2. music
  3. 166595-130064

Classical music listening... what is a better source High Rez or Vinyl?

For many of us who really enjoy classical music, for me it is Baroque and opera, what is the better and more consistent for source high fidelity listening?

I am a mid hifi guy and have a Pro-ject Classic SB turntable with a high output MC Sumiko Blue Point No. 2 cartridge.. I am using a Jolida JD 9II Tube phone stage, with a vintage Telefunkin tube upgrade.

I have a Rogue Sphinx 3 integrated amplifier, with a vintage Mozada tube upgrade. My digital source DAC/SACD/CD is a Yamaha CD-2100 player.

I have refurbished Ohm H's loud speakers.

I have been picking up many vintage classical albums recently, mainly 1980’s releases in excellent condition too, at my local transfer station, and it has been mixed bag in comparison to my high resolution music files and SACD collection.

I was expecting much more when it came to vinyl and classical but I have not been as won over, as I have been with rock and jazz on vinyl.

My experience with SACD and high resolution, 96/24 or higher, has been very rewarding with a wide variety of classical music. Opera really shines in digital IMHO. Strong and full on classical piece are quite stunning on many a SACD releases I own. Rachel Podger’s Vivaldi: L’estro armonico - 12 concerti, Op. 3 on SACD is an excellent example of the audio quality I demand, as this recording is exceptional! Plus there are are very few new remastered vinyl releases for classical, particularly for opera, these days. A perfect example of this is Shubert’s Winterreise featuring Joyce DiDanato and pianist Yannick Nezet-Sequin, which I saw performed at Carnegie Hall for this recording and which sounds phenomenal in 96/24, and was release recently.

That would seem counter intuitive but that is clearly what the market is showing.

On one of these threads I recall someone posting how strings of violins, and the intensity that they are played at, can lead to degraded sound quality depending on the type of cartridge used.

I want to hear back from the classical music posse here to help me get to that higher level of listening with classical vinyl.

Is it the cartridge?

Or should I just stay with my digital sources?


idigmusic64
idigmusic64 OP
56 posts
 
@edcyn the proverbial holy grail I guess. It makes sense that it would only be modern releases. I enjoyed your post.

@melm great post as well. How can you find out what type of analog chip or amp your DAC currently has? Plus is there a site were these aficionados post their insight?

I also have  a couple Mercury Living Legend records coming in the mail soon too.
melm
1,082 posts
 
@idigmusic64
But for very special designs, like batteries for the PS, I would make sure any solid state phono pre I might buy would have a linear power supply and a discrete amplification section. I would look for the same in the analog section of a DAC.

As for the analog section, usually if the manufacturer’s description doesn’t make a special point of a discrete section, it won’t have one. But if you’re buying, you can always ask. If you open up your dac (or a clear picture of insides) you will either see transistors, indicating discrete, somewhere near the audio outs or you will see only chip op amps.

As for linear power supply, for that you need to see a transformer. And it will be heavy.

I have personally found that long-term enjoyment of a component (as distinct from quick reviews) correlates with quality components inside.
schubert
7,386 posts
 
The way I hear Classical vinyl is music in an room with air in it .
To me CD is music in a room without any and much off tone , slight
but often there .

It cost me about 10K to hear what sounds more like live music to ME .
IMO go to a hundred live concerts and think  what you hear .
More to discover