What is the best sounding Mahler symphony cycle?

Anyone interested in reviving this thread?

I have Bernstein’s early 60s cycle recorded with the NY Philharmonic, and remastered by Sony (2009). I also have Bertini/Cologne/EMI and Inbal/Frankfurt/Denon, as well as individual discs (primarily Boulez/DG with 4 different orchestras). The Boulez discs sound really good but I’m looking for a SET with audiophile sound.

I’m aware of the Tilson-Thomas/SFSO set on SFS Media, and the LSO/Gergiev set. Are there any others on SACD? Does anyone have both Tilson-Thomas and Gergiev, and how do they compare? How about Chailly/Concertgebouw? How about Vanska/BIS (which have issued all the symphonies except 3, 8, and 9) ?

Thanks for resuscitating this thread.

I have both the Bernstein Sony and DG sets. Also the Inbal on Denon. And I downloaded the Maazel NY Philharmonic’s set. I own near complete sets of various other conductors. It’s hard to pick the best sounding set, as SQ various from symphony to symphony.

I love the HDTT hi res masterings of Barbirolli’s 5th and 6th.

The Mahler symphonies in general lend themselves to excellent sounding recordings.

Well, I splurged for the Tilson-Thomas set on SFS Media. Should be here in a few weeks (back-ordered on Amazon but got it at a good price). I'll be sure to report out. I have a feeling that when the Minnesota/Vanska completes their Mahler cycle (they still have 3, 8, and 9 to record), it will be offered as a package and I'll def pick that one up, because BIS just seems to be incapable of making anything but a superlative recording.

I love Mahler. I've been to Mahler Fests in Berlin and Amsterdam, and have seen the 8th live nine times in my life (including in LA/Dudamel in May 2019, which blew me away). I'm not a musicologist, so I can't analyze details about how one orchestra plays versus another (except for tempos). Any major orchestra that's been recorded will do a yeoman's job, at least. So, in the end, I try to listen to recordings that are well-recorded. My system (Bryston amp/preamp, Meridian 508.24 CD player, Thiel CS 2.4 speakers) is fairly revealing, and I'm unwilling anymore to listen to shrill, muffled, noisy recordings. I avoid historical recordings because I hate mono and they're usually filled with noise. 

  I just came across the Zinfandel/Zurich Tonhalle Seventh on SACD from a resale shop.  Sonically, this superb.  Sorry that this wasn’t on my radar before.

  The Paavo Jarvi cycle with his Frankfurt Orchestra on Blu Ray is superb in surround sound.  Great performances as well.  I disagree with some of the interpretations, particularly the Fourth, but they are always interesting