Mahler on SACD
Posted by: Todd A on 01 February 2004
Now that I have a machine capable of playing SACDs, I finally picked up Michael Tilson Thomas’ recording of Mahler’s Sixth, recorded in concert between September 12th and 15th, 2001. This disc was purchased to serve dual purposes: to determine if the SACD hype is even remotely true, and if the MTT Mahler cycle, given its high price, is worth pursuing. The former proved false, the latter anything but.
As soon as I got home, I yanked disc one out and plopped it in the Marantz (DV6400 universal player). The little SACD LED lit up, I pressed play, and awaited sonic glory. It did not come. Oh, sure, I could hear some above-average hall ambience, and the orchestral sound was clean, but the dynamics were missing, as was any excitement. I then yanked out the disc and put it in the 3.5. Yowza! Everything that was missing in the Marantz was amply present in the Naim. Only the sense of ambience was less noticeable through the 3.5. The sound quality was not even close: the 3.5 is at least an order of magnitude better. Then when I took the disc to my main system and spun it in the CDX, well, let’s just say that SACD has a ways to go. Okay, maybe it’s unfair to do direct comparisons between $500 mass-market “universal” players and decidedly high-end CD players, but given all of the hype in the hi-fi press and in various internet forums, I was expecting more. I’ve read more than one person claim that a mid-level SACD player can best a high-end CD player. That is a lie. Now, if Naim ever makes an SACD player (or, better yet, a universal player), I’ll be in line to buy one.
As to the recording itself: it is superb. It goes straight to the top of my list, sharing honors with Bernstein (on DG). This is definitely a “hot” performance, which one would expect given its recording date. The opening and closing movements are fevered at times, though MTT does pull back and allow some delicate inner detail to emerge. He also allows for some individual touches, as with the brass playing near the end of the final movement. The heart of the work is surely the Andante moderato, though. MTT leads the San Francisco band in some truly beautiful, decidedly sad playing. It is remarkable and touching. I certainly do not plan on playing this recording very often given its emotional nature, but it makes a great addition to my collection. I’m now prepared to lay down the long green necessary to buy the rest of the recordings out now and future ones as they become available. The Ninth is coming out soon, so that will probably be next. A definite hit.
"The universe is change, life is opinion." Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
As soon as I got home, I yanked disc one out and plopped it in the Marantz (DV6400 universal player). The little SACD LED lit up, I pressed play, and awaited sonic glory. It did not come. Oh, sure, I could hear some above-average hall ambience, and the orchestral sound was clean, but the dynamics were missing, as was any excitement. I then yanked out the disc and put it in the 3.5. Yowza! Everything that was missing in the Marantz was amply present in the Naim. Only the sense of ambience was less noticeable through the 3.5. The sound quality was not even close: the 3.5 is at least an order of magnitude better. Then when I took the disc to my main system and spun it in the CDX, well, let’s just say that SACD has a ways to go. Okay, maybe it’s unfair to do direct comparisons between $500 mass-market “universal” players and decidedly high-end CD players, but given all of the hype in the hi-fi press and in various internet forums, I was expecting more. I’ve read more than one person claim that a mid-level SACD player can best a high-end CD player. That is a lie. Now, if Naim ever makes an SACD player (or, better yet, a universal player), I’ll be in line to buy one.
As to the recording itself: it is superb. It goes straight to the top of my list, sharing honors with Bernstein (on DG). This is definitely a “hot” performance, which one would expect given its recording date. The opening and closing movements are fevered at times, though MTT does pull back and allow some delicate inner detail to emerge. He also allows for some individual touches, as with the brass playing near the end of the final movement. The heart of the work is surely the Andante moderato, though. MTT leads the San Francisco band in some truly beautiful, decidedly sad playing. It is remarkable and touching. I certainly do not plan on playing this recording very often given its emotional nature, but it makes a great addition to my collection. I’m now prepared to lay down the long green necessary to buy the rest of the recordings out now and future ones as they become available. The Ninth is coming out soon, so that will probably be next. A definite hit.
"The universe is change, life is opinion." Marcus Aurelius, Meditations