Dvorak Symphony No. 2 Classic records excellent

OK, now I've looked up what LSC-1934 is (Reiner's Concerto for Orchestra). Am I supposed to have these catalog numbers memorized?

I have the Classics reissue as well as the BMG hybrid SACD. I remember the Classics Lp and the BMG CD layer sounding remarkably similar (I was not that impressed with the sound in either case; I think RCA engineers were still learning to record in stereo at this point). I'll have to try both with my current equipment.

Had a chance to compare the Classic Lp reissue of the Reiner Concerto for Orchestra with the CD layer of the BMG hybrid SACD issue. Please disregard my earlier comment about deficiencies of the recording. It's not "modern" sounding, but I have no complaints.

Now, is the Classic too bright? Maybe a little. With all tubes (except the SS phono board) and Vandies nothing here offends me, though I can hear that it is mastered for "brilliance".

The CD layer sounds cleaner and so more hall ambiance comes through. The Classic has plumper bass. But both seem quite satisfying to me. I would consider the Classic a very successful Lp mastering.

I have to admit that I am not hearing that hardness or pushed highs. The horns sound like they have body, and so do the strings. The clarinet sounds wonderful on this reissue. I like the way it sounds. I was actually very suprised upon first hearing it. What is your tracking force set at? Could they be better? Yes, definitely, Do I prefer it to CD? Absolutely. They were better on 180 gram, not sure why, but to my ears they are. The record has depth and better mids a hundred times over than my Cds. Some of the older records sound much more compressed and have more surface noise than this record.

If you mean me: VTF is 1.74g for my AT33PTG (AT specifies 1.6-2.0g with 1.8g "standard".) Why I arrived at that particular number is lost in the mists of time.

My VTA is set to be neutral on a typical Lp. I didn't bother adjusting VTA for the 180g thickness. Too much of a pain with the SME309.

I have to admit that after listening to side 2 the brightness is much more apparent. I prefer the smoother sounding CD layer of the SACD (or rather the rip to FLAC played via Squeezebox and my Neko DAC).

To get back to the original topic, I also played my London STS copy of Monteux's Dvorak 7 this morning, and it's an excellent sounding Lp, though I don't have the original RCA to compare it to. This pressing should go for a few bucks at most at Amoeba or Record Surplus.

Tzh21y - to which reissue are you referring when you say you hear no hardness?  I may have confused things by referencing LSC-1934 in your post about the Dvorak.

In terms of my tracking force, I don't recall the number exactly, but it's within the range specified by Lyra.  But my setup isn't the problem.  The original LSC-1934, which I'm now playing, sounds delightful, with no hardness problem.  And the horns show no sign of hardness either with the original (and they sound spectacular!)

I should also point out that that the hardness was also evident with other cartridges I've owned (Clearaudio Sigma, Clearaudio Victory, Lyra Helikon).

In an earlier post I mentioned that I was originally impressed with the Classics, but their flaws became more apparent as my system improved.  Also, the originals showed me how far the Classics strayed. Once you hear how the strings are supposed to sound on these - especially on a system that does a great job of reproducing tone colors, it's really tough to tolerate the Classics.