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In Reply to: RE: and not always better posted by jygesq on July 01, 2008 at 12:54:49
The Mercury Living Presence are not just a little bit better than the CD versions but way, way better than the CD versions in every single performance area.
I find a bigger improvent in the MLP SACDs over the CDs than I do the LSC SACDs over their CD versions.
What about the huge difference in the quantity and sound of tape hiss between Mercury Living Presence SACDs and Mercury Living Presence CDs? I find the tape hiss on the Mercury Living Presence CDs very distracting, but I hardly notice it on the SACD versions. Doesn't the extreme tape hiss on the Mercury Living Presence CDs bother you? I do not have that problem BTW with other CDs from analog masters including the RCA Living Stereo CDs.
But the biggest difference besides the levels of tape hiss is the smoothness of the strings, the Mercury Living Presence CDs are strident and the Mercury Living Presence SACDs are silky smooth. Also the RCA Living Stereo CDs are on the smooth side, though not quite as smooth as the RCA Living Stereo SACDs.
The MLP SACDs are way, way better than the CD versions but not as good as the Classic Records and Speakers Corner 180/200 Gram LP versions.
String Tone
MLP CD - shrill and strident with a dryness that makes me want to cringe
MLP SACD - smooth beautiful string tone
MLP / Classic or Speakers Corner LP - sound so real I just melt!
Ambiance
MLP CD - somewhat on the dry side.
MLP SACD - depending on title from just slightly dry to extremely warm.
MLP / Classic or Speakers Corner LP - nice warm ambiance that makes you feel you are there in the hall where they are performing!
Tape Hiss
MLP CD - very annoying it seems to be bonded to the music
MLP SACD - audible tape hiss but it seems to be divorced from the music and easier for the ear to tune out
MLP / Classic or Speakers Corner LP - almost no audible tape hiss.
The RCA Living Stereo SACDs are superior to the RCA Living Stereo CDs by a wide margin. But the Mercury Living Presence SACDs are superior to the Mercury Living Presence CDs by a gigantic margin.
Also Mercury Living Presence is one of my very favorite labels so I know how nearly every recording sounds in all it's different versions from the different Reel to Reel versions (Original, Bel Canto, Ampex and Barclay-Crocker), to the Living Presence LPs, Golden Import LPs, Classic Records 180/200 Gram LPs, Speakers Corners 200 Gram LPs and the Living Presence CDs and Living Presence SACDs. One only ones I do not like at all are the Living Presence CDs.
The Living Presence SACDs don't hold a candle to the Living Presence LP reissues from Classic Records or Speakers Corner but they leave the Living Presence CDs in the dirt.
In digital form the Living Presence SACDs rule!
Also I have not found one single recording ever in which the CD sounding as good as or better than the SACD. It has not and will never happen!
Music is love,
Teresa
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