Establishing a common analog listening bias

Halcro your description of what you hear off Belafonte's long time and highly regarded performance is totally mystifying.

"Voices and instruments undemanding though well recorded""

"Audience is simply an ill defined and sometimes a distorted screech of nebulous applause"

WHAT!

This excellent R.C.A. recording has been known as such among music enthuses for "decades"....

Oh, oh, now we're getting down to brass-tacks!
Who'll be the judge on all this lot now?

Got to pull this Belafonte LP from under my locker and see what's what.
I do recall the music is not exactly down everyone’s alley though, my girl friend (17 year younger to say) is going to throw stuff at me I suspect.
A.

OK, Belafonte at Carnegie Hall...
The applause on my lot supports Halcro's gripe, not very defined at all, the singer is there very nicely but superior 'hall information' .... I think I heard better. ---Now we are of course supposed to listing to the performers and they are very well defined.

Here is a clue: This album was **at least** 6 time re-issued and not getting better by the time I got my orange budget (I guess) label RCA.
Could explain some of it, yes?
A.

Wheather your a fan of Belafonte or not, the fact remains this particular recording is superb with NONE of the discribed issues above....None.

I can only guess why Halcro would say what he did, most likey a poor pressing for sure.

Anyone with a good pressing vintage or re-issue will tell you the same.
If your system can't handle this recording you need to make adjustments and or get a good pressing.

Good grief.

Hi Daniel Axel and Stiltskin,

side one on the Royal Ballet set is dead on perfect phase - the other 3 sides are not. A common problem with many major classical recordings in the period from 1958 to 1963

That's incredible information Daniel. How do you know this? It sure explains things. If I reverse the phase on the other sides (via my preamp), will they then sound like side 1?
Interesting comment about the correct VTA for Weavers and Belafonte and your description of the 'waterfall'....which is just what I hear?

Sorry to offend Stiltskin, but that was precisely why I mentioned those much acclaimed albums. They have never sounded to me like 'magic' and in describing what I hear and receiving your responses (especially Daniel's).....I believe we are achieving what Daniel wanted to when he started this discourse?.........to be able to discuss exactly WHAT we are all hearing on the same source material?
Incredibly valuable stuff if you ask me?
Regards
Henry