Has anyone heard a lot of the Living Stereo Music? I am trying to figure out if i want to buy the whole collection second-hand...but i have not heard enuf of these individual albums to know if they are great renditions and well recorded. i do not wish to buy a set of so-so versions of each piece of music...when i could just as well take my time and buy leading versions of each piece more slowly. thanks for any guidance.
Anyone Hear this? Living Stereo - The Full Collection Box
- Thread starter LL21
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I Have it .. great music all over . grab it .. A bargain IMO, even new on Amazon... Most of them are extremely well recorded... some are reference material IMO...
Hi LLoyd, I initially thought you were referring to the long discontinued Classic Records Living Stereo Collection Box on LP. If you can get your hands on this, then a BIG go for it. The CD's on Amazon, I have no experience with, but IMO the best way to hear the Living Stereo catalog is to listen to the individual shaded dog LP's
( most of which are still fairly obtainable via ebay, etc)
( most of which are still fairly obtainable via ebay, etc)Thanks Davey! Two WBF thumbs way up...i just bought it. Someone was selling a set for half of what Amazon was selling for directly, so i just took it. Look forwrd to receiving and listening to all 60 CDs! I am told that while they are CDs (not the SACDs)...the CDs are the CD layer from the SACD remasters.
Lloyd- there is at least one website devoted to the old RCA classical records that may be informative. It's been years since I looked at my old Absolute Sounds, but Sid Marks famously reviewed many of them (which I think stimulated the feeding frenzy for the discs as collectibles). I don't know if his reviews can be purchased as a set, apart from the back issues s (another area where The Absolute Sound could make money if they held the copyrights to those writings).
I have quite a few of them- for the most part, they were very natural sounding, but had surface noise. Have no idea what the CDs are like. And there are some brilliant performances, Reiner, et al.
I also have an oddball collection of vintage RCA novelty records from the period: Music for a Backyard BBQ, Music for a Chinese Dinner at Home, Music for Non-Thinkers, Opera for People who Hate Opera, etc. And some of the essential popular music, including Hi-Fi Fiedler, the various Chet Atkins records, and as well as the old Harry Belafonte (Hall, Blues, Calypso), etc.
I have quite a few of them- for the most part, they were very natural sounding, but had surface noise. Have no idea what the CDs are like. And there are some brilliant performances, Reiner, et al.
I also have an oddball collection of vintage RCA novelty records from the period: Music for a Backyard BBQ, Music for a Chinese Dinner at Home, Music for Non-Thinkers, Opera for People who Hate Opera, etc. And some of the essential popular music, including Hi-Fi Fiedler, the various Chet Atkins records, and as well as the old Harry Belafonte (Hall, Blues, Calypso), etc.
You are too quick for me I was going to chime in with what Frantz said. Not only is the material very well recorded and transferred, many of them are of historic significance.
The only caveat I have against it is - I don't like big boxed sets! But that might be more a quirk of how I have organized my collection and how I listen to my music than anything else!
I was going to chime in with what Frantz said. Not only is the material very well recorded and transferred, many of them are of historic significance. The only caveat I have against it is - I don't like big boxed sets! But that might be more a quirk of how I have organized my collection and how I listen to my music than anything else!
Hi
One more thing. This material is mostly outstanding. I will also add that the transfer to CD is extremely good. Yes the CD sounds different but this IMHO mostly due to Mastering. Else the CD doesn't take any back seat to the LP with equivalent front source. I have some of the dhaded dogs in my dad's collection and the differences are there but to me insubstantial... The CD has no surface noise ...
