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Living Stereo SACD Releases

I just bought all of the latest SACD releases from RCA Living Stereo. They are all recordings off of the original 2 and 3 channel master tapes. I am just floored by the quality of the sound from these discs. Nothing fancy. No 5 channel reinterpretations. No compression, or "remixes." Just the original sound as originally recorded in the mid '50s early 60's. The Van Cliburn Tchaikovsky/Rachmaninoff and Heifetz Beethoven/Mendelssohn are particularly noteworthy.

There are about ten titles out so far. At about $10 each, some being two record sets on a disc, I have to say these are some of the best recordings I have ever heard out of my rig. I love my L.P. collection of the same titles but these just blow away the originals on my system.

Thought you all would like to know. Anyone else heard these yet?
eddaytona
theaudiotweak
2,733 posts
 
Were not some of these Mercury recordings done originally on 35mm. film stock so there was no compression..Tom
theaudiotweak
2,733 posts
 
Or was it was Everest? I know I have some of these LP's around here that were recorded on film...They had the most glorious and extended highs..Tom
gaudio_eek
312 posts
 
Tom, they were recorded using 35mm film stock. There's some interesting articles on the MLP website. I think they (the engineers) used Wilma Cozart-Fine's Ampex equipment to remaster the SACD's.
It's all there on the website.
..and yes, the highs are very extended but not edgy. The dynamic swings are also incredible.
theaudiotweak
2,733 posts
 
I know some of the Mac era preamps had 3 chn capability, I suppose to use with a pair of K-horns and a single Belle Klipsch for the center. What was the play back source piece for the 3 channels ? I missed this era of equipment by a few years..Very intriguing concepts, center channel fill, greater dynamic range, lower distortion more extended highs,simple recording path..How long ago was that leap forward..Tom
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Theaudiotweak...Center was always driven by a L+R mix signal. I did that for about 30 years, but what we have now is much better.

Regardless of how you make the master tape, compression/peak limiting is necessary when you cut an LP, along with LF blend, and the usual RIAA mutilation of the original signal. Much less of this is necessary for a digital disk.

What is meant by "35mm film stock"? Are we talking about optical recording? 35mm magnetic tape running at 30 inches per second was the usual medium for master tapes.
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