bravo to UltraAnalog Recordings

Mike Lavigne

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 25, 2010
12,580
11,618
4,410
I ordered 3 tapes from Ed Pong's UltraAnalog Recordings and received them today and have just finished listening to them.

I really enjoyed them and just ordered 3 more.

I find them very much like live music in a small venue, where you don't get that pin-point type of imaging, but instead wonderful tone and intimacy and a sense of involvement and emotion and a more slightly diffuse presentation like reality. I feel I'm connected to the music. The performers seem to be present with me in the same space.

in my large listening room the music bloomed to fill the space nicely in depth, width and height, yet the scale was realistic. just a comfortable presentation for me.

2 mics, no compression, just truth.

different in a fresh way from typical recordings. Very non-hifi and unfiltered.

i'm not qualified to judge the playing technically, or the quality of interpretation, but I felt connected to the music so that is what mattered to me. I felt uplifted by the music and played each tape a couple of times.....each listening has caused me to dig deeper into the music. I expect to play these often.

the recordings have very low noise, really black backgrounds......and a very smooth extended top end and overall balance thru my Studer A-820 with direct head output to my King Cello output electronics. Tony Ma's wonderful tube circuits seems to work the appropriate magic with the music and capture the essence of the music.

Bravo to Ed, Tony and the performers.

the three tapes I've just listened to are;

The Chaccones; Vitali, Bach, and Monti.

Beethoven Piano Trio No.4, Op.70 No.1 (Ghost), Trio No.5, Opus70 No.2

and....

Mozart Duo in G major, K.423, Handel-Halvorsen-Passacaglia, Debussey-Claire de Lune

i'm a big fan of Chamber Music and listen often to String Quartets and other small ensemble classical music both on Vinyl and dsd downloads. I have developed a taste for it over time and so these recordings are feeding an appetite that is important to me. I have some large orchestral tapes but nothing like this. I call this 'Sunday Morning Music' since it brings that relaxed positive vibe to my day when I play it and something essential I cannot define.

highly recommended for a fan of this type music or someone wanting to broaden their musical horizons.
 
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Joe Galbraith

Senior Member/Sponsor
Apr 22, 2010
214
0
0
www.arsetmusica.com
I am glad you like Ed's work too, Mike. The Rossini tape of the double bass concerto is exceptional as well. While I haven't purchased any new material from Ed, I plan on sending him an order for a couple more in the very near future.
 

Mike Lavigne

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 25, 2010
12,580
11,618
4,410
tonight I revisited my Ultra Analogue tape collection; I have 7 of the titles I purchased in the summer of 2013.

over the last year or so I have not played much tape. my vinyl and digital has been outstanding, and so the tape has been out of mind for the most part. but this past week I did acquire 4 'super' ultra iconic 60's and early 70's master dub rock titles that are mind-blowingly good sounding on the Studer A820/King-Cello. this has re-ignited my taste for tape. and since I last played much tape I did have the final setup on my MM7's and now I have the Entreq grounding box on my dart pre. so what those 2 system upgrades are doing for tape has me a bit hungry to listen to tape.

and for whatever reason the sound and performance of the 2 Ultra Analogue titles I played tonight really touched me. Wow!! this is a few steps beyond where my mind had expected them to be.

maybe I've grown in my musical development in terms of 'getting' small combo classical? or maybe the system's maturing is pulling tape to a new place?

the 2 titles I played tonight are the "Beethoven Piano Trio No.4 and No.5", and the "Rachmaninov Cello Sonata in G minor, Chopin Etude No.7 and Rachmaninov Romance".

the tone, micro-energy and just overall presence and musical nuance of the performances sucked me in, and took me on a trip to contentment.

anyway.......wonderful stuff and music i'll be enjoying more regularly. I'm looking forward to revisiting the other titles I have soon.
 

Asamel

Well-Known Member
Jan 22, 2012
578
1
263
Philly
I find Ultra Analog tapes always a wonderful listen and I'm far from a classical fan. The "capture" of the performance is so complete that you feel the room as well as the instruments.
 

