Anne Bisson is back with The Essentials, a compilation album of her greatest hits, plus a previously unreleased track. This album is currently available in a limited and numbered One-Step vinyl edition mastered by Bernie Grundmun, as well as on R2R tape. You can order this album directly from the website , and it’s also possible to get a signed version.
Update May 2025:
The album is now also available on numbered UHQ CD or as high-resolution 24-bit 96 kHz master files on USB card.
The review is updated with these digital media.
See also Anne Bisson’s album reviews:
The review of the album Tiles from the treetops is available HERE.
The review of the album be my lover is available HERE.
For this review, you will find 3 versions tested:
Below you will find the description of the different editions, as well as the measurements of each edition in the following chapters.
The album “LES ESSENTIALS” is composed of 12 tracks:
- September in Montreal (Blue Mind)
- Summer Breeze (Four Seasons in Jazz Live at Bernie’s)
- Killing Me Softly (Keys to My Heart)
- Fly Away (B langer & Bisson Conversations)
- Le vent souffle encore (B langer & Bisson Conversations)
- Your Smile (Tales from the Treetops)
- Soothing your Soul (Blue Mind)
- Blue Bayou (Be My Lover)
- Les moulins de mon coeur (BONUS TRACK)
- Nature Boy (Be My Lover)
- Dry my Tears (Tales from the Treetops)
- Be My Lover (Be My Lover)
Summary, scoring and Samples
Ed 1: Vinyl record One-Step – 2025
Presentation
This is the vinyle record mastered by Bernie Grundman and pressed in One-Step 180g by RTI. This is an hand-numbered and Limited Edition at 3000 Copies, inluded a 20-Page Booklet with Exclusive Color Photos & Anecdotes!
Waveform and Spectrum: DR13
The dynamics of this DR13 edition are excellent, as confirmed by the waveform graph below. We also note a record-cut sound level that is -5db below the average level, due to the length of the sides, which are almost 25 minutes long.
The spectrogram below shows that the signal rises above 20 kHz (white arrow), with a signal above 30 kHz (white arrow) consisting of music and also distortion due to the operating principles of the vinyl record.
The graph below compares the spectrum of the Vinyl record One-Step – 2025 (white curve) with the spectrum of the CD “Keys to My Heart” (blue curve).
As with the spectrogram, spectrum analysis confirms that the signal rises above 30 kHz. From 15 kHz onwards, there are significant variations in level, characteristic of a Bernie Grundman vinyl cut. This is clearly visible in comparison with the blue curve corresponding to the digital version of this track from the CD version of the Keys to My Heart album.
Synthesis and listening
The One-Step engraving is remarkably refined and operates with a quietness, despite its low cutting level, which permits an 25 minutes per side. The sound reproduction is exceptionally , capturing the essence of the instruments and Anne Bisson’s voice with unparalleled clarity. This limited audiophile pressing offers an exquisite opportunity for both new listeners and longtime fans to immerse themselves in the exquisite selection of Anne Bisson’s most captivating tracks. Given its limited edition status, this album is a must-have gem for any music collector. Don’t delay, it’s a limited edition!
Rating:
- Dynamic: ●●●●o (4)
- Bandwidth: ●●●●● (5)
- Surface noise: ●●●●o (4.5)
- Restitution: ●●●●o (4)
Sample : Killing Me Softly (Keys to My Heart) 24 bits 192 kHz:
Ed 2: CD Ultimate HQ – 2025
Presentation
The is the Ultimate HQ CD made in Japan for a high quality reproduction of the CD. This is a limited numbered edition. Th CD is in PCM 16 bits 44.1 kHz format. This compilation of Annes Bisson’s greatest hits has been mastered by Bernie Grundman.
Waveform and Spectrum: DR9
The waveform of the CD HQ version shows a dynamic range between DR7 to DR11. The waveform shows moderate use of the dynamic limiter.
The spectrogram shows that the signal rises to 22 kHz (yellow arrow) with no signal above this frequency (white arrow) due to the 44.1 kHz sampling frequency.
The graph below compares the spectrum of CD Ultimate HQ – 2025 (white curve) with the spectrum of the CD Ultimate HQ – 2025 (blue curve).The two spectra are almost perfectly superimposed. The yellow arrow indicates a a limitation to 22 kHz due to the 44.1 kHz sampling frequency of the CD.
Synthesis and listening
This beautiful limited CD edition, pressed in Japan, offers a rendering similar to the masters available on the USB key. The care taken over the quality of the CD and the materials used is particularly noteworthy.
Rating:
- Dynamic: ●●ooo (2.5)
- Bandwidth: ●●●●● (5)
- Restitution: ●●●oo (3.5)
Sample : Killing Me Softly (Keys to My Heart) 16 bits 44.1 kHz:
Ed 3: USB card – 2025
Presentation
The USB card containt the master of the digital presented in high resolution 24 bits 96 kHz. This compilation of Annes Bisson’s greatest hits has been mastered by Bernie Grundman.
