The Milstein and Shaham seem to be part of a new DG series, The Violin Masters, due out April 5, 2019. This set has 22 discs:
https://www.amazon.de/Mintz-Complet...nements=p_n_feature_five_browse-bin:379148011 15 CDs set. God... these covers...
I posted about this set almost a month (dec 5) before you and you even quoted it Classical "Mega" CD Box Sets Classical "Mega" CD Box Sets
Interesting. People, including myself, seem to forget earlier postings… Sorry about that. I am really getting old.
What are people's opinion about these grey-market, Documents box sets? I believe the label used to be called Membran and put out products like the massive Furtwangler Legacy set (which is unfortunately OOP). Some of their items on the current catalogue is rather intriguing and includes some difficult to find recordings. Are they worth getting despite the boring presentations and sometimes annoying titles (e.g. the overuse of the word "Milestone")? Documents (label) - 5+ Discs (page 1 of 18) | Presto Classical
Overall they have a bad reputation. They re-use other's work, and often with less than optimal, i.e., not the most current, masters. They are cheap, and not just in terms of price. Having said that, I own one of their boxes that contain recordings I could not find elsewhere.
Documents/Membran put out some of the worst-sounding releases I've ever heard. They do not have access to original sources like mastertapes etc. They're not kindly looked upon by some people here, including @crispi, and I avoid them like the plague.
What are some labels that reproduce archive material more "professionally"? I've had good experience with Audite, Praga, Testament, APR, and Marston (which is IMO absurdly strict with its release capacity).
I have no experience with Audite, but I understand their sound quality is variable, and I have little experience with Praga. Testament's releases also vary but are often OK. APR and Marston are fine, and so are most releases that were mastered by Mark Obert-Thorn. Marston's releases are strictly limited editions, apparently in very low quantities, and insanely expensive for overseas customers - the prices are quite steep, so is overseas shipping and on top of that EU customers often have to pay tax plus handling fees. As far as I know there are no EU distributors for Marston; if there were it could make their releases more affordable.
Marston's limited release policy is unfathomable to me. There can't be that many customers to warrant the market benefit of exclusivity-based pricing, so why intentionally create a heavy shortage of supply? It's not like CD printing is expensive or that his masters require temporary, paid licenses from the sources (like what Criterion Collection needs for old films). I'm happy to purchase their entire catalogue over time if only Mark's willing to keep the products in stock.
"Professionaly" may be understood diferently by different ears, and audiophiles and enthusiasts may take ever lasting discussions about the result of the remasterings in different releases, considering noisy-reduction, pitch issues, equalizing, etc... a professional release of archive material that one loves, other hates. May I add labels "Orfeo" and "Pristine" to your list?
As far as I've heard their releases Orfeo is OK, but I think Pristine is one of the worst labels around, with their "ambient mastering" of old mono records, making them sound very artificial and processed to my ears. Awful and totally unnatural, and sonically on the same level as Documents/Membran. All in my opinion, of course.
It might just be the boxes I am looking at, but it seems like the selection is significantly smaller than in the past? Thank you very much for mentioning it.
Have you heard Pristine's Schnabel Beethoven Sonatas? Whatever they did, it's pretty impressive to my ears.
No, I haven't, and I don't intend to listen to them; I've heard several Pristine "ambient remasters" a few years ago and hated them all, and that's more than enough for me. I know others like what they're doing and that's fine, but I'm staying away from them. As for Schnabel's Beethoven, I have the Naxos CDs that were restored/mastered by Mark Obert-Thorn and they're good enough for me.
Most of their releases are indeed not worth to look for, but there are some that are OK, even good. I have the Jorg Demus complete Schumann piano works (Membran) and I love it, the sound is very good. I also have the "Spirales, snapshots of Contemporary Classical Music" (really Nordic classical music) also by Membran and is great. The materials used for their boxes are not the greatest, but at least those two releases are in my opinion very good. You can go to Amazon.de and listen to their samples. That will give you a general idea of the sound quality. By the way, why Amazon Germany has samples of almost every CD and the rest of Amazon sites doesn't have them?
Pristine has released some titles done by Mark Obert-Thorn. His name is featured on the front cover, and Pristine doesn't futz with his work. Even if you don't like Andrew Rose's mastering, you can buy the MO-T titles with confidence.
For the opera friends out there, may I suggest these five boxes in roughly the same price range (pick the three you want): Verdi The Complete Works (€126): https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0197GJMZ6?ref_=plp_pc_dp_A3F6D2ACWAH6YD_B0197GJMZ6&m=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF. Karl Böhm The Operas (€144): https://www.amazon.de/dp/B077PRXPG6?ref_=plp_pc_dp_A3F6D2ACWAH6YD_B077PRXPG6&m=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF. Pavarotti The Complete Operas (€138): https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0749GHKYV?ref_=plp_pc_dp_A3F6D2ACWAH6YD_B0749GHKYV&m=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF. Tutto Verdi (Complete Operas on Blu-ray; €140): https://www.amazon.de/dp/B07GVX9BPT?ref_=plp_pc_dp_A3F6D2ACWAH6YD_B07GVX9BPT&m=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF. The Royal Opera Collection (18 Operas on Blu-ray; €110): https://www.amazon.de/dp/B074BQ87V8?ref_=plp_pc_dp_A3F6D2ACWAH6YD_B074BQ87V8&m=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF.
Another worthwhile foursome: George Szell Remastered (€195): https://www.amazon.de/dp/B079VD2YRP?ref_=plp_pc_dp_A3F6D2ACWAH6YD_B079VD2YRP&m=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF. Leonard Bernstein Remastered (€170): https://www.amazon.de/dp/B072M4GVVB?ref_=plp_pc_dp_A3F6D2ACWAH6YD_B072M4GVVB&m=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF. Glenn Gould Remastered (USB Edition! in 24/44.1; €170): https://www.amazon.de/dp/B00WSAVRMA?ref_=plp_pc_dp_A3F6D2ACWAH6YD_B00WSAVRMA&m=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF. Karajan 1960's Recordings (€192): https://www.amazon.de/dp/B007IQWQ88?ref_=plp_pc_dp_A3F6D2ACWAH6YD_B007IQWQ88&m=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF.
Two more opera boxes to be added to the five above: La Nilsson (€183): https://www.amazon.de/dp/B079PT2YQP?ref_=plp_pc_dp_A3F6D2ACWAH6YD_B079PT2YQP&m=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF. Maria Callas Remastered (studio) (€100): https://www.amazon.de/dp/B00KN15P56?ref_=plp_pc_dp_A3F6D2ACWAH6YD_B00KN15P56&m=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF.
These three conductor boxes would make an especially good deal: The Classic André Previn (€118): https://www.amazon.de/dp/B07D51864Y...olid=3L72B7DZ4Y99V&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it. Kubelik Complete DG (€106): https://www.amazon.de/dp/B07B5Y6TRW?ref_=plp_pc_dp_A3F6D2ACWAH6YD_B07B5Y6TRW&m=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF. Solti Complete Chicago (€115): https://www.amazon.de/dp/B073GSGGH1?ref_=plp_pc_dp_A3F6D2ACWAH6YD_B073GSGGH1&m=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF.
