Theory: Mastering quality has worsened in the last 10 years.

Thanks for the suggestions. You're not that wrong when you're calling Horowitz a "pinkie man" - but you must admit that those (indeed) high notes played in Rachmaninov's Preludes are simply god-sent.

BTW, I have always been looking for a CD-Online-shop allowing an accurate search - I just tried it on Amazon. Maybe I'm too thick, but the only search field I found was this "express search" or whatever. Pretty difficult to use it if you're looking for a particular Chopin work played by the pianist of your choice.

Is there any "Advanced search" section on Amazon ?

Thanks.

Cheese

Cheese,

This is as good as it gets on Amazon. It's not bad, though you're still at the mercy of the way they have titled things. I usually get what I want with it.

Amazon Search

And in your case the German Amazon would perhaps be most convenient. This link gives you advanced search for classical (lower box) and pop.

http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/tg/stores/static/-/music/search/302-6048856-6831232

Herman

Oh, Thanks. Have been looking for that for years, pretty dangerous for my wallet

Cheese

Ron The Mon wrote:

"I hope you never hear a Rega Planar78 through a good hi-fi. If so you'll be saying the engineers got it right before stereo was invented and that early stereo is crap."

A Swedish radio program called (translated from Swedish) "Hit's, but not anymore" often plays early to mid fifties 78:s and, yes, they sound realy great! And they are just using crap Technics SP10:s.

Otherwise I agree completely with Tony L:s views on pop music recording quality, I could have written it myself (well, I've never heard Can, or even heard of them, are they available in some format?).

JohanR

quote:

---

(well, I've never heard Can, or even heard of them, are they available in some format?).

---

Can's entire back catalogue is currently available on both vinyl and CD on their own Spoon label. The vinyl is good, almost as good as the original UA pressings (which thankfully I managed to land before the collectors price went through the roof), but unfortunately the CDs suck a bit in comparison. I would start with Ege Bam Yasi, Tago Mago, or Soundtracks - all are stunning both musically and sonically.

Tony.

A hasty reading of the above replies and
it all reminds me of my last days of vinyl!
The following is meant to beg the question:
How is it that you members can still enjoy the sounds your expensive hifi's produce? Am i right in imagining that most have gone over to using expensive, ie 1000£ plus, CD players?

Having used an Ittoked Sondek/Kans etc. in the
early / mid '80's, i tried some of the digitally
recorded vinyl and yes, the majority, in fact, all of these classical recordings were inferior to all of my analogue vinyl. I could not bear to
end up just listening to a few s/hand Deccas or Turnabouts. Hence my original question :how is it that a lot of you folk have managed to not only stay with your systems *but heavily upgrade them * as well? I ask this because if I could clearly hear the modern deleterious effects of mid 80's digital recording on a system,about 1500£ in value, then how much more apparent must the difference be with these more analytical (naim) systems.
Conclusion: When i sold the Sondek, I now realise that to get CD performance of similar quality, would have required the expenditure of some twice what i paid for the sondek, over £1000. This was more than i was prepared to pay.Now I am more inclined to say this: with a hook up of say digital radio, what is the highest upgrade possible ie. in terms of naim amps , before the system really begins to show up how awful(??) digital radio is?!(NB. I am not saying this is actually so)

[This message was edited by timparker on MONDAY 14 October 2002 at 21:10.]

[This message was edited by timparker on MONDAY 14 October 2002 at 21:12.]

I understand Tony's statement about mastering from the 50's through to the 90's. Hell, I've got some Reprise Sinatra LPs that destroy anything he did for Capitol.

My theory was that mastering was pretty good in the early 90's, but have generally gone to crap in the 00's.

Either I'm unable to get my point across or I'm totally wrong and need to reset the flippin' Mana again

quote:

---

I understand Tony's statement about mastering from the 50's through to the 90's. Hell, I've got some Reprise Sinatra LPs that destroy anything he did for Capitol.

---

Sinatra was on Capital first! The likes of Come dance with me, Songs for swinging lovers, Come fly with me etc were all on Capital. I have nice original pressings of these and they are truly excellent sonically. The Reprise stuff is also great, and dates from the late sixties onwards. As ever only form conclusions with original vinyl, the CDs or remastered vinyl are not consistant enough to draw any conclusions from (and usually suck)!

Tony.

Sorry I meant Columbia, particularly "The Voice". My copy is hopelessly thrashed, but still has some sort of magic in it compared to my Capitol stuff (which are admittedly all repressings, and opens up a whole 'nother can of something).

It's interesting that you mention the early Sinatra recordings. When I first play someone a 78 rpm record in my system, Sinatra goes on because he's known by all and more accessable.

To hear Frank off a good 78 player is amazing. His voice is smoother than melting butter! And the Nelson Riddle arrangements are are as clasic as they come.

Ron The Mon,
78 Needle-Freak

OK, but assuming the availability of mint 78s is limited, and 78-spinners too, what are good Sinatra remasters?

My girlfriend has a couple 33s, European pressings natch, and I have most Capitol titles in early 90s AAD cds, and I have to say they sound passable.

I don't mind some No one cares tracks when I'm in the mood. This record is so blatantly monotonous it's hilarious.

Herman