Best sounding Beethoven symphony LPs

I have the Solti boxed set (Decca) of all of Beethoven's symphonies and completely love it - a great recording (IMO) and Solti's treatments, especially of the 7th(my all-time favorite) and 9th, are truly spectacular.
Regards,
Byron

I know this was a year ago, but I am going to retroactively open my mouth and further insert my foot (not unusual) and fully endorse the Cleveland/Szell set. I am listening right now to the 1970 issued boxed set of Beethoven symphonies. The playing is just fantastic - articulate and passionate, and the sonics are really, really good - bordering on spectacular.

For the record, we all live and learn. I knew the performances are highly acclaimed, but I was not impressed with the sonics of the pressings. I am revisiting with a different cartridge a year later and I am just smitten with this set.

Lastly, the strings are outstanding, but those winds are absolutely phenomenal. Wow! Stunning! If you (the original poster) happen upon this old thread again, give the Szell set a listen. You might like it.

For the record (pun somewhat intended), I am using a ProJect Xperience fitted with a Dynavector 10x5, playing through a McIntosh C26, MC2100, and ML1Cs.

Great sounding as far as sonics - Vanska, Mackeras' most recent set. Great performances - Furtwangler - particularly the 9th on EMI, Karajan's 1960's cycle. Personally, I'd pick the performance over the sonics any day.