[Ericus Rex]

Anyone heard this set?:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DOQBVNW/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2Z0FHEWPJW9OT&coliid=I2KLU8L0WBZ5P3


Thoughts?  I really like getting boxed sets as the prices are usually great and they save lots of precious space on my rack.  However, these same works are being released singly in SACD format on Chandos.  Here is a sample:


http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0040MF1XU/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2Z0FHEWPJW9OT&coliid=I3S8USNHD9WZVB


I'm a big fan of SACDs and am torn a bit here.  Buy the singles in SACD and spend a lot more money and time (as the whole set is not yet available...or even recorded I imagine) or 'settle' for the Naxos redbook set.  I think if the Naxos set sounds good I'll go ahead and get than one.

Any thoughts?

[Alan]

I have a few of the individual discs from that set (it doesn't say they've been remastered). Excellent performances and good recordings. If it was me, I'd go ahead and get the set, it's a bargain. Then any you particularly like go ahead and get the sacd. I assume they'd be remastered for that, hope they do a good job.

[dB Cooper]

If the originals are analog (as they no doubt are), the SACD will probably not get you much apart from a larger 'bit bucket' with a lot of empty bits. Audio Engineer Mark Waldrep's "Real HD Audio" blog has a lot of information on so called 'hi-def' from analog masters. A lot of people are making a lot of money selling a lot of extra zeroes. In this case, it looks like it is at least reasonably priced so wth.

[Photon46]

Haven't heard the sets you link to, but I've enjoyed this classic collection for many years. The sound is quite good and the performances are excellent IMO. The price is very reasonable too. http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=204490

[Ericus Rex]

Thanks for the info guys!

Just to be absolutely clear, the SACD singles are entirely different recordings from the Naxos box; not just remastered SACD offerings.

Good to hear the Naxos recordings are quality.  Anyone heard any of those Chandos SACDs?  Unfortunately, some SACDs I've gotten sound no better than redbooks and if that's the case with these Chandos discs than the Naxos is definitely the better choice.

Thanks again!

[steve in jersey]

If the originals are analog (as they no doubt are), the SACD will probably not get you much apart from a larger 'bit bucket' with a lot of empty bits. Audio Engineer Mark Waldrep's "Real HD Audio" blog has a lot of information on so called 'hi-def' from analog masters. A lot of people are making a lot of money selling a lot of extra zeroes. In this case, it looks like it is at least reasonably priced so wth.

No doubt that Mark Waldrep is a talented engineer, but how successful "Hi def" from analog masters is more dependent on where & if the masters used are actually what the producers claim them to be. Unless you're
going to try & tell me that the "Living Stereo" & "Living Pesence" are'nt successful remasterings. To say that  all analog masters are the limiting factor is "sloppy thinking". It really comes down to the quality of the masters (if they are source from high quality tape machines running at 30ips his statement does'nt hold much
water.)

It really can't be said that the person making these statements does'nt have any "vested" interests & should have excused himself from making them. Good recordings are good recordings. One thing I have noticed though is that DSD derived from high quality analog masters can sound pretty exceptional, while Hi Rez PCM
always sounds a bit flawed to me regardless of whether it was derived from analog or digital masters. If you're
using PCM I can see his point,

You are completely mistaken if you think digital masters automatically contain more resolution than high quality analog masters. Digital is nothing more than a system.

[FullRangeMan]

Not a real fan but I had some vintage BIS cds from him.

[steve in jersey]

The real problem with a lot of Chandos SACDs that are'nt newly recorded straight to DSD ARE the
Masters that are used. They are many times derived from the CD master,not an analog master.

I think Chandos upsamples the CD masters in PCM & then converts it to DSD. If I were still buying discs
I would stay away from Chandos SACDs unless they are newly recorded to DSD(they actually sound pretty
nice)

[Ericus Rex]

The real problem with a lot of Chandos SACDs that are'nt newly recorded straight to DSD ARE the
Masters that are used. They are many times derived from the CD master,not an analog master.

