Challenge Classics

Audiocrack

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As (nearly) all of Bert’s dxd recordings this file with lute music sounds very impressive indeed.
 

Mike Lavigne

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Apr 25, 2010
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These Prokofiev recordings sound really awesome in (their original format) dxd. Try them and I assure you that you will not be dissappointed.
agree. i have all these Challenge Classic Prokofief recordings in dxd (352-24) and they are superb. i listen to them often. they really scale, meaning i can push them and they hold together with fantastic realism.

and the Wadax combo took them to a higher level.
 
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LL21

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Look forward to hearing them...hybrid SACD but nevertheless, gets very solid reviews as performances, as well as recordings/masterings.
 

Audiocrack

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Look forward to hearing them...hybrid SACD but nevertheless, gets very solid reviews as performances, as well as recordings/masterings.
Hello Lloyd, the performances on all four recordings are very good while the recording quality is really superb. I have all four recordings available in dsd 256 and dxd files. To my ears the dxd sounds more open, dynamic and (somewhat) more ‘real’ than the dsd 256 version, while on the other hand the latter sounds somewhat softer and more refined or ‘silky’. As I mentioned earlier here on WBF, Bert van der Wolf allowed me to join him on one of the Prokofiev recording days: I sat in the (great sounding) music hall in Hilversum, Holland and I enjoyed my time during the afternoon sessions tremendously. Have not heard any sacd -version of these Prokofiev recordings but undoubtedly these will be very good as well.
 
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LL21

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Hello Lloyd, the performances on all four recordings are very good while the recording quality is really superb. I have all four recordings available in dsd 256 and dxd files. To my ears the dxd sounds more open, dynamic and (somewhat) more ‘real’ than the dsd 256 version, while on the other hand the latter sounds somewhat softer and more refined or ‘silky’. As I mentioned earlier here on WBF, Bert van der Wolf allowed me to join him on one of the Prokofiev recording days: I sat in the (great sounding) music hall in Hilversum, Holland and I enjoyed my time during the afternoon sessions tremendously. Have not heard any sacd -version of these Prokofiev recordings but undoubtedly these will be very good as well.
Wow! What a great experience! Plus, you are now one of the very few who were actually there during the recording that the rest of us listen to (and some of us endless debate what it was meant to sound like)!
 

Audiocrack

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Wow! What a great experience! Plus, you are now one of the very few who were actually there during the recording that the rest of us listen to (and some of us endless debate what it was meant to sound like)!
Yep, I suppose so. Although the dxd-version sounds more ‘real’ to my ears the dsd 256 sounds very good as well (as, I suppose, does the sacd-version). Hope you will enjoy these recordings as much as Mike and I do: I listen to them on a very regular basis because imho they belong to the best large orchestral recordings I know and - in the end (much) more important of course - they let me rediscover Prokofiev as a mighty fine composer.
 
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LL21

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Yep, I suppose so. Although the dxd-version sounds more ‘real’ to my ears the dsd 256 sounds very good as well (as, I suppose, does the sacd-version). Hope you will enjoy these recordings as much as Mike and I do: I listen to them on a very regular basis because imho they belong to the best large orchestral recordings I know and - in the end (much) more important of course - they let me rediscover Prokofiev as a mighty fine composer.
Great! After also reading about 7 reviews of the performances, I decided to just order the lot, and they are arriving over the next several days. Fortunately, I checked, and most of my collection of Prokofiev are his other compositions...have only 1 of his symphonies (Jarvi) which is very good but would appreciate another.
 
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Audiocrack

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Great! After also reading about 7 reviews of the performances, I decided to just order the lot, and they are arriving over the next several days. Fortunately, I checked, and most of my collection of Prokofiev are his other compositions...have only 1 of his symphonies (Jarvi) which is very good but would appreciate another.
Please keep us posted, Lloyd, as regards your listening experiences: like I mentioned before, I hope you will enjoy them as much as we do.
 
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Audiocrack

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This link inter alia pays tribute to Bert van der Wolf, the mastermind behind Challenge Classics.
 

Audiocrack

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Although this link regarding some very fine large orchestral recordings made by Channel Classics does not really fit in a thread that is dedicated to Challenge Classics - both companies are Dutch based but Channel Classics is a completely different company - I thought that it might nevertheless be quite interesting for (some) our members that love classical music, in particular orchestral pieces. So here it is: https://positive-feedback.com/revie...sterpieces-from-ivan-fischer-and-jared-sacks/
 

Mike Lavigne

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
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waiting for the 16tb version of the Samsung SSD 860 EVO 2.5 Inch SATA III card to be introduced (for my server drive garage). suppose to be in 2023 sometime.

so i can swap out my -3- 8Tb cards for -4- 16tb cards on my Wadax Ref Server, and take me to 66tb total. right now i only have 3 x 8 = 24 + 2tb resident = 26tb total. with about 20tb of files resident.

then i can go full-tilt boggie buying all the dxd files i want. buying any now would just be frustrating.
 
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Audiocrack

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Right now listening to Hannes Minnaar in dxd playing Gaspard de la nuit by Maurice Ravel. Always loved the middle part of this piece: Le Gibet. This album was recorded by Bert and is called Nox. It includes piano music from Schumann and Zuidam. Beautifully recorded.
 
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