Whats on your turntable tonight?

Today (so far)
Emerson Lake & Palmer "Brain Salad Surgery" (Manticore MC66669)

Emerson Lake & Palmer "Pictures at an Exhibition" (Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab MFSL 1-031)

Stravinsky "Firebird" Dorati/LSO (Mercury SR90226) 33 rpm 200 gram reissue.

As my previous post and today's posts indicate, I have been on an ELP tear the last few days. Running through different pressings of their recordings. I have never been impressed with the sonics on most of their recordings. That said, the MOFI "Pictures" is pretty good, as is the Manticore pressing of "Welcome Back My Friends To The Show That Ends" live set. Most disappointing in my collection has been every pressing I own of "Brain Salad Surgery". If someone can recommend a good pressing, please advise.

This afternoon was a meeting of the local audio group, and our host is a subscriber to The Tape Project series of reel to reel tapes. He had the first three releases: one-to-one direct copies from the master tape, 15 ips, mastered on top quality tape decks and electronics. WOW!!

First up was the Malcolm Arnold "Arnold Overture" from Reference Recordings. Simply vast soundstaging, incredible dynamic range and immaculate resolution. This is what I hear from the best 45 rpm vinyl reissues, only more so.

Then the Jacqui Naylor and finally the Dave Alvin recording. But it was the Arnold that stole my heart and stole the day.

Our host's playback deck was a 40 year old Ampex with tube electronics, dead stock with no updates or modifications. And it sounded beautiful. I can only begin to think how much better it will sound as he gets around to updating the electronics section or replacing the heads.
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Thanks for that Rush! I am anxiously awaiting the arrivals of my tapes and modded machine from The Tape Project. Given what you have just described above, it should be worth the wait. This may be the only thing out there that will give my vinyl reproduction a run for it's money. In addition to the "Arnold Overture" the coming release of "Waltz For Debbie" and "Saxophone Colossus" should be a real treat.

My playback will be via a Technics 1500 with the heads reworked and the output section rewired to be fed to a Bottlehead Seduction that has been built to be a tape head preamp.

Joe (Slipknot1), based on what I heard today, I think you will be well pleased with the commitment you're making!
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Sigur Ros "( )" (Fat Cat Records fatlp22)

Cowboy Junkies "The Trinity Session" (RCA/BMG Canada 8568-1-R)

Patricia Barber "Modern Cool" (Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab MFSL 3-45005) 45 rpm

Beethoven "Symphony No. 6 "Pastoral"" Ormady/Philadelphia Orchestra (Columbia D7S 745) From the box set "Beethoven: The Nine Symphonies"