DBarker%PCO@CISL-SERVICE-MULTICS.ARPA (Deryk Barker) (05/03/85)
So far I have had only 1 defective CD (from Polygram or anywhere else).
This was the VPO/Bernstein Brahms 4 and when examined had two visible
holes in the plastic coating. In a recent interview a spokesman from
Polygram said that they now - after initial problems - have a success
rate of 97% from their Hanover factory (the first to come on stream in
the world) by any standards this is pretty good. Maybe your Sony is a
little sensitive and I know that my Meridian is reckoned (in the UK
anyway) to be the best error-corrector and tracker on the market - the
shop I bought mine from uses it to test out CDs that customers bring in
as suspect. (Don't forget that the average CD will have 10s of 1000s of
errors to be corrected at playing time)
As far as the DDD etc (SPARS?) markings are concerned certainly
Polygram have adopted this and EMI haven't as yet. I had the feeling
tho' that AAD was less common than ADD - certainly I have only 2
Polygram AADs (the Karajan Sibelius symphonies from 1965-1968 - perhaps
they've lost the original masters) most seem to be digitally remixed -
certainly the recent release of the Patzak/Ferrier/VPO/Walter Das Lied
von Der Erde was and I believe the EMI Furtwaengler reissues are and the
soon to be out on CD Klemperer edition is.As is the Decca (London) Solti
Ring cycle.
deryk