RE: Firebird...

RE: Firebird...

Posted by regmac (A) on May 6, 2012 at 13:06:53

In Reply to: Firebird... posted by mkuller on May 3, 2012 at 11:11:49:

“...but aren't they also two different conductors and orchestras? Comparing apples and oranges.”

Obviously. But that’s usually the case when arriving at a *personal* preference. I prefer Randy Dunn’s big, tannic (when young) Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon to Silver Oak’s softer style. Different winemakers and vineyards resulting in *my* preference for Dunn’s approach. It’s called discrimination and people do it all the time when making personal choices.

My point about the early Telarc recordings is that to my ears they captured the essence of the hall and revealed a three dimensional aspect that was missing from most labels. I suspect this had much to do with recording technique and little to do with conductor, interpretation or orchestra. Again, Telarc's early recordings conveyed a convincing realism that was not evident on other labels. So it’s not as though the digital format is lacking in that respect.

Perhaps TAS said it best: “Stravinsky, Firebird. Atlanta, Shaw. Telarc (CD and SACD) A durably exciting Firebird, captured in vivid, dynamic stereo. Way back in the late 1970’s, Telarc was getting digital right before everyone else started getting it wrong.”

http://www.avguide.com/article/best-audiophile-label-recordings-classical-tas-197?page=3

I’ve always been curious as to why *classical* digital recordings failed to improve given Telarc’s promising start some 30-35 years ago. I think I understand why pop and other genres have failed: loudness wars, mixing consoles, lack of dynamic range, etc. But why do you suppose “everyone else started getting it wrong” after Telarc’s auspicious start? Or do you think TAS’s assessment is too severe and some digital recordings have gotten it right during the intervening years?

I'd be curious to read your thoughts and the thoughts of others regarding this issue.

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - Old Believers. - samtellig 06:23:52 05/02/12 (27)

RE: Old Believers. - BubbaMike 19:07:16 05/05/12 (0)

RE: Old Believers. - tmsorosk 13:46:59 05/05/12 (0)

Vaporizing vixens vituperatively verily vengfully violate volatile vintage vinyl vat vapors - Elizabeth 20:31:19 05/04/12 (3)

Vindication via voluptuous vocabulary vacates vexing volition vacuum - Elizabeth 22:06:56 05/04/12 (2)

Vivacious, albeit vexious vixen voices vow to vacate vinylphobe.(nt) - samtellig 09:23:15 05/11/12 (1)

Verily! - Elizabeth 15:39:35 05/11/12 (0)

Boiled in MD 20-20 while listening to Loretta Linn. * - mr grits 12:05:28 05/03/12 (1)

Is the TT named Loretta?... - musetap 16:22:06 05/03/12 (0)

I’ll leave the analog/digital debate for others. That said... - regmac 08:56:14 05/03/12 (9)

I prefer the former, too :) - E-Stat 14:55:51 05/03/12 (0)

RE: I’ll leave the analog/digital debate for others. That said... - Tony Lauck 14:10:12 05/03/12 (1)

RE: I’ll leave the analog/digital debate for others. That said... - josh358 20:31:58 05/04/12 (0)

Firebird... - mkuller 11:11:49 05/03/12 (5)

RE: Firebird... - regmac 13:06:53 05/06/12 (4)

RE: Firebird... - Tony Lauck 09:07:23 05/07/12 (0)

RE: Firebird... - Botanico92007 09:07:06 05/07/12 (2)

RE: Firebird... - josh358 13:35:19 05/07/12 (1)

And lets not forget - vinyl survivor 21:21:41 05/14/12 (0)

burn sam in a vat of - hifitommy 18:43:18 05/02/12 (3)

dam - hifitommy 11:27:42 05/11/12 (0)

I don't think it's flammable.(nt) - samtellig 09:19:19 05/11/12 (1)

Aren't you? .(nt) - Kal Rubinson 14:47:11 05/12/12 (0)

"Old Believers" were characters in Mussorgsky's opera "Khovanshchina." - John Marks 09:48:26 05/02/12 (1)

Well, then, Sam's "Burn them at the stake" and "vaporize them...in vinyl" comments are historically imprecise. - Enophile 09:55:52 05/02/12 (0)

I take it that "Old Believers" is the whiskey you've been drinkling this fine morning? - Enophile 08:49:38 05/02/12 (0)

RE: Old Believers. - DrChaos 08:36:36 05/02/12 (0)

RE: Old - Kloss 07:09:06 05/02/12 (0)

Follow Ups

RE: Firebird... - regmac 13:06:53 05/06/12 (4)

RE: Firebird... - Tony Lauck 09:07:23 05/07/12 (0)

RE: Firebird... - Botanico92007 09:07:06 05/07/12 (2)

RE: Firebird... - josh358 13:35:19 05/07/12 (1)

And lets not forget - vinyl survivor 21:21:41 05/14/12 (0)

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