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Spent $200 at Pristine Classical and High Def Tape Transfers.
But you know, some recordings are just classics, other are personal favorites, impossible to un-hear, so why not? (Plus, HDTT is having a 30% off sale thru Monday.)
From Pristine:
Furtwangler's EMI Tristan
Schnabel's Beethoven Piano Sonatas 1-3
Furtwangler's 44 Eroica
Scherchen's Beethoven Symphonies 2,5, 8; bonus: 5th Concerto with Badura-Skoda.
From HDTT, all from R2R's transfered to DSD or 192/24PCM:
Oistrakh's Hindemith and Bruch
Mehta's "classic" (?) Bruckner 9th
Walter's Columbia Dvorak 9th
Bernstein's Gerswhin Rhapsody and American in Paris
Richter's Liszt PC's 1 and 2 Mercury-recorded Philips
Munch's Schubert 9th RCA
Karajan's Sibelius 4th and Swan DGG
Previn's Walton Symphony 1, British RCA
Not much to say about these titles that hasn't already been said but just a few notes:
The Schnabel Beethoven Sonatas are a bit pricey, but I've never his piano sound better-projected. Very pleased. It took awhile to get used to Pristine's "ambient stereo" recreations, but I'm sold on the process.
IMHO Scherchen is--to the Beethoven's Symphonies--what Schnabel is to the Sonatas: he's able to project the composer's typical avalanche of varying moods while still maintaining a Haydnesque energy throughout the lively movements. Slow movt's are exquisite. The 24bit Pristine transfers maintain the "organic," warm sound of the Westminster Lp originals.
On to HDTT:
Out of respect for Ivan, I couldn't leave Oistrakh's Scottish Fantasy behind. I'll give it a try once more!
One usually thinks Kertesz or Kubelik when thinking about Dvorak's 9th, (esp. Lp collectors and audiophiles), then there's Ancerl's; but for me, I find Walter's the most fresh, lovely and engaging performance, especially the slow mov't. The Columbia engineer is on his best behavior as well. I just couldn't resist.
While Walter's Bruckner 9th is a classic, I've always been curious about Mehta's with the VPO; it was my "wild card" download. I'm not a sound-nut, but oh, man: that Decca sound is like coming in from the cold and sliding into a warm bath. Mehta's 1st movt is slower and less "suave" than Walter's, especially those bad-ass chord progressions leading up to the coda, but Mehta's (and Decca's) atmosphere and detail is unfailingly involving. I liked the whole thing, in a word: more flesh than spirit.
Finally Munch's Schubert 9th: It's surprising to me how few conductors are able to keep the slow intro and body of the first mov't distinct. Even fewer (that I've heard) manage to hold Schubert's melodies together when the composer tosses them from one instrument to another, mid-sentence. Munch does it. I'm in rare agreement with Mr. Hurwitz here: it's the go-to Schubert 9th.
Follow Ups:
Let's not forget that almost all of these recordings were recorded on analog tape. HDTT masters from 2-track 15 ips or 7½ ips tapes or 4-track 7½ ips tapes.
I have the Bruno Walter 2-track 7½ ips of Dvorak's New World Symphony. Was this tape issue used for the transfer? It's a very good sounding recording for Columbia with the qualities that people admire in Walter's conducting. For me is sounds more Germanic than Czech.
I also have Bernstein's 2-track 7½ ips tape issue of Rhapsody in Blue. This is the 50+ year old Columbia recording. It's a winning performance in very good sound. I listened to it last week. I hadn't heard it in a long time. I was a little put off by the way he exaggerated some of the tempo changes. Yet the overall performance convinces because of its jazzy American style is all there. Another success from Columbia. And it's good that HDTT is bringing these recordings back in excellent transfers.
Frankly the Bruch was a bit of a disappointment: a little dead in the treble dept and violin too up-front for tastes, a lot of delicious orchestral passages murky. Maybe the tape?
That said, the Hindemith has a fall-off-your-seat stunning sound in every respect, typical of Decca recording at its best: huge wide and deep soundstage and better balance between soloist and orchestra. Night and day!
The Oistrakh/Bruch/Hindemith was issued in a deluxe 15 ips 2-track tape by The Tape Project folks. I haven't heard it, but it got a good reception. I own a few of the other Tape Project titles, and they are superb.
