Would a good SACD player solve my classical music problem?

Have a lot of classical CDs, they all sound boring and unengaging on my home system (compared to my good rock CDs). Is SACD the solution? I know there's a lot available there... please advise!

 

There are plenty of great sounding classical CDs, so I don't think format is your problem.

 

I looked at your system listing. I do not know what it is you are looking for exactly out of Classical.
Of late I have been listening to Classical symphonies exclusively..
Depending on the type of Classical music you are trying.. It could be a physical lack in your stuff.
On the otherhand it may be your inner being is just bored as Heck by Classical.

I find i go through long periods where I have no interest in one type of music. (of the three main types IMO Rock Classical Jazz)
I can go for six months without playing a single Classical record ( I have 1,700 Classical LPs, and 350 CDs) Playing nothing but Jazz. (1,700 LPs and 1,100 CDs).. And then jump into playing a week of Rock (2,000 LPs and 1,200 CDs)
So it may be trying to push yourself into listening to stuff your really do not want to hear?

If not that, Then my stupid guess is your integrated amp is not dynamic enough to give you the real thrill of the dynamics in Classical music. And is sounding congested
I would try listening to simple Classical. Solo piano, or string quartets, trios.. And see if they DO give you the goosebumps. If yes, then your integrated in lacking. If not, then you can start searching for different stuff to use.

I have no special love for SACD. (I own two changers, a Sony SCD777ES, and two DVD players Denon 5910, 3910 which can play SACD but never do.
I find my CD are just as good as SACD. (but I have a far more expensive setup all around)
Anyway, tough to say what is wrong.

It is true Classical and Rock have very different needs. Rock can usually sound acceptable as long as you have some bass going. and a little boogie coming out.
Classical needs a lot more effort. Though usually simple small groups can get buy.. Ditto jazz as it is often a small combo.

Try listening right up near the speakers.. to full bore Classical. Lay right on the floor within a few feet of your speakers.. See if the power is there to make it better. (just a thought)

 

You are fortunate to live in a metro area with a superb orchestra. Your record player will never equal the experience of being 10-12 rows back in Symphony Hall. I was lucky to have experienced Solti and the CSO play several of Mahler works.

Chamber music and smaller scale pieces can be reproduced well with a rational system. The larger symphonic pieces... Wretched excess in all departments works well, especially with power amps and speakers. SACD vs CD vs LP is a matter of the care put into the production. Any format is beguiling if done well.

Regardless, Enjoy!

 

Thanks for the replies so far! I'm going to try the above suggestions - especially playing the smaller pieces - but if the integrated amp turns out just fine, then in your opinion... how big of a difference would a better CD player make? I'm fully aware that my Rotel (priced at about 1k) is nothing fancy...

 

That would be my guess as well , just like any music there are great recordings & average one's , Listening to classical at a bit of volume can eat up a lot of power in a system it being so dynamic ...so many quiet moments that build into amazing levels , you may even want to try adjusting settings on your system vs. what you use for rock listening , have you tried Headphones as well ?

 

You have a pretty amazing setup going !

 

The choice of recordings makes a BIG difference too. If you want to hear 50th row center, then you might enjoy some of the classic RCAs. If you want 5th Row center, then you want Tellarcs. Performances vary greatly too. If you want a very straight interpretation, then find some Reiner. If you want a really exciting interpretation, then find some Stokovsky, or some modern conductor who tends to follow his lead to some degree, such as Jarvi.

If you like exciting classical music, then I would recommend listening composers such as Stravinsky, Prokovief, and Tchaikovsky.

 

Some good responses here.

 

Come on Steve, don't leave me hanging like this!!!

What would you suggest?

 

The simple / smaller / more intimate Classical pieces indeed sound great (just tried solo piano and a string quartet), and so does jazz. But the fuller orchestras lack presence. Things just seem to clump together (get congested, just like you put it). So.... do I need a bigger integrated amp? Or would it be better to get a separate amp + preamp?

 

The problem ain't just the gear. A favored group of performances is Trevor Pinnock leading the English Concert in a traversal of Bach's Concerti that are absolutely inspired. But they are early examples of digital recording and some are tough to listen to on my home system. In the car with road noise etc it isn't a problem. Too bad they didn't have a parallel analog recording like Gould did with his last Goldberg. Sigh.

 

I do dig it (though I rarely post about it). But it's the larger orchestral pieces... they just seem to get congested and not pack the same kind of punch as, say, smaller more intimate pieces. In fact, I've been playing less and less of that stuff lately precisely because sonically it underwhelms. I can't help it, I want it to sound and feel like when it's live. I'll look into a bigger amp, I guess! <sigh>

EDIT: ...and better CDs.

 

+1
Play some Billy Holiday big band arrangements on any format. If you aren't moved, check pulse.

 

What does the Jolida output?

 

Input 500mV driving 50 watts, maximum 75 watts output (rated 40 though).

http://www.jolida.com/product/tubeamp/jd202brc

 

I've got a much less impressive amp (a solid state Denon) that does 75W out to a pair of Polk tsi400 floorstanders... not even remotely a patch on your gear but I can get some pleasing results with orchestral music, provided it's recorded well. The Polks have some decent (if loose-ish) bass which does help in this department.

 

Actually if congestion is your problem, the your Jolida may be the issue. I tried a Jolida amp in my system one time, and it did sound congested on some more complex pieces. I love tubes, but the Jolida was just too "mushy" for my tastes.

 

Do you remember what the rated output was? Mine is fairly low on their totem pole (rated 40)... I wonder if moving up to 60 would make a major difference.

 

Bigger scale works really do need bigger scale systems to reproduce them. I have been on this quest for 48 years, getting closer! Bryston amps and VMPS speakers get me very close. But I also had some rewarding results wit Infinity Kappa 8 speakers and a Van Alstine Omega III 140 wpc power vamp. That old system made nice music. It is now my surround channels.

 

I only remember that it was an EL-34 based output model.

I don't think that power is the issue because I've had lower power tube amps in my system which were not at all mushy. I could be the power supply is underbuilt though. I don't remember being overly impressed by the design of the power supply when I cracked the lid. Its also possible that the amp has inferior output transformers, or that the design doesn't use enough feedback.

FWIW: I'm only guessing here at the actual cause, but I can tell you that despite the fact that I love most mulllard-based tube amp designs, I did not love the Jolida in my system. Perhaps you just need to try a little tube rolling? Perhaps something like some EH 6CA7s will liven it up a bit.

 

The problem is most likely your speakers, or speaker/room interaction. SACDs will not alter the playing field.

 

Those speakers (and their placement) really kick *** with jazz and rock though, as well as with smaller / more intimate classical pieces... John (owner of Van L Speakerworks) built a really good speaker with this set - it was in fact his exhibition set some time ago. Without hesitation, I would rank the speakers my best component in the whole system.