Slowly working my way through the DG Bach333 box, I am wondering of it's just me noticing a certain harshness in the mastering of the CDs. As an experiment I today compared one of Gardiner's cantata recordings (BWV 75 on CD 8) with the same recording as part of his Cantata Pilgrimage box, and the recording level on the DG version is significantly higher. I know that "brickwalling" has not generally been an issue in classical music (unlike a lot of recent rock masterings), but I still wonder ...
For me having the physical objects is important whether they be LPs, CDs or books. I like having a music library and a book library to access as I wish. The downside is storage space and methodology but built ins enhance your living space if done well. Streaming services are great for exploration and portable convenience. Buy what you like in physical format. With unlimited date plans you can listen to whatever you want to wherever you go over your smartphone and Bluetooth earplugs or headphones( albeit at reduced sound quality). So for me it is not either/or but both.
Would you mind posting a short sample? I'm just curious since Gardiner's cantata cycle is my favorite, I have some of the individual CDs and the SDG box. I never did any comparisons, I think the SDG box mastering sounds great.
I'm sorry but I don't have the know-how for samples, but my point (whether right or wrong) was that the SDG version sounded better (and was clearly mastered at a lower level) than the same recording in the Bach333 box, i.e. it's the latter that concerns me.
I too like the physical objects for much the same reasons, but while I don't stream I do buy a fair amount of downloadable files. I mainly get the daily deal offered by eClassical, which if you make a habit of daily checking the site can provide great BIS hi-res recordings (many in 5.0 surround) for a very reasonable amount of money.
Hm. This one is going to be difficult. I am definitely NOT the person who follows many of the "golden ears" around here who think they can hear mice breathe. BUT. This Bach boxed set is one of the very, very few I have on my ever-shrinking shopping list. I have enough music until I turn 156 years. I asked a friend, who bought it, to rip two CDs for me so I could have a listen. And - please, forgive me, because I'm NOT the person with that perfect gear, the perfect listening environment, or whatnot - but I did think the dynamics were not to my liking. I'm being very careful here, but I decided at that point to wait until a) either the box would become significantly (!) cheaper ... or b) forget about it. This was a personal preference, but from those two CDs (can't remember what they were because I have since deleted them) I decided that what I currently have is enough for me. Just my 2 cents (please take those 2 cents with a kilo of salt, especially because the love that went into this project might very well contradict my personal preferences ... and I certainly DO NOT want to "diss" this set).
And neither do I. I am really enjoying the accompanying hardbound books stuffed with up-to-date information. In fact it has made me plan a stop in Lepzig on my way back to Sweden from a visit to Switzerland later this summer, to see the St Thomas Church and the Bach museum featured in the books. Nor are the sonic issues serious enough to hamper my enjoyment when listening, and yet I still wonder ...
I know it's not Solti but I saw this set on the Hamilton Book website. RICHARD WAGNER: Der Ring des Nibelungen - HamiltonBook.com
Has anyone ordered from Hmv.co.jp? They seem to have a few box sets that are out of print in the West. I wonder how high actual shipping charges to the U.S. are.
I don't live in the US but my one experience with them was frustrating and expensive: their shipment prices are hard to predict and turned out to be quite substantial (to Sweden). I will never buy from them again
I received an email from Amazon.it this morning advising me that the 'Vladimir Ashkenazy: The Complete Piano Concerto Recordings' boxset will be shipping earlier than expected. Delivery date previously scheduled: 12 July 2019 - 29 August 2019 New expected delivery date: 17 June 2019 - 20 June 2019. Bring it on!
You mean the set below? It was released in July 2017 and I got it when it came out. Maybe it went OOP in the meantime and is being reissued.
CDJapan isn't bad either. CDJapan : Japanese Anime, Jpop, Japanese music, Game music, Japanese movie, CD, DVD
I like the sound of 333 very much but there is a brightness, clarity and “forwardness” to the sound that could well be attributable in part to compression. I find it pleasing in this repertoire (and of course it may not be present in all discs to a similar degree) but some may find it harsh I suppose.
That's the one. Amazon.it were offering it at a bargain 30Euros, but with delivery in July/August. No way was I going to turn that price down - it's currently £90 on Amazon UK.
I think it's more likely the remainder of the 2017 edition that they want to clear their shelves of. I am also getting my copy about the same date (together with Bowie's A New Career in a New Town for just €71; and since I notice that Sordel seems to be a King Crimson fan, I can add that I am getting a lot of pleasure out of their recently released Heaven & Earth box—a stunning 4 1/2 DAYS of music included!).
Thank you for your reply. Do you remember by any chance how much you were charged for shipping? There is a big out of print box set that they have in stock and I'm really tempted to get it...
I ended up w Qobuz sublime and am building my library via download discount. (Quite a few each month). I have them backed up...twice. (2 external hard drives) It’s just weird for me to not posses something physical.
I have all 3 plus the DG Bach Masterworks. box. A few duplications don't worry me - I have spares for when I wear out the others. Also, all 4 are OOP now. Only 1 copy of the silver Archiv on Amazona for $499.99!
No it was too long ago, at least five years and maybe more. I think, though, if I do not misremember, that you will be provided with the correct shipping amount at the very end of the process so you still have the chance to abort if too steep.
Hey, guys, I saw this on Ebay and had a couple of questions. I'm not interested in this box set, but it gives me a chance to ask a couple of questions. The seller stated in his/her ad, "All CDs verified skip free with AccurateRip." Doesn't that imply that the discs have been copied to a computer drive of some sort? If so, is the sale legal? Also, the seller states "No returns, but backed by ebay money back guarantee." If the buyer is dissatisfied with the purchase, I assume that the buyer's $ is refunded, but what happens to the discs? (The answer may be obvious, but I often overlook the obvious.) Thanks!
You're looking at it from the wrong angle. Doesn't matter if he copied the CDs to a computer, if he's selling you the actual physical object, the sale is 100% legal. He could have recorded those CDs over to 8-track tape, as far as we're concerned. It's his business. And by the way, you should be thankful that he actually did the AccurateRip thing, since now the CDs in the box are guaranteed to be free of manufacturing errors, something not even the manufacturer of the box (Universal) can guarantee. If only all sellers would do that, or knew how to... Just sayin'. [Also also, you don't need to copy the CD files to make a Accurate Rip test.]