Another box set that is interesting and whose is superlative, I think maybe better than the RCA (Was supervised by the same person who did the CD, the wonderful sadly no longer with us Wilma Fine Cozart) is the Mercury Living Presence box set. SUPERLATIVE and frankly in many instances the CDs surpass or at the very least match the LPs IMO. if one prefers the sound of Vinyl fine get the Lps if you can... For those interested in foremost high Quality music and recordings, those CDs are as good as they get and there again the music is from good to great and the recordings simply outstanding .. Among the best recordings ever made IMO, of course
One more thing. This material is mostly outstanding. I will also add that the transfer to CD is extremely good. Yes the CD sounds different but this IMHO mostly due to Mastering. Else the CD doesn't take any back seat to the LP with equivalent front source. I have some of the dhaded dogs in my dad's collection and the differences are there but to me insubstantial... The CD has no surface noise
...Another box set that is interesting and whose is superlative, I think maybe better than the RCA (Was supervised by the same person who did the CD, the wonderful sadly no longer with us Wilma Fine Cozart) is the Mercury Living Presence box set. SUPERLATIVE and frankly in many instances the CDs surpass or at the very least match the LPs IMO. if one prefers the sound of Vinyl fine get the Lps if you can... For those interested in foremost high Quality music and recordings, those CDs are as good as they get and there again the music is from good to great and the recordings simply outstanding .. Among the best recordings ever made IMO, of course
i have all the 33rpm Classic reissue RCA Living Presence pressings, and all the 45rpms too. i also have all the SACD's sourced from those recordings as well as the Mercury's too for all three formats. then i have quite a few CD's, XRCD's and that type redbook versions.
the 45rpm classic reissues are maybe the best sounding Lps i've yet heard as a group.
any of them are wonderful.....and it was my introduction to classical music and it is quite 'accessable' in terms of the music and performances. in the mid-90's when i started buying these i knew zero about classical and never listened to it.
this whole series was a game-changer for me in how i looked at music....and now i listen to over 50% classical music.
i'll add that this group of SACD's are my most played silver discs by far.
the 45rpm classic reissues are maybe the best sounding Lps i've yet heard as a group.
any of them are wonderful.....and it was my introduction to classical music and it is quite 'accessable' in terms of the music and performances. in the mid-90's when i started buying these i knew zero about classical and never listened to it.
this whole series was a game-changer for me in how i looked at music....and now i listen to over 50% classical music.
i'll add that this group of SACD's are my most played silver discs by far.
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Lloyd and others, go here: http://www.shadeddog.com
IMHO, by far the best intro to the shaded dogs on the web. ( Plus I contribute over there )
I'm still of the opinion that IF you can get your hands on the original shaded dog original pressings on vinyl, that this is the way to go. Generally, the earlier the pressing the better.
IMHO, by far the best intro to the shaded dogs on the web. ( Plus I contribute over there
)I'm still of the opinion that IF you can get your hands on the original shaded dog original pressings on vinyl, that this is the way to go. Generally, the earlier the pressing the better.
Lloyd and others, go here: http://www.shadeddog.com
IMHO, by far the best intro to the shaded dogs on the web. ( Plus I contribute over there
I'm still of the opinion that IF you can get your hands on the original shaded dog original pressings on vinyl, that this is the way to go. Generally, the earlier the pressing the better.
i know that many times with 45rpm reissues, original pressings sound better.....particularly with Jazz. but i think that in the case of the 45rpm's of the Shaded Dogs that generally they are clearly better. there has been many words written about that question and many opinions.
and i respect that i may be wrong about it. i've had people bring over supposed 'best original pressings' and it was not close to my ears. but that was quite a few years ago now. i'd love to revisit the question if there is someone local with some OP they want to bring over.
I play these SACDs quite a bit as well, I tried one out on my home theater a couple of weeks ago and the 3 channel presentation was wonderful. Though I will probably still listen to them mostly in 2-channel since my speakers are better in that setup.
My one wish is if they would have released every Heifetz/Living Stereo title on SACD.
Mike, I think that depends on how you define 'better'. No argument that the 45rpm re-issues will have quieter backgrounds. As to the difference between say a 1s 1s original shaded dog vs a 45 rpm re-issue of the same pressing, give me the original any day.
agree.
i have the Heifetz 45rpm box set and it is 'to die for'. i don't have the vocabulary to do justice to the wonder of the music. superb!
i think where the 45 has an advantage is that the original pressings were rolled off based on expectations of consumer gear at the time. whereas Jazz recordings generally did not have high frequency and low frequency content to be problematic for playback gear back then, these Classical tapes certainly did. and many of the 45's seem to have more top and bottom than original pressings. it's not just the lower noise. the 45's have more foundation and space too.
that was my impression years ago when i did the comparisons. i'm not saying that i'm right as i have no way today to know how legit the original pressings were i used 10 years ago.
i have many early Shaded Dog pressings, but i have no idea how close to being the right pressings they are. i've just never paid attention to it.
