There must be something i'm missing here because I do not see anything about the Haitink that elevates it above the level of an also-ran. I bought the set based on reviews, and honestly I don't get it. The performance isn't particularly dynamic, the orchestra sound as if they all drink decaf coffee with soy milk, and the reading just isn't convincing.
I like the Furtwangler from 1942 the best, but that is too uncomfortable to listen to on a hi-res system or even a low-res system because it would make you too depressed. A good modern version is the Abbado/Berlin Phil recording. The sound is as good as RBCD gets, and I have never heard the BPO sound as frenzied under Karajan as under Abbado. For a more stately version go for the Klemperer, the 1960's sound holds up surprisingly well even now.
I like the Furtwangler from 1942 the best, but that is too uncomfortable to listen to on a hi-res system or even a low-res system because it would make you too depressed. A good modern version is the Abbado/Berlin Phil recording. The sound is as good as RBCD gets, and I have never heard the BPO sound as frenzied under Karajan as under Abbado. For a more stately version go for the Klemperer, the 1960's sound holds up surprisingly well even now.