2. analog
  3. 193573-198816

What are your go to LP's for evaluating new gear or new tubes?

I have several that I use but Mannheim Steamroller is nearly always in the mix. Does anyone else still listen to them or is it just me?

billpete
billpete OP
231 posts
 

@dogberry 

Going through old classical part of my collection. I came across a 3 record set on Vanguard Op. 3 from 1964. Says L'ESTRO ARMONICO Op.3 Vivaldi with Chamber Orchestra of The Vienna State Opera, Mario Rossi conductor. Not sure where I got it but probably a thrift store find. The records are very stiff like old 78's. They do say LP so I guess they are 33rpm? Each record is in a gray paper sleeve with Vanguard recordings in white lettering and some white artworks. No jacket other than a clear plastic envelope that is marked Simply Vinyl S160 vinyl LP.  Also says  Classic Albums, 160g virgin vinyl pressings. The outer sleeve can't be original, has a web address. simplyvinly.com. The records are stamped Rock Valley College, which was a Jr college back in the day, now part of NIU. They must have sent all their records to a thrift shop at some point. Just glad I never made that mistake.:)

dogberry
793 posts
 

I believe that was Vivaldi's Opus 3, not anything to do with the Swedish record company!

This one?

billpete OP
231 posts
 

@richardbrand 

Most of my classical collection is made up of very old records (50's 60's and 70's) and a few cds. I would pick them up at garage sales and thrift stores, looking for certain labels, artists and conductors whose name I recognized. I was amazed at how many perfect copies and even sealed copies of very old records that I would find. I found that quite a few even very old recordings could actually be very good. Most of my newer stuff will be Telarc, Crystal Clear or any other D2D that I could find. Quite a lot of Deutsche Gramaphon too

RCA had several different types, dynagroove and red label maybe were their premium ones? RCA probably ruled back in the 50's and 60's. Columbia was around but their recordings were not very good. Look at an old Columbia and the grooves all look identical and thin, zero dynamics. Look at the Telarc 1812 Overture and you can literally see the cannon blasts. Can be tricky to track.

EMI can be very good and some are EMI/Angel, also can be good.

London Phase 4 and London ffrr are both good. 

Decca also. 

I'm not a real classical aficionado like yourself but I grew up listening to it and have a fair collection of classical LP's that I listen to from time to time. The bulk of what I collected in classical was organ music, pipe organ that is and Virgil Fox is my favorite organist. Pipe organ is excellent to test your stereo system. No other single instrument even comes close in the range of what it can do and nothing plays deeper bass other than possibly some modern digital synthesizer. Theoretically, I suppose digital can reach lower than anything but the lowest I've ever heard (felt) recorded was 16hz from a pipe organ. I don't think my speakers can quite get there but they do reach 18hz and that's pretty close. Cd's cut off at 20hz, still very low but not quite as low as some vinyl. No idea about what streaming can do, possibly no limit? I don't know. Sorry to ramble. 

billpete OP
231 posts
 

@dogberry 

Yes, that must be it. I don't have the original jacket.  I wondered if it was Vivaldi Op 3 but wasn't sure. That would explain why I couldn't find it in Op 3 recordings but I did find it under Vanguard Op 3 and got confused. I'm no expert on the classical stuff by any stretch. 

richardbrand's avatar
richardbrand
474 posts
 

@billpete 

I took a vinyl copy of the Telarc 1812 when I auditioned the Holbo turntable!  Almost all my vinyl pre-dates CDs, and I have a few dbx companded records which I can no longer play because my dbx capable player got stolen, together with everything else just before I did a round-world business trip.  I listened to Quad speakers in LA and Salt Lake City, then visited Peter Walker of Quad in the UK who told me he thought classical CDs were brilliant.  I bought Quad pre-amp, amp and ESL 63 speakers in the UK and an early Philips CD player in Singapore, plus every CD that I could find.  I went through Australian customs with the amp in my suitcase, the pre-amp in my briefcase and declared the CD player.  The customs officer invited his mates over, and as they opened the box, about 50 CDs fell out.  It was the first CD player they had seen.  No worries, mate, enjoy!

I had to ship the speakers, and there was plenty of weight available, so my dad gave me his old Garrard 301 which I have just started to restore, hence I am buying selected vinyl again.  (Wollongong City Library had a huge selection of classical records which they lent for free so not much need to buy any in my good old days).

There is one Decca (London?) vinyl recording which I would use for auditioning, if I could get one at a reasonable price.  It is Benjamin Britten's recording of his Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra which dates back to Decca's heyday around 1963.  It has never been out of the catalog, at least in its digital form.  Under 20 minutes long, it covers every instrumental section, until subsiding to almost inaudible triangle tickles then rising to a crescendo of complex cross rhythms.  A serious critic has said it is his favourite piece of classical music, to boot!  It is the only piece of music I needed to play when considering purchasing my KEF Reference 1 speakers - my dealer had it already queued up on his streamer!

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