WOW! Thanks for all the feedback! I am looking into the Mercury Living Presence as well. I have a good bunch of it from different artists...Mussorsky, Bach, Brahms, Chopin...and the Bach Cello Suites by Starker (on SACD). Still...there is also a bunch of music i dont have...and at the price...still not crazy.
Lloyd, as you may know, Sid Marks also covered the Mercury Living Presence recordings in his columns, and the price of those went through the roof as well (this was late 80's-early 90's if memory serves). I know (and you may have mentioned it earlier in this thread) that WCF did supervise the Mercury reissues.
Mike and Davey: I have not listened to the Classic reissues. I do pull out some Living Stereo or Living Presence originals on occasion, but now, it's more to listen to the performance than to compare pressings. As I mentioned in another thread, the Starker mono of the Dvorak Cello pieces is simply amazing. I think I paid 5 dollars for it back in the day because the monos were not sought after at the time I was buying these records.
Mike and Davey- if you had to pick your favorite RCAs (whether original or Classic 45), which would they be, sonically and musically?
And Lloyd, for what it's worth, one of the other highly touted labels was Lyrita, almost all British composers from the 20th century. Of course, every one knows the Malcolm Arnold record, but there were some very good pieces of music Elizabeth McConchey (sp), George Lloyd, etc. Those are probably also gettable on vinyl at less than astronomical prices and can be powerful, musically and sonically. (And since it was a very UK-centric thing, perhaps easier to find in your neck of the woods?)
Mike and Davey: I have not listened to the Classic reissues. I do pull out some Living Stereo or Living Presence originals on occasion, but now, it's more to listen to the performance than to compare pressings. As I mentioned in another thread, the Starker mono of the Dvorak Cello pieces is simply amazing. I think I paid 5 dollars for it back in the day because the monos were not sought after at the time I was buying these records.
Mike and Davey- if you had to pick your favorite RCAs (whether original or Classic 45), which would they be, sonically and musically?
And Lloyd, for what it's worth, one of the other highly touted labels was Lyrita, almost all British composers from the 20th century. Of course, every one knows the Malcolm Arnold record, but there were some very good pieces of music Elizabeth McConchey (sp), George Lloyd, etc. Those are probably also gettable on vinyl at less than astronomical prices and can be powerful, musically and sonically. (And since it was a very UK-centric thing, perhaps easier to find in your neck of the woods?)
Hi
While I really appreciate this thread and the constant mention of how superior the Classic re-issue on 45 RPM do sound, it would be nice to not forget that so far Lloydelee, the Op doesn't seem to use a TT ... There are few here that are very much vested in digital and find it quite good ...
While I really appreciate this thread and the constant mention of how superior the Classic re-issue on 45 RPM do sound, it would be nice to not forget that so far Lloydelee, the Op doesn't seem to use a TT ... There are few here that are very much vested in digital and find it quite good ...
A friend was actually crying at my place when listening to the Heifetz Shaded Dog LP of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto.
The RCA SACDs often contain (as previously mentioned) the 3-channel original presentations of these pieces. If your system will accommodate them, they are very, very good. Several of the Mercury Living Presence SACDs were also issued with the center channel provided. Good to hear these in their original form.
Lee
Agree with you, the Lyrita's ( most not all) are generally excellent. Although not that easy to find today and some are fetching some decent prices.
The shaded dogs that get the most spin time on my system are: Power of the Orchestra Moussorgsky in a 1s 7s pressing, Witches Brew in a 1s 1s pressing, Prokofiev Lt Kije in a 1s 5s pressing, Offenbach Gaite Parisienne in a 1s 3s pressing and 10s 11s pressing and a 5s 5s pressing, Respighi, Pines of Rome, The Fountains of Rome in a 1s1s pressing and a 5s 5s pressing , Prokofiev Second Piano Concerto, Haydn Sonata No35 with Malcolm Frager in a 1s1s pressing, Ballet music of Gounod and Bizet in a 1s 6s pressing, Venice/Solti in a 1s 1s pressing, Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture, Canon cover, in a 1s 1s pressing ( 1st side only) and last but not least, Rimsky-Korsakov, Scheherazade/Reiner in a 10s 10s pressing.(Rare, But IMHO superior to the 1s1s pressing!)
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