2. analog
  3. 177435-9627

RCA Living Stereo

I have collected vinyl for over fifty years. Jazz, classical, rock… I have lots of late fifties jazz recordings… some of the best are RCA Living Stereo albums. So, over the years if I found a Living Stereo Album, even not in the category of music I liked, I would buy it. I just found a couple dozen… I had bought over the years, usually for a dollar. I had cleaned them on my record cleaning machine, treated with Last and hid them in the corner.

I am currently listening to one called, Lisbon At Twilight… stereo 1958. Wonderful recording. There are a lot of these orchestral works created.. jazzy often from contemporary tunes. The recordings are compelling, so are the orchestrations and individually musicians even though I would have to classify much as elevator music.

 

But with such great recordings in a great system they can be really enjoyable. They are 180 gram of heavier as well. $1… what a deal… blast from the past.

ghdprentice
tablejockey
3,916 posts
 

50's/early 60's RCA and Mercury "Living Presence" LP Cover  have the most interesting LP artwork. 

That's about the only certainty of Classical LP's during the "Golden Years."

SQ is all over the place with all the labels. I have great sounding albums from all the usual suspects.

There may something  to particular pressing/conductor/orchestra.

What's better-dull performance/good recording or great performance/so-so recording?

"The recordings are compelling, so are the orchestrations and individually musicians even though I would have to classify much as elevator music."

ghdprentice-If you like to explore-Esquivel! 

Zip-boing-bloop! Pour yourself a martini while listening.

 

 

 

isochronism
2,893 posts
 

@mapman: “This was the golden age of vinyl” I could not agree more!! I’ve been randomly visiting a charity thrift store by me for the last few years. I usually pick up a couple or few and only pick NM visually vinyl condition. Jacket is my secondary concern. They always have about a four-foot stack to choose from. Many stragglers never sell, the usual suspects. Jazz is rare, although Classical is available. They were 25 cents each, but price recently soared to 50 cents! Various labels acquired over the years. These records are TRUE GEMS folks! Good luck on your searches!

ghdprentice OP
7,048 posts
 

@best-groove 

 

Thank you… cool idea. I’ll have a look. 

goofyfoot's avatar
goofyfoot
1,380 posts
 

My thought is that many of the Living Stereo three track recordings were recorded superbly however the pressings are compromised. Along the same lines as the Mercury Living Presence pressings. Analogue Productions remastered and reissued a good number of the RCA's and a few of the Mercury's also. I have their Reiner / Chicago 'Scheherazade' hybrid SACD and it is among the best sounding CD's in my collection. I would assume the vinyl reissues to be excellent also.

@lewm I agree, to me the Deutsche Grammophone recordings are tough to listen to, though I have a couple that are just all-right. Do you know Deutsche Grammophone's 'Archive Productions' label, which concentrated on historical performance practice? Since I only have a mono table, I only collect the mono releases. Anyway, they are excellent. I haven't heard the stereo.

edcyn
1,876 posts
 

I find that  the DG Archiv Productions are often wonderful. Try a recording by the Musica Antiqua Koln, headed up by Reinhard Goebel. . Compositions from underappreciated composers played with passion and verve. Excellent sound quality,too. I actually saw them perform live when they came to L.A.

More to discover