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User Details - Jonalogic

recommendations

Name:		Jon Bower
Details:		Environmental scientist/consultant and freelance professional photographer. Originally a BBC research engineer focussed on acoustics and psychoacoustics, where I first learnt about studio and recordings arts. A lover of classical music recordings from all eras and technologies. And with a definite soft spot for traditional jazz, world music and the blues. Accused in my mis-spent youth of being an 'audiophile'- probably a valid charge at the time. However, now substantially recovered (but not according to my wife...) A frequent concert-goer, my reference point in adjudging technical quality is therefore live music. Does it sound like the real thing?
Location:		Oxford, UK
HiFi:		Listening and A/V room - 30 ft X 15.5 ft Stereo - Esoteric X-03SE SACD player Goldmund Vinyl turntable/Clearaudio Accurat m/c Classe Preamp Goldmund Mimesis Power Amp Martin Logan CLS IIz full-range electrostatic loudspeakers Siltech cables separate A/V - Pioneer Kuro Reference 50" plasma Primare pre- and power amps Sonus Faber speakers (2), Partington stands Sky HD+ Oppo BDP 105EU Bluray, SACD, DVD-A Player Denon DVD3910 DVD, SACD player VdH cable
Email:		jon.bower@virgin.net
Web:		http://www.apexphotos.com
Posts:		716

Reviews

Found: 98 show all

Poetry. Epic. Program - Brogli-Sacher (4 of 5 found this review helpful)	April 20, 2013
Heavens, but this is a frustrating disc, and a challenging one to review. If I had to summarise, I would say that this is a (mostly) superb, natural-sounding recording of an under-powered orchestra playing orchestral showpieces in a fine acoustic. And there is also a notable 'gotcha' I must ... more

Honegger: Complete Symphonies - Brogli-Sacher (7 of 9 found this review helpful)	April 1, 2013
I see this set seems to have attracted some bad press even before folk bothered to listen to it! After actually doing so, however, I feel they are mistaken - and, what's more, they are missing what I suspect will prove the only complete set of Arthur Honegger's symphonies ever to be released on ... more

Lutoslawski: Orchestral Works IV - Edward Gardner (5 of 6 found this review helpful)	March 29, 2013
Since no one has reviewed this, I thought it was worth summarising my impressions. I suppose one's musical response to this SACD will very much be dependent on your feelings about the composer. Personally, I straddle the fence I'm afraid. I love the early Lutoslawski of 50s and 60s - the Concerto ... more

Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet, 1812 etc. - RPO/Simonov (2 of 3 found this review helpful)	March 27, 2013
We all know two things for sure about Membran/Tring recordings: 1) They are wildly variable in performance and sound quality and 2) For some reason, they didn’t believe in gaps between pieces and movements And to this, I would suggest that we can now add a corollary: 3) Seek out the various ... more

Nielsen: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3 - Davis (12 of 13 found this review helpful)	March 27, 2013
Here my love of Nielsen overcame my antipathy towards the 'LSO Live' sound. I wasn't going to post this as a review, but it simply got too big to insert in the discussions section. So here it is, warts 'n all. Sneak preview - I don't like this recording very much... so think of it as a public ... more

Latest Posts

Is Matching Surrounds or Center w/ Mains More Important for Classical? Or are Both Equally Important?	May 15, 2013
Tailspn- what, no first aid post or spittoon? Not sure I like the colour of the carpets, either... Joking aside, that is FAR OUT. ... more
Brel -Les Marquises	May 15, 2013
Yep, and the cover is such a nasty shade of blue. That would rule it out even if it were the greatest performance ever in the history of music, of course. Shallow. ... more
Discussion: Hindemith: Complete Viola Works Volume 1 - Zimmermann	May 15, 2013
Much as I wish it were not so, the Atherton/Hyperion is merely a plain-jane RBCD. Given his scandalously low profile on SACD, any hires Hindemith recording has to be welcomed with open arms, particularly when it contains such fine works such as this. I also look forward to the forthcoming violin collection on BIS ([t=8788]). Nice ... more
Audiophile bible	May 13, 2013
I thought only my missus was allowed to say that. J ... more
Audiophile bible	May 11, 2013
I think we should therefore leave it to the good sense of the moderators to determine what is - and isn't - a fit topic for discussion on this Forum. I will, needless to say, abide by their decision. Unless or until advised otherwise, however, I see no reason why this topic should be regarded as off-bounds, particularly for light-hearted banter. ... more