absolute killer!
The Sound Of The One-Step
It must have been fun when Tom "Grover" Biery and Chris Bellman sat down and listened to the original three track masters for the first time. They must have been ecstatic! This was also an opportunity to remix the final results, which is not typically one of the objectives when using two track masters for most current reissues.
Typically, the priority is to cut the best possible lacquer and generally leave the mix as is. In the case of this One-Step, what ever specific decisions were made, the end result is relatively different to my ears, but for many folks, these subtle yet important differences might be even more rewarding if not more satisfying.
Please see the following YouTube video from the Steve Westman channel for a fascinating discussion of the remix and cutting process for the One-Step. It also includes Tom, Chris and Pat Krause who is the Senior Vice President for the Universal Group Archives. You can watch this video by going HERE.
As stated earlier, this One-Step has less reverb, but it also has a more pronounced focus on Nat King Cole's vocals. He seems more upfront and personal, with an additional level of inner detail and a wonderful sense of ease. For what is basically a 70 year old recording, you truly get that very intimate "in the room sound." I also heard a separation and definition for the vocals and the instruments that was even beyond the 2010 AP box set. That was a difficult benchmark to beat!
One excellent example is "The Christmas Song" track, which most can readily identify with. The violins that open the song are now so sweetly laid bare, with more air and a breath taking amount of glow and shimmer. Nat King Cole's vocals are slightly forward on this mix, but everything feels so nicely balanced and natural. When Nat kicks in with those famous lyrics "chestnuts roasting on an open fire," your heart will just soar. There is a clarity and resolution to his voice that is now so much more revealing.
Finally, about half way through the song, we have Nat's piano solo that has a timbral purity and dynamic immediacy that I can only wish for on most piano recordings. What an up lifting if not touching rendition of this famous recording!
Final Thoughts
Just in case I have yet to make it clear, we have to thank Chad Kassem (Analogue Productions) and Tom "Grover" Biery (The Definitive Sound Series) for their continual commitment to vinyl excellence. Both are important players/leaders in the industry and have been at it for a long time, but both continue to amaze and delight with their unexpected choices and their spectacular if not definitive results! Many of their most recent interviews have indicated that 2026 will have our heads spinning when even more of their new reissue plans are formally announced. I can only imagine. Unlike most Christmas albums, I will be listening to A Charlie Brown Christmas and A Christmas Song throughout the year, as I predict they will never leave my personal short list and the high priority rotation stack next to my turntable. Both are highly recommended and both should be strongly considered for every collection!
Proper Perspective And Caveats
It cannot be overstated that system synergy and personal taste are critical when evaluating high-end audio products and music. These reviews are based on my subjective listening priorities, my specific system configuration, and my specific listening room. This combination is only one data point of many that exist out there for my components and the music that is played. Please consider my comments and analysis appropriately.
Review System
I have included a comprehensive list of all my components and a description of my listening room. Please click on my name in red above if this information is needed for reference and comparison purposes.
