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RCA Living Stereo

I have collected vinyl for over fifty years. Jazz, classical, rock… I have lots of late fifties jazz recordings… some of the best are RCA Living Stereo albums. So, over the years if I found a Living Stereo Album, even not in the category of music I liked, I would buy it. I just found a couple dozen… I had bought over the years, usually for a dollar. I had cleaned them on my record cleaning machine, treated with Last and hid them in the corner.

I am currently listening to one called, Lisbon At Twilight… stereo 1958. Wonderful recording. There are a lot of these orchestral works created.. jazzy often from contemporary tunes. The recordings are compelling, so are the orchestrations and individually musicians even though I would have to classify much as elevator music.

 

But with such great recordings in a great system they can be really enjoyable. They are 180 gram of heavier as well. $1… what a deal… blast from the past.

ghdprentice
best-groove's avatar
best-groove
831 posts
 

Lucky

audioguy85's avatar
audioguy85
1,989 posts
 

I own many RCA Living Stereo recordings, and I agree, some sound spectacular. I found a crap load in decent condition at a record store near where I work. I think I bought like 15 of them in one shot there, paying on average $3.99 per Lp. Others I acquired from both Ebay and discogs.

One thing I have learned is that on occasion, the white dog labels sound better than the shaded dog....for instance Sheherazade...

The Phase 4 Lp's sound great as well, I pick them up whenever I come across them in good condition. 

mapman's avatar
mapman
21,830 posts
 

That was the golden age of vinyl. High quality hifi sound was a new thing then that sold and all the record companies marketed their own brand of cutting edge sound.    RCA was a big name back then!

That was a special time. These days most people pay little attention to sound quality. That alone will sell little. People could care less. That’s ok. It is what it is. Those who do care can feast on more great recordings than ever and more produced every day. The times they are always a changing.

ghdprentice OP
6,354 posts
 

There was real completion for higher fidelity in the 50’s. Before stereo I have a lot of Hi-Fidelity albums boasting of greater fidelity leading up to stereo. For me, unfortunately no mater how high fidelity is… if it is not stereo it doesn’t keep my interest. But the 50’s was a great time on advancement in high fidelity.

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