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Reference Recordings

Am I the only one who doesn’t like the sound of the highly touted Reference Recordings.  While there are some exceptions (e.g. Prokofiev “Alexander Nevsky,”) I find the orchestral perspective on most of their discs so distant that the sound is muddled and sound staging practically non existent.
Anyone else feel that way?
128x128rvpiano
rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,688 posts
 
Minimalist miking doesn’t necessarily produce poor sound staging. The classic 1950’s RCA Living Stereo and Mercury Living Presence recordings were minimally miked but had wonderful sound staging.
unsound
7,332 posts
 
FWIW, one of favorite labels. I find the sound staging, and especially the dynamics to be excellent. Proper HDCD decoding can be quite beneficial on the appropriate recordings.
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
@rvpiano, 
I agree with your impressions of the RCA Living Stereo and Mercury Living Presence. They represent splendid examples of minimalist microphone recordings. They have certainly stood the test of time.
Charles 
fuzztone's avatar
fuzztone
5,635 posts
 
They got a nice sound in the Baha’i Temple.

Ya think Keith Johnson’s 3 channel recording history has anything to do with the lower presence of "soundstaging?"
unsound
7,332 posts
 
I really like the RCA’s as well. The Mercury’s not as much. The Mercury’s used 3 channels. For better or worse,  strictly 2 channel in my set up.
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