Edward Pong

Industry Expert
Jun 24, 2013
386
195
348
Locust Hill, Ontario
Dear Fellow Audiophiles
I want to wish you all the Best for 2015!!
I'm just getting ready to release 5 new tapes on the UltraAnalogue Recordings website...I'm very excited about these as I feel they have incredible performances coupled with very refined sound....
There will be my 1st solo piano recordings of wonderful repertoire...
The tapes will be:
1) The Genius of Mozart - Adagio K.261, Rondo K.373, Piano Sonata K.330
2) The Genius of Beethoven - Romance No.2, Violin Sonata No.5 "Spring"
3) Beethoven Violin Sonata No.7
4) Beethoven Piano Sonata "Waldstein"
5) Chopin Ballade No.1, Liszt Venezia e Napoli

These feature violinist Xiang Yu & a wonderful pianist from Paris, Yun-Yang Lee

Please watch for these new tapes as They will be released very soon....
Best wishes
Edward
 
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astrotoy

VIP/Donor
May 24, 2010
1,551
1,020
1,715
SF Bay Area
Ed, that is great. Looking forward to the new tapes. I have just about all of Ed's tapes - really fine. He has found some excellent young artists and recorded them in a warm venue - very much like being there (in the concert hall in his home).

Larry
 

tony ky ma

Industry Expert
Aug 21, 2010
630
5
930
Whitby Ontario Canada
To the Hi end system listener of our tapes

Listen to our tapes in a Hi end system you will find the quality is changing although in the same equipments beside the players' skill or better instruments , because we add curtains and refine the mic location or direction try to improve the quality. hope you listeners can have the same answers
tony ma
 

Edward Pong

Industry Expert
Jun 24, 2013
386
195
348
Locust Hill, Ontario
Just want to let you all know the 5 new tapes have been released on the website.

There are 9 new sample tracks from these 5 tapes....please have a listen.... All the solo piano tracks are live recordings.

All the best for 2015
Edward
 

earlinarizona

Well-Known Member
Jul 17, 2010
173
44
1,583
I just listened to the new sample tracks and as unbelievable as it seems, the new tracks sound even better then your earlier samples even at that stratospheric quality level. Could you explain the changes that have happened. Is there a change in the room, electronics or something else. I have never heard this kind of purity even on other tapes.You just keep getting better. Your violin sound is out of this world. Will some of your tapes be at CES?
 

Edward Pong

Industry Expert
Jun 24, 2013
386
195
348
Locust Hill, Ontario
You have very good ears!! I'm so glad you're hearing the changes I made to the setup. First I would say the performances have a lot to do with the character of the sound...the violin & piano are so balanced in their playing, they can weave in & out of each other's melodies. Violins are very sensitive beings & they are never the same... We used a very special bow to create this purity of sound & Xiang is Xiang... getting better & better! We're all fortunate to have him at his early career!

I did make 1 adjustment to the room, I added curtains along the whole back wall, but only used them selectively to tune the sound. That's also a big part of the purity of the piano sound. Yun-Yang's playing is magical.... Irish pianist John O'Connor was at my place for this concert & he was very impressed...He recorded all the Beethoven Sonatas for Telarc in the 80's....

Xiang on hearing the tapes was blown away... he has never been happier after a recording....we will be recording all the Beethoven Violin Sonatas & hopefully all the Piano Trios when I've finalized on the cellist....

I won't be a CES, but I really hope people will get a real listen to these tapes... the sound on a sensitive system will really mess you up - in a good way!

Thanks for your so kind comments!!!
Edward
 

Asamel

Well-Known Member
Jan 22, 2012
578
1
263
Philly
UltraAnalog Recordings has five new tape releases featuring Paris pianist Yun-Yang Lee. I've purchased two - Beethoven Violin Sonata No.7 and Chopin Ballade No.1 and Liszt Venezine e Napoli. The Chopin is the first solo piano from Ultra Analog.

These tapes continue the journey back to the source of the performance. The playing is flawless but with feeling - as always. Yun-Yang is a joy to listen to. These releases demonstrate the evolution of Ed Pong's recording prowess as he tweaks his performance space and equipment. The best recordings always give you the sound of the instruments and the space of the recordings. These tapes rank with the best recordings I have heard and defy you to do anything but listen intently and marvel.

