Why some records sound better than others.....
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 19 ก.ค. 2021
- Why do some records sound better than others?
Well, it all has to do with how they have been recorded, mixed, and pressed. But figuring out which version of a favorite record is going to sound best can be a daunting proposition. Especially with classical records.
By giving an overview of the history of recording techniques, from early acoustic and electrical recordings for 78s, through the arrival of LPs and stereo, then digital and beyond, I aim to give you an idea of the factors that contribute to a great sounding - and not-so-great sounding - record.
I also discuss the differences between original pressings and audiophile reissues, and talk about why sometimes you might be better off going for (gasp!) a CD or SACD, depending on the mastering and/or remastering.
The company I discuss which is doing incredible work in the realm of restoring and reinvigorating early classical recordings is Pristine Classical.
www.pristineclassical.com
Alas, "The Golden Ring", the excellent BBC documentary I mention about Decca's recording of Wagner's "Der Ring des Nibelungen" no longer seems to be available online (except in German). However, there are a few extracts from it floating around.......
Recommended channels for classical music fans and collectors:
David Hurwitz
/ @davesclassicalguide
Poetry On Plastic
/ @poetryonplastic
An invaluable guide to all the different pressings of the main classical labels:
• A Guide to Collecting ...
Another excellent resource for new classical recordings is BBC Radio 3's long-standing weekly broadcast "Record Review". Shows remain available to listen to for 30 days after first broadcast:
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06w... - เพลง
What a superb walk through the ages of classical recordings and the technology used. Thank you
Thank you for doing this series. I have found that the DG's can be broken down into about 5 distinct "eras" that can be seen in the label variations. The blue tulips and the later "Urheber" labels seem to be the best sounding.
in 1929 Leopold Stokowski did a recoding of Carnival of the animals in which each cutting machine had it's own microphone, many years later both discs were played back together and recorded so the sound was carefully balanced
Just discovered your channel and it is an absolute joy. Thank you!
Thanks so much for watching!
Thanks for your channel. Great to hear about records other than the usual suspects that get reissued time aften time again. I have been collecting for 40 years, and some of the best bargains I have come across are EMI budget labels - Classics for pleasure, Greensleeves and Eminence. You can find these in bargain bins for as little as £1. Some of them sound incredible. Examples: Mahler 6/Barbirolli cfp ( whoa!!), Elgar VC/ Bean cfp, Elgar Falstaff/Handley cfp, Beethoven & Brahms cycles/ Jochum Eminence, Mozart Requiem /de Burgos cfp, Russian showpieces/ Roshtdestvensky cfp , Bruckner 8/ Karajan cfp, Vaughan Williams 4+6/ Berglund Eminence + 100s more.
German EMI pressings are generally inferior to English , but if you can find late undigitalized German pressings they are often magnificent . You can tell them by having llarge dog labels on the LPs Examples Barbirolli/ Butterfly , Klemperer/ Don Giovanni, Complete Strauss Tone poems / Kempe( 10 LPs), Bruckner 7/ Klemperer, VW 1-9/Boult on fewer LPs than the English SLS box
Greensleeves ESDs are wonderful and cost pennies. Fore some reason, I find that they can play scores of times without deteriation or accumulation of pops and crackle.
Keep up the good work!
Thank you for bringing the remastered Toscanini set to my attention. It sounds unbelievably good for an 80+ year old recording.
Yes it's terrific! Thanks so much for watching and commenting!
Glad you mentioned the Chesky label. The obvious one that stands out is the Sibelius 2nd Symphony with Sir John and RPO. I think this was originally a Readers Digest release. My favourite recording of that particular work.
It's Sir John.
You have a great channel. Learning a lot from your knowledge of records.Thank you.
Thank you so much for watching.
Thank you for beethoven Toscanini tip!! I happened to have in vinyl from the classical collection/ Olympic records! I am directly diving into it!!!
The Pristine remastering is incredible.
Good question
I vaguely recall someone recovering "accidental stereo" from early Duke Ellington recordings, but the details escape me.
Thanks for your great talks.You and David Hurwitz are are fantastic channels for a great fan of classical cd.s. like me.I have collected cds since their introduction in the early 1980s.We live in a golden age for cds---NAXOS,BIS.LYRITA,CHANDOS,DUTTON,HYPERION,SOMM AND ALBION are wonderful companies producing high quality cds covering a wide repertoire..ROBERT J.PARRY.NORFOLK,U.K.
I am most flattered you would put me in David's company - I barely approach his level of knowledge and "gift of the gab". I hugely enjoy his videos and always learn something. Thank you for your support. Yes indeed, we live in a golden age for classical CDs and records.
