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In Reply to: Truth to tell, posted by sgb on December 25, 2004 at 23:45:04:
Regarding choice of a proper tape machine, I wonder how one deals with the notion that a modern machine was chosen because of its superior frequency response. Can it play back any frequencies not part of the original recording? If so, do we want to hear them? ;-)I thought it was already proven that a three-track Ampex 300 was best for the three-track tapes. They seem to be re-writing history over at SoundMirror.
Follow Ups:
You stated: "I thought it was already proven that a three-track Ampex 300 was best for the three-track tapes."
Maybe when you "speak" to me in a civil tongue I will.
Instead of offering your "proof," now you morph into Miss Manners and criticize the tone of my post. So much for your evidence.
Then stop demanding people jump through your hoops. In other words, GFY.
The Living Stereo SACDs are far from perfect.
But to my ears, on my equipment and on my room they are much better than the XRCD versions.
Two titles come particularly to my mind: The Saint-Saens Organ Symphony (Munch) (XRCD) and the Tchaikovsky 1st Piano Concerto (Cliburn) (XRCD24) are a painful and almost unbearable experience on XRCD while they are listenable and a pleasant aural experience on SACD.
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I believe the xrcd's would sound best on a system that's on the warm, mellow side--like mine. On a more nearly neutral, or bright-leaning system, they may well have their less desirable traits emphasized: namely their leanness and cleanness.I can tell you that on all tubes (save for the player, which is an SCD-1), they sound damned marvelous.
Try the Mancini "Charade" soundtrack--an absolute KILLER disc. I can't imagine this one not being a knockout on any system.
Mine is an all tube equipment too (VAC pre and power), except for the SCD-1.
I find many XRCDs to be excellent but some are mediocre, even in the XRCD24 incarnation.
I think that we cannot assume that if it is an XRCD then it is excellent. The same can be said about SACDs.
True enough about assumptions regarding formats. Still, my experience with the xrcd24's must be incredibly lucky, because all I've heard are superb. Of course, not all the original tapes are of equal quality (nothing will ever make the Cliburn Tchaikovsky Concerto sound good). But discs like the Kondrashin Kabalevsky/Khatchaturian and the Capriccio Espanol/Italien are really tremendous (two of my favorite recordings anyway). The Stokowski Rhapsodies is excellent too. (Interested to see how that fares in its SACD incarnation.)
Yes, the Saint-Saens is one of the least good of the xrcds (and one of the first). The Cliburn is a mediocre-sounding recording to begin with, and I can't figure out why they keep picking it for these so-called "audiophile" series, other than that the performance was a huge seller--it's certainly not for its sonic qualities.In general, however, I find the xrcd24's to be superb, and the best of the lot.
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