Haitink Mahler 5 on DECCA Pure Analog
Almost bought this but figured I ask if anyone has heard this reissue.
From product notes…
For this release Rainer Maillard at Emil Berliner Studios has used the original, four-track quadraphonic master tape to make a new stereo mix sent directly to the cutter head. This preserves a pure analogue path throughout. The Philips engineers of the 1970s would similarly have mixed the four front and rear channels before cutting but this downmix would have resulted in a two-track stereo copy for mastering, whereas here the lacquer is cut directly from a ’live’ mix into stereo from the four Quad channels.
Any feedback on the quality of recording and vinyl?
@kevemaher thanks for chiming in! It’s a shame they can’t make this right. |
got a very bad review on Tracking Angle, so I did not purchase it https://trackingangle.com/features/two-mahler-fifths-one-old-one-new I have 3 others of the DECCA Pure Analogue, and they are all excellent. WAY better than the DG OSS and NOT pressed at Optimal lol. Much better packaging than the DG OSS |
thank you posting that. It’s a long article and looks interesting, although I skimmed it to finally get to the discussion of the merits of the current vinyl release. I will probably return later to read it in entirety.
Regarding the comments on the actual recording, I disagree that the original is flawed. As I mentioned earlier I own this recording in SACD, BluRay, and the latest CD remaster. I don’t have it on LP, either an original release or the new Decca reissue. However the digital versions are all excellent with none of the shortcomings mentioned by the reviewer. So imo if the current issue suffers from weak bass and all of the other deficiencies mentioned, it’s not a fault of the original but due to a suboptimal transfer. My recommendation to the OP would be that if it’s just the performance, regardless of format, get a digital copy |
