Mercury Living Presence SACD's

The Tchaikovsky Symphony 6, "Pathetique", Pierre Monteax conducting the BSO (when the BSO was great) is of course a superb and classic performance. Various aspects of the recording technique are also also exceptional, but, as with the Chopin Ballades, Rubinstein, there are some defects. (With the Chopin I found LF rumble (studio air conditioning) to be anoying at times. With the Tchaikovsky some tape and/or tube hiss can be heard during very quiet or silent moments.

All in all these Living Stereo reissues are well worth owning, but noone should get the idea that they are perfect recordings. Five decades have passed since they were made, and it does show.

Rcprince...You're right. I am talking about "Living Stereo" not "Living Presence". (Actually they are all dead). I think that some of the confusion (which is not limited to me) comes about because both series involve some 3-channel recordings, newly available through SACD.

AC rumble is a well known problem. Although not noticed in the live hall, it becomes evident when a recording is made and played back through a system with good LF response. The only real solution is to turn it off while recording, although filtering can be effective when the musical program does not have extreme LF to be lost.