LP/CD shootout (well kinda) ... - bjh - Vinyl Asylum

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LP/CD shootout (well kinda) ...

bjh

Last evening I played the Ashkenazy/Previn/London Symphony Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 3 on LP that I finally managed to find. This particular performance of the Rach 3 has an almost transcendental importance for me as my idea of beating Hades would be having this thing repeat for an eternity in my brain.
I first got it on CD and have enjoyed it many many times on my Arcam CD92. So naturally having gotten my Roksan Xerxes/Artemis (w/Denon DL103) going I've wondered how the LP would stack up.
Unfortunately the LP is hardly mint with many scratches but thankfully little grove damaged (notes don't break up and no fizz on loud sections). My first impression was that the sound was very 'shut in' in comparison to the the CD, clearly inferior ... until I turned to side 2 that is. The second side sounds completely difference having that clear dynamic sound I'm familiar with on the CD. What gives? Perhaps the first side has been played to death?
Conclusion (based on side 2) ... I found that from the high mids up the CD is better, yet the LP wins from the low mids down being more articulate yet paradoxically softer. Also in the area of transient attack the LP wins but the Xerxes has always been world class in this area; I have a particular version of the Tchaikovsky 6th where the dynamic attacks in the first movement practically make me jump out of my skin ... every singe time even thought I know exactly when its going to happen! Still, perhaps the story would change with a mint copy. I'll keep looking.

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Topic - LP/CD shootout (well kinda) ... - bjh 08:45:36 10/30/04 (13)

Possibly different SRAs - Doug Deacon 06:46:12 11/01/04 (0)

Was the LP London or Decca? (nt) - J Harris 09:35:52 10/31/04 (2)

London ffrr CS6775 nt - bjh 09:58:25 10/31/04 (1)

You might want to hold out for a Decca - J Harris 17:58:34 11/01/04 (0)

Re: I wonder if such comparisons can ever be valid - darkstar 05:50:04 10/31/04 (0)

Stamper codes ... - bjh 05:30:28 10/31/04 (1)

cartridge warmup effects not merely subtle change ... - Chien 04:05:50 11/01/04 (0)

Side 2 definitely sounds better - Chien 05:12:22 10/31/04 (0)

Generation gaps in stamper and mother.. - Vynuhl.Addict 01:28:12 10/31/04 (0)

Generation gaps in stamper and mother.. - Vynuhl.Addict 01:25:31 10/31/04 (0)

Interesting - mr.bear 20:23:32 10/30/04 (0)

Re: LP/CD shootout (well kinda) ... - Stephen Murphy 14:09:22 10/30/04 (0)

Re: LP/CD shootout (well kinda) ... - Fred J 09:05:24 10/30/04 (0)

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