@@musiconrecord6724 Well you are in David's company in my house. When my wife sees me on TH-cam she always asks me if I'm listening to, "your American, or your Englishman"(and don't worry I don't think there is anyone on the planet with his gift of the gab). Thoroughly enjoying your talks, keep 'em coming
@@dridgus Thanks so much! Another sure way to let your wife know who are are watching would be to partake of a proper English tea as you view my channel (don't skimp on the clotted cream).
I'm really enjoying your video series. Please keep it up. Our tastes in music and performances and recordings seem to be very similar. Do you by any chance read or contribute to SymphonyShare or RMCR?
No. Not aware of either......
Thank you so much for this video, love all of your content! I have a question about very early London ffrr pressings (deep red label) in regards to classical music. I understand they were distributed by Decca for the US market? Can one assume they sound similar to early Decca pressings? All the best and thank you!
So London versions of Decca titles are identical to the UK pressings PROVIDED the record label itself says "Made in England" or "Made in UK" etc. Avoid any Londons that do not have that info. like the plague. The Londons were pressed at the same time as the Deccas. Later on many Deccas were pressed in the Netherlands and then distributed in UK and US. If they are first pressings and pressed in Netherlands then that is your best choice. If they are reissues of earlier Deccas/Londons then try and track down earlier Made in England pressings. The Ace of Diamonds versions are often identical to the SXL versions, and cost a fraction of the price. Discogs is always a very good source of information regarding the provenance of each record's pressing.
Any plans on coming back to YT? I treasure your output.
Thanks so much! It's just a matter of time.... If you're interested, I took part in a fun livestream yesterday over on the Jazz Bums channel. We covered a ton of stuff.....
@@musiconrecord6724 I watched it. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Capitol, RCA and Columbia did a pretty nice job of making artificial stereo
Do you have link for that Ring Resounding documentary? Can’t seem to find it on TH-cam. Thanks!
Alas, it seems to have been taken down. Grrrrr!!!
@@musiconrecord6724 No worries. Placed a hold at my local library for those 2 authors. Look like great reads. Thanks for letting us know about them.
Great channel. I’m slowly getting into classical vinyl. What reissue do you prefer for the Living Stereo’s. Classic Records or Analogue Productions. I read online that people prefer the AP versions because the Classic Records are a bit bright sounding. But to me the Classic Records are a bit fuller sounding, and the AP’s a little mellower. But it’s true, the Classics can be a bit harsh on the wind instruments.
I also like the Speakers Corners but I don’t think they sound better than the cheaper Decca’s that are available. For instant the ace of diamonds releases sound great and usually use the original stampers. But of course I haven’t listen to them all so maybe you know which sound better than the cheaper Decca’s?
Thank you so much for your support. I would pretty much agree with everything you say. The Classic Records reissues are in general a little brighter sounding than AP, and that is especially true of the earlier reissues Classic did. But the Classic records often have a greater commensurate immediacy. It's very much a matter of taste and the overall coloration of your system. My general recommendation would be to go for the AP reissues that are in print, then explore the many additional titles Classic released. Two particular favorites are the Monteux Elgar Enigma/Brahms Haydn variations, and Clair de Lune. (Be sure to check the Acoustic Sounds site - they still have some Classic Records titles at reasonable prices). I will also mention that Classic reissued many of these several times, and there can be quite a difference in pressing quality etc. between the 180gram and 200 gram - not always in the latter's favor. (AP pressing quality is generally superior). You are right to laud the Ace of Diamonds reissues - they are a great way to get otherwise OTT expensive titles for reasonable money. Likewise the Eclipse label and the "World of Great Classics" label. Always try to go for the earliest pressings because they are tube-mastered if the original issue was.
@@musiconrecord6724 Luckily classical lp's are dirt cheap at the moment here in the Netherlands. Every time a go to a thrift store I come back with bag full of 1 euro lp's. EMI's in general sound very good, of course Decca's. Some DG's. Holst The Planets Steinberg Boston sounds amazing. The early 70's pressing. Not much of a fan of the DG reissues at the moment. The Holst 2018 reissues sounds dull and lifeless compared to the earlier pressing. But mostly I prefer other labels. Also Dutch Fontana pressings of Mercury Living Presence sound great. The only thing that are very difficult to find here are original RCA Living Stereo's. You can find the German and UK pressings. But for Living Stereo's it's not the same thing. And thanks for the Classic Records and Decca recommendations. I will try to find them!
