Tinny sound accompanying cello on recordings ?

I've since heard the same sort of respose on my portable cd player. I'm about ready to assume that what I'm hearing is part of the cello's actual sound, but there's another less than pleasant possibility here, which is that my hearing is changing (likely, since I'm 65 years old). If I had to describe this sound in another way, I would liken it to sibilance.

Thanks Chashmal, your comments are reassuring. It's been a long time since I've heard a solo cello in a live concert. That was when I had the great pleasure of seeing Janos Starker. We have a very fine orchestra here in Asheville, NC, and I'm aware of the one in Brevard, which isn't far away. Last week, I attended a wonderful performance of the Asheville Symphony featuring the Bruch Violin Concerto and the Brahms Fourth. I will make it a point to attend the next concert I can find with a cellist performing.

Guidocorona and Chashmal: Yes, you make a good point, which is absolutely correct. Before going to bed last night, I figuratively hit myself on the head when I realized (and I certainly had known this before, but for the time being had lost sight of it) that in the recording process, soloists are frequently miked very closely, therefore all kinds of details are "thrown out" at the listener. Some of the more obvious examples that come to mind are a number of the Heifetz recordings, and the Linda Ronstadt album, What's New...Also, the sounds I alluded to are clearly coming from the speakers and not the middle of my head. By the way, Chashmal, I have long intended to pick up a copy of Starker's Bach Cello Suites, but have not done so. I need to take of that in short order...Shadorne: Thanks too for your helpful comments, especially the one about cello tuning with the bow weight. I also listened last night to a portion of the Dvorak Concerto with YoYo Ma performing. He must have had the bow more heavily weighted, because I heard virtually none of that "reedier" sound you referred to. In fact, I found his richer tonal rendition more appealing than Fournier's and Harrell's. Thanks once more to you good fellows, and I have no intention of interfering with the kind of sound I presently have..Jeff

Dougdeacon...No need to apologize about the "threadjack". Your comments/observations are never less than interesting and insightful. Frequently funny too, and that is certainly welcome. I also just wanted to mention something in response to your remarks about the effects of cleaning lps. I recently compared three copies of the same recording. Notwithstanding wear (though with all three wear was relatively light) and the matter of earlier vs. later stampers, I decided to clean one with a 75/25 mix of very pure, triple de-ionized water/99.9% pure isoprophyl, and another with a highly regarded (at least, here on Audiogon)record cleaning rinse. The third copy was simply left alone, never having been cleaned by me (only the Audioquest record dust brush) since I had purchased it. After listening intently to all three several times, this is what I heard: The sound of the one cleaned with alcohol/water presented considerable detail, top to bottom, but overall seemed just a very slight touch bleached in contrast to the copy cleaned with the commercial solution. In turn, this latter copy seemed to compromise slightly the top end detail of the alcohol/water disc, while giving more presence to the midrange to lower midrange. To my ears, the record left alone seem to have displayed the best balance in sound of both of the aforementioned discs. This was not the first time I have experimented like this, with the results being the same. Unless a record really needs a cleansing, my preference dictates laissez-faire. Does anyone else care to comment on whether they've tried a similar test, and what they found/preferred ? Now I seem to be "threadjacking" myself.

Doug...The commercial rinse I used in the cleaning of one of the records was the latest [Mo]bile [Fi]delity. With the other disc, I mixed the 99.9% pure isopropyl with water that goes through a multi-step process which, FWIW, claims to achieve "about the theoretical maximum for ultra-pure water". Also, I did and do vacuum with the VPI record cleaning machine. As indicated, I've experimented several times with this ritual. Here are/have been my components: VPI HW-19 MK 3 and Teres 265 turntables, SME IV.Vi tonearm, Zyx Airy 3 and Dynavector XV-1S cartridges, EAR 88PB phono preamp, Air Tight ATM-3 monoblock amps, Dunlavy SC-4 speakers and Ridge Steet Poiema 3, Poiema 3 Signature and JPS Superconductor 3 cables and power cords--all in all, a pretty revealing system. I doubt I'm as thorough as you are in your cleaning process, "...which would drive most people nuts...", but I feel I do a decent job. Anyhow, all things considered, of course, we are dealing in part with the subjective element in evaluating outcomes and the usual YMMV,etc.

Though I did not realize it fully at the time I posted this thread, an emerging problem with tinnitus was the source of the problem. I've been able to adapt pretty well and still enjoy the music, even the cellos. I sincerely hope others with this issue have been managing well too.

Thank you very much for your concern, Doug. It's mostly a sensitivity to certain freqencies in the treble range in just a few instances involving, for example, the pitch of trumpets,piccolos,higher strings and higher pitched voices. Fortunately,I'm doing quite well and am able to enjoy music with what I consider to be very little difficulty. Kind regards and best wishes for your own continuing musical enjoyment.