Waveform and Spectrum: DR9
The waveform of the digital file version shows a dynamic range between DR7 to DR11. The waveform shows moderate use of the dynamic limiter.
The spectrogram shows that the signal rises above 20 kHz (yellow arrow) with signal up over 30 kHz (white arrow) due to the 96 kHz sampling frequency.
The graph below compares the spectrum of the Vinyl record One-Step – 2025 (white curve) with the spectrum of the USB card – 2025 (blue curve).The 2 spectra curves are similar, with an attenuation of 2 to 3 dB above 3 kHz (yellow zone) for the vinyl record, and with the strong variations above 15 kHz characteristic of Bernie Grundman’s lacquer cuts. The green zone shows a small deviation of 1 dB in attenuation for the vinyl record at the lower end of the spectrum.
Synthesis and listening
The USB key contains the masters of this digital edition of The Essentials. Bernie Grundman has chosen to sound a little louder than on the original albums, and you can hear it!
The sound is more detailed than on vinyl, with a softer, warmer rendering of the vocals.
Rating:
- Dynamic: ●●ooo (2.5)
- Bandwidth: ●●●●● (5)
- Surface noise: ●●●●● (5)
- Restitution: ●●●oo (3.5)
Sample : Killing Me Softly (Keys to My Heart) 24 bits 96 kHz:
This album is offered on quality media with the limited-edition One Step vinyl, the limited-edition Ultimate HQ CD or the high-resolution digital master files on USB key. Everyone will be able to choose their preferred version, and the extracts will enable you to compare these different media.
Dynamic Range measurements are shown below.
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Measurements
Dynamic Range comparaisons
Dynamic represents the ability to reproduce a wide range of sounds from the softest to the loudest. The target is to compare the dynamics of the music and not of the media (CD, digital files or vinyl).
For our 3 editions reviewed have obtained the following Dynamic Range (DR) :
| Vinyl record One-Step – 2025 | CD Ultimate HQ – 2025 | USB card – 2025 | |
| Global | DR13 | DR9 | DR9 |
| Min | DR10 | DR7 | DR7 |
| Max | DR15 | DR11 | DR11 |
| September in Montreal (Blue Mind) | DR15 | DR9 | DR9 |
| Summer Breeze (Four Seasons in Jazz Live at Bernie’s) | DR14 | DR9 | DR9 |
| Killing Me Softly (Keys to My Heart) | DR13 | DR9 | DR9 |
| Fly Away (B langer & Bisson Conversations) | DR15 | DR11 | DR11 |
| Le vent souffle encore (B langer & Bisson Conversations) | DR14 | DR7 | DR7 |
| Your Smile (Tales from the Treetops) | DR14 | DR9 | DR9 |
| Soothing your Soul (Blue Mind) | DR14 | DR11 | DR10 |
| Blue Bayou (Be My Lover) | DR12 | DR10 | DR10 |
| Les moulins de mon coeur (BONUS TRACK) | DR10 | DR8 | DR8 |
| Nature Boy (Be My Lover) | DR13 | DR11 | DR11 |
| Dry my Tears (Tales from the Treetops) | DR13 | DR10 | DR10 |
| Be My Lover (Be My Lover) | DR12 | DR9 | DR9 |
As a reminder, the scale goes from 0 to more 20, but the dynamics are considered good from 12, quite good between 10 and 11, and deteriorate below 10.
Detail of the ratings :
- Dynamic :
- Significant dynamic compression, DR less than 7
- Compression of the present dynamics, DR between 7 and 9.
- Correct piece DR >=10
- No dynamic compression (DR >12), dynamic rendering
- No dynamic compression, high DR and very dynamic sound rendering
- Spectrum :
- Spectrum cut and less than 15 khz
- Spectrum cut at 15 khz
- Spectrum not conforming to the original and cut (not HD) or original but limited bandwidth (but less than 20 kHz)
- Spectrum conforming to the original (but not HD)
- Spectrum conforming to the original with HD resolution (higher than 24kHz)
- Surface noise (only for vinyl):
- Continuous audible noise
- Audible surface noise except on passages with a high level of noise
- Reduced surface noise, barely audible on low level crossings
- Low surface noise, very good quality
- Very low surface noise, no defects, almost inaudible on the quiet passages (exceptional disc)
- Spatialization :
- Between 0 and 5 for 5.1 or 7.1 channels configuration
- Between 0 and 10 for Atmos configuration (7.1.4)
- For more information on spatialization, you can read the article describing this parameter here.
- Restitution :
- Low quality of the restitution mixing dynamics, clarity, separation of voices and instruments.
- Average quality of the restitution mixing dynamics, clarity, separation of voices and instruments.
- Quality of the restitution mixing dynamics, clarity, separation of voices and instruments. Good record.
- High quality of the restitution mixing dynamics, clarity, separation of voices and instruments. Very high level disc.
- Maximum quality of the restitution mixing dynamics, clarity, separation of voices and instruments. Exceptional disc.
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