New Release from Edward Pong; stunning sonics!

Mike Lavigne

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Apr 25, 2010
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I am listening to one of the new releases from Edward Pong and the sound is remarkable.

a few years back I purchased 7 small scale classical tapes from Edward and have truly enjoyed them. they were live recordings and they had 'life' and 'flow and were direct and intimate if not the last word in imaging. but with a very live feeling and I've visited them again and again over the years.....when in the mood for that feeling.....I call my Sunday morning feeling.

this one is "Tatsuki Narita & Yun-Yang Lee" on Beethoven Sonata #3, and Sarasate Zigeunerweisen. these are two live recordings in front of an audience......which personally I prefer for it's little bit more emotive content and deeper flow of energy. this one pulses and breathes.

http://ultraanaloguerecordings.com/wpsite/store/?cat_product=tatsuki-narita-yun-yang-lee

I'm no expert on classical performance, so take my opinion with a large grain of salt, but I really enjoyed this recording and expect to play it often.

and what Edward is now doing is a few steps closer to an ultimate sound. he has captured a more vivid direct sound of a piano and violin that is astonishing.

he has stepped up his recording gear with "..... vintage NOS WE300b (1956 - square getter) in the microphone pre- amp, battery supply to the record & playback tube electronics for the Studer..." and whatever other tricks and I'm hearing such realism and complete direct unveiled energy and life. the delicacy and touch of the piano and the tone of the violin are maybe a new standard for me to have in my mind. sweet and sparkle along with flow and energy. this is how a piano should sound. super low noise and wonderful ambience.

the tone just jumps out of the music and my system and room just disappear. the big rig has never sounded sweeter! I think Edward's recording technique has advanced since the earliest recordings.

Bravo Edward! and thank you.
 
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astrotoy

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I was playing some of Ed's tapes over the weekend. The most recent tapes (the three Beethoven Violin-Piano Sonatas with Taksuki Narita and Yun-Yang Lee) using the vintage 300b tubes and battery supply for record and playback that Mike mentions have really upped the already fine sound that Ed gets in these recordings. He combines extremely talented performers with recording in a real acoustical space (these are live concerts) with these super electronics direct to tape. At least part of the secret to my ears is that he and Tony have lowered the noise floor on the recordings so that the most subtle details of the actual sounds, including both instruments and the actual recording space can be clearly heard for an incredible listening experience. Great job Ed and Tony.

Larry
 

astrotoy

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Mine are on the way. Can't wait. Ed is sending them in NAB to me as for his ears he prefers NAB

Mine are also all NAB. Works great with my Doshi 3.0. Larry
 

Tango

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My Schubert Grand Fantasy recommended by Edward is on the way too. Seems NAB is the choice.
 

Edward Pong

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Jun 24, 2013
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I record all the masters in NAB, which to my ears sound fuller & warmer in the midbass than masters recorded in CCIR...

Now I know just about everyone records in CCIR.... & this is not a knock against them.... but just in the repertoire I record, with my equipment, in my space.... I prefer NAB

I think the key is, the more we are drawn into the sound & performance, the more natural - "better" it is...

I have made the Zigeunerweisen tape many times... but I'm drawn into that music every time I make that tape...
 
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Fiddle Faddle

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I personally think this much more musically mature and "conservative" repertoire (e.g Beethoven Sonata) suits Tatsuki vastly better than the highly technically biased audacious repertoire such as Paganini. He gives himself the chance to musically breathe a bit more and shape a phrase and make a robust and convincing musical statement. OK, it may not have the insight and expression of golden age players like Grumiaux for example, but I can say that for all modern era players, except perhaps for James Ehnes.

Again, what a superb and natural recording from Edward. This is what violins really sound like in a chamber setting.
 

Edward Pong

Industry Expert
Jun 24, 2013
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First, I think as audiophile's we all realize the end result sound is dependent on MANY factors, one of which is the eq of the original recording...

As I said in the earlier post, with the music I record, with my equipment & acoustic space I personally like NAB. That does not mean CCIR is "wrong" or not as good... I believe the 2 eqs can be used to different advantages, depending on what is being recorded...... I suggested NAB to the audiophiles who can play both because then the duplicate is closer to the master.

In fact, since the master was NAB, I don't think the CCIR dup is truely CCIR in the sense the master was NAB.

I think many people with CCIR tapes also hear a similar tape character & so much is dependent on the playback system..
I did not bring this up nor do I want to make any point of this, just Steve mentioned he's getting NAB...

I want the result to speak for itself, I'm trying to give the Best Sound to my ears...
Ed
 
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Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Hi Ed

Thanks for the explanation. I still have out of town guests here and am hoping to hear these tapes later today. Looking forward to it

It'll be the first time I will have pushed my Doshi switch from CCIR to NAB
 

rockitman

Member Sponsor
Sep 20, 2011
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First, I think as audiophile's we all realize the end result sound is dependent on MANY factors, one of which is the eq of the original recording...

As I said in the earlier post, with the music I record, with my equipment & acoustic space I personally like NAB. That does not mean CCIR is "wrong" or not as good... I believe the 2 eqs can be used to different advantages, depending on what is being recorded...... I suggested NAB to the audiophiles who can play both because then the duplicate is closer to the master. In fact, since the master was NAB, I don't think the CCIR dup is truely CCIR in the sense the master was NAB.

I think many people with CCIR tapes also hear a similar tape character & so much is dependent on the playback system..
I did not bring this up nor do I want to make any point of this, just Steve mentioned he's getting NAB...

I want the result to speak for itself, I'm trying to give the Best Sound to my ears...
Ed

Interesting. If the title was mastered in NAB...I think keeping it NAB makes sense in the dub chain. That said....many tapes ago I made the decision to go CCIR for all of my dubs. I can play NAB on a King/Cello setup I still have but on my reference deck I eliminated the NAB circuit for the sonic purity of one less circuit and switch. Thanks for your insights.
 

microstrip

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tony ky ma

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Aug 21, 2010
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CCIR & NAB curve are the kind of frequency respond and that is only related for the tape head and tapes in recording and play back, if they are working right then there is no different between or which one is better than other. reason is more other frequency responds like mic amp speaker room acoustic ect. will change the final result, so in my experience the best way is using tri amp system. using one amp for full range and the other two is for add on sub(80 hz) and supper high(15Khz) of cause you need filters and gain control for these two amps. then you can adjust the add on volume for the best final result in your listening room
tony ma
 

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