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Here are impressions of my first 2 Signature double-disc sets.
The discs come in a hard-back book-form digipac, with discs in thin card pockets on the inside covers. It is a little tricky getting them out without finger prints. The discs are hybrid so it is easy to compare the RBCD and SACD layers.
As well as a good essay in three languages covering the compilations, there are illustrations in colour of original LP covers and labels, mastering logs and photos of the mastering rooms at Abbey Road and the four EMI engineers who worked there on this project.
According to the booklets, the process involved locating the original source analogue tapes and their previous use from the mastering logs. They were played on a carefully calibrated Studer A80 1/4" tape deck and converted with a Prism ADA-8 Converter at 96/24 to a Sadie Digital Audio Workstation. Decisions were then made as to necessity of applying CEDAR audio restoration. A final equalised version was made using the analogue EQ of EMI's own TG12412 & 12414 tone control boxes. The final remastered audio is converted to CD and DSD format masters for production. Embedded text on the CD and SACD layers confirm that new masters were made: On-screen Track Titles include "2011 Digital Remaster...".
I may comment more on the SACD layers of the discs I have (Beethoven Triple Concerto, Brahms Violin and Double Concerto, Elgar, Delius, Du Pre) when Steve lists them.
Are they worth getting at this low price? After making comparisons of CD - SACD layers in Pure Direct mode, and SACD with full Audessey room eq and 32-bit 5.1 modes, I would say definitely YES. What a thrill to meet these old friends in high resolution!
John
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Post by seth April 10, 2012 (282 of 535)
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Geohominid said:
I may comment more on the SACD layers of the discs I have (Beethoven Triple Concerto, Brahms Violin and Double Concerto, Elgar, Delius, Du Pre) when Steve lists them.
John
If you have the GROTC CD version of the Brahms Violin, will you please let us know if the overload distortions have been minimized at all -- just listen to the last minute and a half of the third movement.
Thanks
-Seth
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sunnydaler said:
http://magazin.klassik.com/reviews/reviews.cfm?task=record&RECID=11514 (German)
“eine nahezu perfekte Darbietung (a near-perfect performance)”
http://www.lucernefestival.ch/documents/sundaytimes.pdf
“Greatness is stamped on every bar”
You are right! the price is over 30 dollars... but it's worth it. Excellent, indeed!
30 bucks as an entrance fee to this basically otherwordly experience is nothing... It's one of the absolute-finest music performances that I've ever heard during my 35+ years of active music listening, one that for the first time really opened my ears to hear and feel something about this work (I've either had and heard it at some point or another by basically all the so-called greats, in all major media incl. SACD, and none of them could open it up at all and communicate it in comparison). Now I'm a fan of it.
And the recorded sound is practically just as exceptional.
Thanks for those links, btw -- hadn't seen them before.
-PT
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seth said:
If you have the GROTC CD version of the Brahms Violin, will you please let us know if the overload distortions have been minimized at all -- just listen to the last minute and a half of the third movement.
Thanks
-Seth
Hi Seth,
I didn't notice any significant overload signs at the big orchestral tutti at the point you mention on the CD, bearing in mind that the mass string tone on that recording is not particularly refined. In the 96/24 version, there is a slight degradation of the string tone at the same point, just noticeable; it sounds more gritty. Perhaps one could expect this; the new masters can only be as good as the master tapes. Its the old adage of opening the window and more dirt comes in, I suspect. It wouldn't have bothered me particularly if I didn't know what to look out for.
Geo
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Does anyone have the Liszt/Cziffra? EMI's website claims that they used MCH remaster but a reply from their staff said all of these discs are stereo. (Just goes to show Zeus' point re not believing everything one sees online!)
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Post by seth April 12, 2012 (287 of 535)
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Polly Nomial said:
Does anyone have the Liszt/Cziffra? EMI's website claims that they used MCH remaster but a reply from their staff said all of these discs are stereo. (Just goes to show Zeus' point re not believing everything one sees online!)
In an interview with the series engineers, they confirm it's all stereo even though some of the recordings were quad:
http://audaud.com/2012/04/emis-new-sacd-remasters/
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Post by Fugue April 12, 2012 (288 of 535)
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Polly Nomial said:
Does anyone have the Liszt/Cziffra? EMI's website claims that they used MCH remaster but a reply from their staff said all of these discs are stereo. (Just goes to show Zeus' point re not believing everything one sees online!)
I should it receive any day now, so I can confirm/deny when it arrives, but that interview strongly suggests it is stereo.
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Post by stvnharr April 12, 2012 (289 of 535)
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Geohominid said:
Hi Seth,
I didn't notice any significant overload signs at the big orchestral tutti at the point you mention on the CD, bearing in mind that the mass string tone on that recording is not particularly refined. In the 96/24 version, there is a slight degradation of the string tone at the same point, just noticeable; it sounds more gritty. Geo
I have the Esoteric disc of this and the above is pretty much as I heard the same section of the disc.
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