Question for classical lovers

Jburidan, I have tried several cdps in the past couple of months as standalones and transports. I used an older ES changer C7xxxx, brand new scd-2000es sacd player, Marantz cd5400, Marantz cc4300, cheapo Pioneer universal, cambridge 300se. I tried the Cal sigma and now the DAC-AH. From what I read here, I should have got a MH cd-25 or the Onix equivalent to try out.

Big orchestral is really hard to record. Always has been. It's also very difficult to create a good illusion of a huge ensemble in a normal size room. We tend to make more compromises in playback here than for other types of music. Of course there's a spectrum- some systems do it better than others. In terms of timbre, I've had a similar experience with the string brightness. Check out the vinyl. But whatever you do, don't only buy the audiophile recordings. The recorded classical repertoire is vast, and there is some utterly fantastic stuff out there that just isn't recorded very well. Confining yourself to Reference Recordings and Chesky seems like the wrong way to go.

"If someone here has heard the new hybrid sacd LSO live release of Brahms 4/Haitink, I would like to know your opinion. I was surprised at how etchy and unnatural the strings sounded even on sacd layer. I hope I am not the only one who thinks that!"

You have all the luck. This is one of the least successful of all the LSOLive series. If you want to hear string tone, try one of the Linn SACDs, especially the Sibelius tone poems.

Kal

Kr4, glad you confirmed the poor quality of the LSO release. It's such a hit or miss thing for me becasue all my purchases are done online. I live in Oklahoma, not exactly the classical Mecca of America, I am surrounded by country music, aaarrrgggghhhh! Anyway, I just discovered the Linn website thanks to you.
Lousyreeds1, I have to agree with you there, too much music to ignore that's why I might have to have vinyl in my set-up and pay closer attention to the reviews on this website.

Rotarius, Here's a project for you if you really want help and honest commentary from a lot of folks here who are seriously qualified to help........

List all of your present equipment including speakers. Describe in detail how you have your equipment and listening position set up, down to the inches. Describe your room HxWXL. Describe openings. Describe wall's and decorations. When discussing tube equipment ID the tubes being used (can make a big difference).

And, think again about your memories. They may not be based on anything much more that events in which you really wern't paying much attention to the quality of the sound - more likely you were just enjoying the music.

Lastly, without knocking LP's whatsoever, there is a lot of dreck on vinyl as well as CD's. And matching analog components, setting them up and maintaining them, can be in the long run a lot more challenging than setting up a decent CD based system. Vinyl may well be better on some recordings and in some systems, but it ain't the quick and easy cure some would think and make you believe.

FWIW, you can get high quality CD sound with modest equipment if you pay attention to the set up of your room and speakers. If you don't do this first even the best equipment can sound like crap and likely will. Think high frequency distortion caused by improperly damped 1st reflection points, mid/high frequency glare or emphasis caused by listening to the speakers not properly positioned toe in wise. The list goes on.

But in the end how you proceed is your choice. I appoligize if this sounded negative or like a lecture. It wasn't so intended.