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Has anyone been buying the latest RCA Shaded Dog reissues from Analogue Productions? I'm not convinced I have to replace my Classic Records reissues with the new ones but I bought a few to check out.
The first A/B I did was with Rachmaninov's Isle of the Dead on The Reiner Sound. On the new pressing the string sound had a warm, soft glaze about it. I compared it to the sound on the Classic, Chesky and an original Shaded Dog. On the new pressing the level was lower and the soundstage was further to the back. It had a fuzzy, euphonic sound that I didn't remember being in the original. The Chesky was actually better than the Analogue Production pressing. The Classic and original were very close with the original being slightly better. The dynamic range, bass, string textures and articulations were all much better than the AP. I know that Isle of the Dead was from a totally different recording session and maybe the tape hasn't aged as well but Classic Records seemed to get it right.
Follow Ups:
I decided to sit down and do some comparisons of the 3 Analogue Production disks I have - Pictures at an Exhibition, Lt. Kije/Song of the Nightingale, and The Reiner Sound. Here are my notes:
Pictures:
AP - very dynamic, great instrumental timbres but a little bloated in the mid-bass
Classic - a little leaner but still deep bass, more transparency
Shaded - 23s/23s - lean in the bass, not as dynamic as the reissues, lovely midrange
(perhaps the fact that the AP pressings are 200gm and the Classic is 180 could explain the mid-bass issue)
Lt. Kije/Nightingale:
Classic - very good
AP - more transparency, better transients, good bass without the bloat
I had never played this piece (I'm a professional musician) and didn't realize that the Perfect 5th (pizzicato harmonics) played by what I thought were two cellists is actually a cello and a double bass. The AP pressing finally made that apparent.
Shaded - 24s/19s - leaner, less bass, not as dynamic
Ravel (Reiner Sound):
Classic - good
AP - more mid-bass bloat, pizzicato basses are not as precise
Chesky - good but not as transparent or dynamic, transferred at a lower level but with a deeper soundstage, slightly leaner in texture, still very good
Shaded - lower level in the bass
I still think the Classic has it all over the AP pressing in the Isle of the Dead.
All in all I think the new pressings are good but I'm not going to run out and replace my Classic reissues unless I hear different or the music means enough to me to want to try another one out. I'm looking forward to LSC-2111 and LSC-2395, neither of which were pressed by Classic Records.
I've heard yet.
At least pick up and sample the London orange label Treasury.
It's a sleeper demo disc for the ages.
Many of the Decca Ansermet recordings were done in Geneva and engineered by Roy Wallace. They are almost all wonderful recordings. Can sometimes be a little bright like the Mercurys but very realistic. Anytime I see a Decca or London Ansermet recording in the used record bins I snatch it up. I have seldom been disappointed. Ansermet was a great conductor
Alan
I agree the Ansermet is quite nice both in sound and performance. But, Stravinsky thought so highly of Reiner's interpretation that he was reluctant to record it himself thinking it couldn't be bettered.
...I humbly think Ansermet "gets down" more in the dance riffs toward the beginning.
I have visited a friend with 5 different pressing of Scherahazade recently and my vote goes for the original shaded dog ( dead wax 1s/7s ) followed by the original Classic Reissue and White dog.
The Acoustic Sound and Chesky are distant seconds and dead last. The original pressing, whilst , slightly limited in frequency extensions, still have the lovely natural tangible balance and intimate midrange I love.
It could be title dependent and I still might pony up for Lt. Kije as my original copy is noisy. I am trying to replace this but rather do not wish to pay 100$ on the Classic reissue. :/
The new AP Lt. Kije is worth it. It was the winner of the 3 AP disks I bought. I highly recommend it.
I am not a huge fan of Reiner in general, but his Lt. Kije is one of my fave.
I am also looking forward to the reissue of a few Heifez pieces.
I do not understand why AP decided to remix and futz with the balance. I am curious to know what their reasoning behind it.
Remember the masters are either 2 track or three track. The 2 track masters can not be rebalanced except maybe through judicious EQing. The three track masters can have more or less center channel levels in the remix to two track. In hearing these records it sounds like the center channel has been boosted a little and some high end eq has been implemented. Also maybe a boost at bottem end. I think analog productions has mainly depended on some excellent playback machines plus superior pressings. I have heard 5 so far and I really like The Reiner Sound, The Pines and Fountains of Rome and Lt. Kiji. They are worth hearing. Scheherazade and Pictures are very good but not as good as the other three in my opinion. I have 2 others coming and look forward to them
Alan
but this AP pressing is entirely different. Yes i hear the bass boost and I can't deny the production value is high as the Classic Reissue.
Must be a subjective call by different mastering engineer.
Do you know the name of engineers who worked on these reissues?
Because Sony who owns RCA would not let the master tapes leave NY city they were remastered by Ryan Smith at Stirling Sound. They used the late George Marinos VMS 80 lathe and an ATR 102 tape machine modified by Mark Spitz. The master lacquers were then sent to Chad Kassems QRP pressing facility in Salina, Kansas.
Alan
I have all 6 of the AP RCA re-issues. I have played 3 of them so far.
They have been flat and concentric, which is a major plus. The surface noise is good to very good, but not excellent such as those pressed by Pallas.
I only have a 45 RPM Classic Records Pictures at an Exhibition to compare to the new AP Pictures. I actually like the AP pressing better. Better soundstage, quietness and tonal balance. The tonal balance of the 45 RPM Classic records was always bright in my opinion. The AP sounds more natural and lifelike.
I listened to Gershwin last night. I don't have anything to compare. That said, the symphony seemed recessed (deep in soundstage) and the strings were not as lush and colorful as the AP Pictures LP. It might just be that the Gershwin is not as well recorded as the Pictures. I don't know and would certainly like someone to chime in on this.
Hope this helps
I agree about the surfaces but I've found that a thorough cleaning is needed to get the mold release compound off the surfaces. It took awhile but I got them clean and silent.
Jack
Jack,
I have a VPI. Do you use a cleaning machine and what is your cleaning fluid (DIY or commercial)?
Pat
I too use a VPI RCM. I've used Disk Doctor and I like his products. Lately I've been using the Audio Intelligent products - first the enzyme then the Premium Archivist. They work well also. Sometimes I need to use LAST Power Cleaner.
I've got a Scheherazade. It's better than the Classic or Chesky by a large margin. Haven't compared it to an original RCA pressing.
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