greg@olivee.UUCP (Greg Paley) (08/23/85)
A previous article questioned the value of CD's made from analogue source material. I am sure that there are a number of cases where nothing is gained and, in fact, something may be lost in this process. However, I've heard several examples where, at least on the equipment I've been able to use for comparisons, there has been a striking difference between an LP and CD from an analogue original. I say "difference" rather than "improvement" because, although I've generally preferred the CD, not everyone will agree. Examples of this sort that I own or have listened to carefully are all on the London label, all originated in Vienna and featured the Vienna Philharmonic, and are, specifically: Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde (Ferrier/Patzak/Vienna Philharmonic/ Bruno Walter, cond.) Recorded in the Musikvereinsaal, Vienna, 1952. I believe the producer was Victor Olof, but I'm not certain about this. Wagner: Ring Des Nibelungen (Nilsson/Windgassen/Ludwig/Hotter, etc. Vienna Philharmonic/Georg Solti, cond.) Recorded in the Sofiensaal, Vienna 1958 (Rheingold), 1960-61 (Siegfried), 1964 (Goetterdaemmerung), 1965 (Walkuere). Produced by John Culshaw. R. Strauss: Salome (Nilsson/Waechter/Stolze/Hoffman/Vienna Philharmonic/Georg Solti, cond.) Recorded in the Sofiensaal, Vienna, 1962. Produced by John Culshaw. In each of these cases, I hear a greater detail and clarity that I feel must approximate more closely the original master tape than the analogue LP. However, there is also (particularly on the Salome) a greater impression of depth and a much "sweeter" sound to the strings and voices. I feel that this is a case where the analogue process provides what some would find a benign masking of some of the harshness picked up by the mikes on the original master. I know that there are those who will argue violently with this and contend that any such harshness is a distortion which has been added by the "digitization" process. My reason for arguing against this is that the occasional harshness and stridency I hear on the "Ring" and "Salome" recordings have been characteristic of what I've heard, when sitting close to the stage, from a number of those same singers that I've had occasion to hear live (Nilsson, in particular) as well as the actual string tone I've heard in live performance from the Vienna Philharmonic. Certainly, changes in personnel would indicate that the playing I would have heard live from that orchestra over the last ten years could be radically different from what was there at the time of these older recordings. Nonetheless, I feel it worth mentioning that the sound of the Vienna string section when I've heard the orchestra live was not the airy, sweet sound I expected from earlier, analogue recordings but was, in fact, the icy clear, resinous, and gutsy sound as reproduced on some of the better digital recordings. This does, however, make it plausible to me that it would not be so terribly contradictory if someone were to say that he found digital recordings more accurate but that he preferred the analogue. I find this difference in tastes analogous to that between two concertgoers, one of whom prefers to sit up close whereas the other prefers the seat in the highest balcony. - Greg Paley
rfg@hound.UUCP (R.GRANTGES) (08/25/85)
[] Bravo, Mr. Paley, well said. I look at it this way. Most really good masters were made on superior equipment - like 15 or 30 ips tape. If I can get that quality level in my home, I think it will probably be ok. Especially now that most (well, many) ((well, some)) engineers are beginning to get the hang of how to "cut" a digital recording without doing something horribly wrong. I have found "live" cassette quality to be perfectly satisfactory, except for a bit of hiss, although even that is gone with some of the newer formulations and good equipment. By live, I mean original redcordings I made myself on location. Now, the tape masters in industry are usually better than that, although only now can they get that level transferred to my home. So far, the tape mastered stuff I have is great ...only why is there that damn bass thumping in Rheingold? Surely they could/should have eliminated that. I haven't checked my disc copy but I'm pretty sure it wasn't there. Somehow it must have gotten in in the remastering process, but that doesn't make sense... -- "It's the thought, if any, that counts!" Dick Grantges hound!rfg
greg@olivee.UUCP (Greg Paley) (08/26/85)
> So far, the tape mastered stuff I have is great ...only why is there > that damn bass thumping in Rheingold? Surely they could/should have > eliminated that. I haven't checked my disc copy but I'm pretty sure > it wasn't there. Somehow it must have gotten in in the remastering > process, but that doesn't make sense... > > -- > > "It's the thought, if any, that counts!" Dick Grantges hound!rfg I hadn't noticed the "bass thumping" problem on my English Decca "Rheingold" pressings when playing it on my Sony direct-drive table with Audioquest 404 cartridge - although I also noticed it on the CD. Playing the records on a friend's Sota/MMT/Koetsu combination - the thumps are there. I have no idea what it is. In a similar line, I found that when I bought my Vandersteen IIc speakers, they "revealed" on the 1952 Flagstad/Furtwaengler "Tristan" recording, the unmistakable sound of the London subway passing underneath Kingsway Hall, particularly noticeable during stretches of Act I. - Greg Paley