If you want a recording that shows how good tape can sound you can't go wrong with these tapes!
 

Edward Pong

Industry Expert
Jun 24, 2013
386
195
348
Locust Hill, Ontario
I'm happy to announce the release of a sampler of UltraAnalogue Recordings consisting of violin, cello & solo piano....

Sampler No.1
Passacaglia, Czardas, Cassado-Finale, Liszt-Canzone, Meditation, Rachmaninov-Song

Please check the website: www.ultraanaloguerecordings.com

Edward
 

astrotoy

VIP/Donor
May 24, 2010
1,551
1,020
1,715
SF Bay Area
UltraAnalog Recordings has five new tape releases featuring Paris pianist Yun-Yang Lee. I've purchased two - Beethoven Violin Sonata No.7 and Chopin Ballade No.1 and Liszt Venezine e Napoli. The Chopin is the first solo piano from Ultra Analog.

These tapes continue the journey back to the source of the performance. The playing is flawless but with feeling - as always. Yun-Yang is a joy to listen to. These releases demonstrate the evolution of Ed Pong's recording prowess as he tweaks his performance space and equipment. The best recordings always give you the sound of the instruments and the space of the recordings. These tapes rank with the best recordings I have heard and defy you to do anything but listen intently and marvel.

If you want a recording that shows how good tape can sound you can't go wrong with these tapes!

I bought all five of the tapes. As Bruce mentioned, Ed, working with Tony Ma, has been making small, but important improvements in the electronics, particularly most recently in the dubbing equipment. The results have been the best that I have heard from all the UltraAnalogue tapes that I have, which is saying a lot! There is an extension of highs and dynamic range, while still maintaining the balance of warmth and cool - the sense of the wonderful players being there. Several of Yun-Yang Lee's piano tapes were made with a live audience, including the Chopin and Liszt tape that Bruce mentions and the great Beethoven Waldstein sonata and a Mozart piano sonata (part of a tape with two shorter Mozart Violin-Piano pieces). There are some truly explosive dynamics captured in the piano recordings.

This is the WBF, and Ed's tapes gives you a real sense of what is possible.

Larry
 
Jan 18, 2012
2,363
2,459
1,475
Drobak Norway
and I sure don´t regret that purchase!
fantastic performances and brilliantly captured in all recordings
If you twist my arm and force me to appoint a favourite, its got to be Bethooven Piano Sonata No.21 "Waldstein" (solo piano) or Bethooven Sonata for Violin & Piano No.7, but they´re all at the peak of what I believe is possible in musical reproduction through a conventional stereo system.
the detailing is even better than in previous tapes, the bass is slightly drier and tighter, with added weight and more complex harmonics and better differentiation of details.
asked about this difference and it turns out that Mr.Pong had slighty altered the damping around the violins and the piano to obtain exactly what I heard in my system.
How cool is that.....
being pulled into the music like this is a real luxury, and it makes all the system efforts worth it
what a paradox; so much work and so many years of building and tweaking, just to be able to forget the system...is there a diagnosis for this state of mind :rolleyes:
seen from the outside of this fantastic hobby, it probably is, til your inside yourself
anyway, now I´m eagerly waiting for whatever pops up in the next releases
maybe broaden the horizon with other classical instruments as well
horns
woodwinds
harp
whatever he chooses, it will be very exciting to listen to
thx for the effort Ed and last but not least; Tony
best
From Norway
Leif
 

rad

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2010
169
44
1,585
Ohio
I received my sampler from UltraAnalog Recordings last week & finally had a chance to have a listen.

This was my first purchase from UltraAnalog & I have to tell you that I was very impressed. I'm just a relative newbie to the classical genre but found the music to be excellent.

I most certainly will be building my library with more of Mr. Ed Pongs tapes.

It's most refreshing to purchase tapes that are the real deal! ( some in the crowd that have purchased tapes from various so called expert sources know what I'm talking about )!!!!!

I found the recordings to be free of noise & the music extends from a nice dark background. Very intimate setting with great tonal balance. Well done!

Feel free to give your recommendations guys, I do favor piano.

Thanks,

Gary
 

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