@@TheHanniballs So the regular DGG vinyl reissues of older recordings are indeed to be avoided - I am sure they are mastered from not-so-great digital masters. I cannot speak to new DG recordings - have yet to buy any on vinyl. However, any of the Speaker's Corner reissues of old DG recordings can be whole-heartedly recommended: they are all-analog mastered and sound terrific, sometimes bettering early pressings. You can find many of these at a reasonable price on the used market: just check the Speaker's Corner website for current in-print issues, and then the Speaker's Corner label page on Discogs. Yes, those Fontana and Mercury budget reissues are a great resource. Living Stereos are impossible to find. Some of the Decca-recorded Living Stereos came out on budget Decca labels. Frankly, between the Classic Records and AP reissues you are getting all the best titles, and they sound excellent. Alas, one used to find used classical here in US very easily and cheaply, but that is no longer the case. That Holst/Steinberg is indeed marvelous. If you own a SACD player, the Emil Berliner Studio remasterings of Karajan, Bohm et al for Universal Japan are stunning, and are upending my ideas about DG's house sound. Alas, they are mostly Single Layer, so not compatible with CD players. I am just finishing editing a video on gems from DG so stay tuned for some more suggestions......
I forgot to mention the Analogphonic reissues on vinyl of DG recordings - I've had very good luck with these too.
@@musiconrecord6724 I can't wait for the DG video! And Speakers Corners versions of the DG's to me are not worth it. If I can find an original for 1 euro in a thrift store why pay 30 for a Speakers Corner version? Of course there are some originals on DG that are more expensive. But in general I don't think the Speakers sound better than the originals. The vinyl on the SC usually is quieter although I have quite a few Speakers Corners that are pretty noisy. And I never heard an Analogphonic pressing. I'm sure they sound great but the ones I want are too expensive. The Tchaikovsky Mravinsky and the Mahler Bernstein lp's from Analogphonic are still on my want list though. Especially the Mahler's because the originals DG's are also very expensive. I never see those in a thrift store... ;-)
The main loss of quality in any vinyl pressing is ‘groove cramming’ - attempting to put too much recorded material onto a single side. When The Beatles were pressing ‘Hey Jude’ (a seven-minute recording) onto a single 45 RPM, they a actually decreased the groove spacing for the main part of the song, then crammed the grooves on the na na na repeating section at the end. This was done to preserve the quality for the sections Paul was singing. Subsequent pressings of any recording can be made better or worse depending on how the grooves are spaced.
Correction - - I should have typed ‘increased the grooves on the part Paul was singing’, in other words, larger groove spacing - better fidelity / bass frequencies, etc. A record player needle vibrating through wider grooves can reproduce a wider range of frequencies.
Thanks for the video although the sound is terrible, fix the mic distance.
Usually I have a lapel mic. - but didn't realize the connection was loose until after recording. Mea culpa!
I buy all Hi-Q-records I can get...they are all fantastic.
They feature many excellent recordings that mostly have not been reissued before. But I find the quality of the vinyl itself varies enormously. Have you been having good luck on that front?
@@musiconrecord6724 Sorry for my late answer...yes, I was lucky. F.e. I'm listening to Faurés Requiem right now (Willcocks, with the wonderfull boys choir). The vinyl etc. is perfect. Thanks for your channel, it belongs to the best on youtube.
I kept 2 pressings of the same recording to prove the point. ASD 2586 UK issue Roussel Cello Concertino etc Orchestre De Paris Cond Jean - Pierre Jaquillat and the EMI French pressing 2C 063-10546. The French pressing sounded dull and muffled. The sonics are not at all clear unlike the ASD issue.
I am a little surprised. With EMI often the country of origin pressings are superior to the British ones: eg. the marvelous box sets of Richard Strauss with Rudolf Kempe and the Dresden Staatskapelle, where the German pressings are to be marginally preferred to the English SLS box sets. TBH, so much of all this is just trial and error, comparing different versions from different countries.
There's ANOTHER reasons why some recordings can sound better. Your ears. Listening room. Time of day.
why are NZpressings so poor
I have the beethoven on d is si,ilar to the lp. Play on good equipment ,it should be good
There are too many variables when trying to relate label graphics to actual pressing information; one must refer to the stampings on the dead wax to determine. Also, I must take issue with your reporting that "...different pressings are mastered differently..." which, when take on the general level, is inaccurate at best. The actual mastering is an almost unchangeable event in the chain of production. To change the mastering of a great recording requires an executive decision and one not taken lightly. Different pressings to not call for different mastering. A master is an almost constant factor whereas pressings are a world of invariables. The labels alone tell a limited story. You may have a vast knowledge of musicianship however you lack technical prowess.