I think Chandos upsamples the CD masters in PCM & then converts it to DSD. If I were still buying discs
I would stay away from Chandos SACDs unless they are newly recorded to DSD(they actually sound pretty
nice)

Is there a way to tell if they were recorded in DSD from the printed material on the jewel box?

[Russell Dawkins]

No doubt that Mark Waldrep is a talented engineer, but how successful "Hi def" from analog masters is more dependent on where & if the masters used are actually what the producers claim them to be. Unless you're
going to try & tell me that the "Living Stereo" & "Living Pesence" are'nt successful remasterings. To say that  all analog masters are the limiting factor is "sloppy thinking". It really comes down to the quality of the masters (if they are source from high quality tape machines running at 30ips his statement does'nt hold much
water.)

It really can't be said that the person making these statements does'nt have any "vested" interests & should have excused himself from making them. Good recordings are good recordings. One thing I have noticed though is that DSD derived from high quality analog masters can sound pretty exceptional, while Hi Rez PCM
always sounds a bit flawed to me regardless of whether it was derived from analog or digital masters. If you're
using PCM I can see his point,

You are completely mistaken if you think digital masters automatically contain more resolution than high quality analog masters. Digital is nothing more than a system.

I agree with this completely and I unsubscribed from Mark Waldrep's "Real HD Audio" blog because I got tired of reading variations of this line of thought over and over. Seems this is the currant iteration of the "bits is bits so no need to pursue refinement in handling of digital data" line of thinking. Hidebound, rigid adherence to simplistic engineering concepts, like "we hear only to 20kHz, so why bother with sampling rates beyond 44k? Are we recording for bats?" "Orchestral concerts show peak levels of 95dB, so a playback system that does 95 dB without audible distortion is all anyone should need".  Etc, etc. On and on. I got tired of arguing about it and took the easy route; I unsubscribed.

[FullRangeMan]

I have a few of the individual discs from that set (it doesn't say they've been remastered). Excellent performances and good recordings. If it was me, I'd go ahead and get the set, it's a bargain. Then any you particularly like go ahead and get the sacd. I assume they'd be remastered for that, hope they do a good job.

The prob with Chandos is they always are a average label in sound quality, I have this SACD and the booklet inform it was recorded in PCM 24/96:
http://www.sa-cd.net/showtitle/1578

In the 1970s years Chandos becomes know in Brasil and Portugal for making recordings with microphones too far from the instruments of the orchestra.

These recordings became known as telescopic recordings, and were source of jokes in music mags in these countries.

[FullRangeMan]

Is there a way to tell if they were recorded in DSD from the printed material on the jewel box?

Too bad Chandos no more rec in DSD, I remember they do it in 2007:
http://www.amazon.com/Carmina-Burana-C-Orff/dp/B001FENY8K/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1396696526&sr=1-1&keywords=chandos+Carmina+Burana
If they recorded in DSD again they announce at the four winds and at the CD backcovers.

[FullRangeMan]

Is there a way to tell if they were recorded in DSD from the printed material on the jewel box?

To my know if the rec date is 2008 and newer its no more DSD, but 24/96.
Currently it is 24/96, they dint upgrade to 24/192 or DSD.

[MoPac]

 I like this one, but it's red book.  Still sounds good to me.

[Tyson]

If the originals are analog (as they no doubt are), the SACD will probably not get you much apart from a larger 'bit bucket' with a lot of empty bits. Audio Engineer Mark Waldrep's "Real HD Audio" blog has a lot of information on so called 'hi-def' from analog masters. A lot of people are making a lot of money selling a lot of extra zeroes. In this case, it looks like it is at least reasonably priced so wth.

[sarcasm]
Yes, this is sooooooo true!!!!  I have noticed the exact same thing with old analog movies remasters to Blu-Ray.  All the hirez remastering is just pointless empty bits used to fool the consumer buying a new, pointless format!  I am sticking to my DVD's and VHS tapes!  THANK YOU REAL HD AUDIO BLOG!!!!
[/sarcasm]

[Tyson]

Oh, to answer the original poster - the Naxos box is the way to go - Wit's way with Lutoslowski is very special.  Might not have "quite" the sound quality of SACD or hirez, but the performances are spectacular.