User Details - Johnno

recommendations

Name:
   John Marchington
Details:
  
Location:
   New Zealand
HiFi:
   Sony SCD-XA5400ES SACD player. Used in stereo only. Full Vacuum State Electronics upgrade, including Terra Firma Lite clock.
Denon DSD-SA1 stereo-only SACD player
Sony SCD-XB940 stereo-only SACD player (extensively modified by Vacuum State Electronics -- up to L5)
Sony XE597 multichannel SACD player (modified by Vacuum State Electronics, including Terra Firma Lite clock)
'Lewitt' pure triode (i.e. all-tube) Firefly preamplifier (no tone controls)
John Linsley Hood Class-A monoblocks (one per channel). 40-50 watt output. Home-made -- superb!
Acoustat 6600 electrostatic speakers.
Email:
   johnm@paradise.net.nz
Web:
  
Posts:
   785
 
 
Reviews
Found: 8 show all
Alfred Schnittke: Film Music Vol. 1 - Strobel      (5 of 5 found this review helpful)
  May 18, 2006

This is a truly magnificent disc -- quite awesome in fact. The first soundtrack "The Story of an Unknown Actor" has shades of Bernard Herrmann (not his sci-fi side) and lasts for about 18 minutes, while the forty seven and a half minute "Commissar" is made of somewhat sterner stuff -- often very ... more
Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 6 - Jurowski        (4 of 4 found this review helpful)
  April 16, 2006

Like Edvin, I approached this disc with high expectations after hearing the Tchaikovsky Suite No. 3 and Stravinsky "Fairy's Kiss" Divertimento from the same forces and ended up being somewhat disappointed. First things first. I took this disc up to a friend's place for my initial listen. He has a ... more
Jeff Wayne: The War of the Worlds      (6 of 6 found this review helpful)
  July 12, 2005

I don't have a multichannel system so these comments are based on SACD in stereo only. Having said that, I'm absolutely staggered at the change from the original RBCD I have. Not only is the sound so much cleaner than before but the increase in clarity is amazing and I've been hearing all sorts of ... more
Beethoven & Mendelssohn: Violin Concertos - Heifetz/Munch      (2 of 2 found this review helpful)
  December 9, 2004

Amazing, perhaps, I had never encountered these classic recordings before purchasing the "RCA Living Stereo" SACD set and so it was a wonderful experience for me to hear them for the first time. The Beethoven is truly exceptional and it is one of the two or three finest performances of the work I ... more
Chopin: Etudes Opp. 10, 25 - Perahia  (4 of 6 found this review helpful)
  August 1, 2004

All I can do is agree wholeheartedly with Darland. This is a truly magnificent disc, with playing of incredible virtuosity and a recording that is technically truly sublime, with as realistic piano timbre as I have heard without actually being there. The works themselves are glorious too, so this ... more
 
 
Latest Posts
Discussion: YES: Close to the Edge
April 14, 2013
Well, I've finally received my copy and played it - and I have mixed feelings about it. I can hardly hear the drumming in the opening instrumental section of CTTE - whether that's due to re-mixing or equalization issues I'm not sure but it robs the section of impact. Anderson's voice projects well throughout and Chris Squire's bass guitar sounds ... more
Discussion: Elgar: Symphony No. 2 - Oramo
April 14, 2013
I agree. This could be a most interesting release. Oramo is a fine conductor. I'm used to Boult's final recording of the work and that's pretty laid back too. ... more
Sir Colin Davis
April 14, 2013
His Berlioz was supreme and I've been enjoying his Nielsen symphonies, even though I know some here haven't liked them. ... more
Discussion: Berlioz: Grande Messe des morts - Davis
April 4, 2013
Can anyone comment as to how the two recordings Sir Colin has made of the work compare? I'm still very fond of the Munch performance ... more
Discussion: Goossens: Orchestral Works Vol. 2 - Sir Andrew Davis
April 4, 2013
I'm waiting for the first complete recording of the Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda and I'm sure Richard Hickox would have been superb in it. Sir David Willcocks conducted an almost complete recording on Unicorn Kanchana and the performance is generally excellent but there are three movements missing and for some inexplicible reason, the four groups ... more