Everything depends on the quality of the original recording, and then secondarily on the source used for the transfer to digital. HDTT issued a single title from the early EMI (Columbia and His Masters Voice) stereo recordings that were released on 2-track tapes in the UK. I had an email exchange with the person who supplied the tape used in the transfer. He sent me a one-off CD of experimental stereo recordings done in 1954. Most are snippets, but a complete Till Eulenspiegel with Norman Del Mar and the LSO is included with impressive sound. There's also the 3rd movement of the Brahms Violin Concerto with Endre Wolf, Walter Goehr and the LSO. I'm hoping to get a tape to tape transfer of these experimental recordings, but I would settle for a hi-rez transfer from HDTT. :-)
JD - As you may know, I am a vinyl snob. My only exposure to digital has been via my ipod nano and music downloads from youtube. Needless to say, my digital experience has been "limited".
So, based upon this post I decided to download a few of the sample tracks from HDTT. Two thoughts immediately came to mind when listening to these tracks. Remember, I have downloaded these FLAC files, then converted to AIFF. Then converted again to AAC, which is near MP3 regarding digital file formats. I am playing the AAC files thru my ipad nano, and a cheap interconnect. The rest of my system is SOTA.
Here is what grabbed me:
1. The music was fantastic. Each of the sample sound tracks had immediacy not previously experienced by myself. It was some of the best musicianship I have heard. No wonder why they chose these recordings to bring into the 21st century.
2. The sonics were also top rate. Yes there were some minor quibbles about a few of the piano recordings, but for the most part, the sonics were better than almost all other recordings. Especially the sample download of Frédérick Chopin: Nocturne, Opus 27, No. 2. The playing was so subtle and delicate that it drew the listener into the venue. Completely hypnotizing.
So, my question to everyone is as follows: Given that I really enjoyed the HDTT downloads and playing them thru very limited compression files and an ipod nano, how much better could I expect the sonics to be on a nice digital player that can play full FLAC files? Can these files approach or exceed vinyl? If so, JD, then you might have a possible convert from vinyl to digital.
All comments are welcome.
Pat
I have no experience with your specific file type and resolution. I select either DSD 64 or 192/24 PCM, and have been very happy.
Of course their transfers can never be better than the commercial source they use. The DSD transfer of the Monteux Tchaikovsky 4th was merely OK. Their DSD transfer of Ansermet's Petrushka was out of this world!
What I can say is that these transfers of commercials tapes, (and sometimes records) is better than their 16 bit CD counterparts: when I purchased my Marantz "Pearl" SACD/CD player, the first thing I did was pick up some of Ansermet's classic performances on Australian "Eloquence." I was sorely disappointed. Sound was flat and thin.
HDTT is not the last word. I've downloaded some of Decca's legendary recordings, such as Britten's Peter Grimes, in higher resolution (96/24) and the results have been beyond my wildest dreams. Warmth, depth, sweetness...all retained.
I wish Sony was paying me to say this, but their HAP EZ1 is awesome. You download a piece, beam it to the player...done. No separate pieces required.
I snatched up three HDTT DSD128 offerings:
Previn's Walton First
Solti's Wagner Overtures
Ansermet's Falla "Sombrero..."/Chabrier's "España"
I may go back for more...and if I do, I'll blame you. :-)
Jim
http://jimtranr.com
less free space on your hard drive.
At least with HDTT I can buy a DVD-Audio and have something to hold in my old, wrinkled hands.
And for just $9.00 per disk.
I just clutch my tablet--which features the "on-air" album cover. I can pick whichever iteration of the Lp cover that I want.
But it doesn't smell like an lp cover.
PS: if I press the little "x" I get any and all info about that particular recording available on the web.
Edits: 11/26/16
We should always be careful concerning our attraction to the aroma of LP covers (and to the aroma of LP's themselves!), for such attractions could reduce us to a world of pagan sensuousness!
And I will pull the trigger.
Marantz DV-9600 silver disk spinner turns out the be a really decent DVD-A player so I'm OK without the download.
Now through Nov. 28.
With regard to transfer quality, so far I've only listened to the Bruckner and it's fabulous. As a performance, it's your call.
Your purchase list includes the very first CD I ever owned or heard (not counting CDs played over the radio), the Bernstein/Gershwin on DG. Assuming yours is the same recording, I wonder how it sounds, and whether it was ever remastered. A classic performance-wise, but also a classic example of the bad digital sound of many early 80s CDs.
Edit: Actually, yours looks like Bernstein's earlier Rhapsody on Columbia which is paired with An American In Paris, since the later DG one is paired with the West Side Story Symphonic Variations. Another good choice.
Edits: 11/27/16
which I originally owned via "Gershwin's Greatest Hits" lp.
I have known this performance for a VERY long time, and to me as well, it seems that Lenny completely nails it.
.
is what sounds like air conditioning turning on part way through the Columbia "Rhapsody." No matter...still a fun performance.
Jim
http://jimtranr.com
The Karajan Sibelius 4th is fantastic as well. Man, commercial reel to reels could be pretty damn good.
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