Ed Pong And Ultraanalogue Recordings Have Hit Another Home Run

[steve williams]

Ed warned me he was going to make a classical music fan out of me. All I can say is that if he continues to produce music of such a caliber I am sure he is correct.

This latest edition comes from Ed's recent recording session in October.Ed promised me that this was a continuation of the last recording from the previous session that I raved about and that my buddy marty claimed it was the best recording of violin music he has ever heard. Well marty I need to warn you that not only is this one better but it is better in quantum leaps. The timber of the violin and the dynamics of the piano together was absolutely mesmerizing. These are so well mic'd that you swear you are in the front row listening to these two performers.

Kudos to Ed Pong for once again producing such magnificent music. This album will also take a distinguished spot on my top shelf as it is really that good

Kudos to Ed for not only doing this production but doing it in his home with 70-80 guests who are totally silent until the end when the applause is off the meter

Kudos to Tony Ky Ma and to whomever else Ed uses in the production of these tapes

I have never heard any of the pieces recorded on the album but I was glued to my seat.

First rate stuff Ed. You should be proud for having brought together these two young performers who are at the top of their game. They play so well together. How did you find them. Were they playing together before you or did you assemble them as they have a bright future ahead,

I am assuming there are 1or 2 more albums coming forth from this last session Ed. If so these too will be a must have

If you're looking for some over the top so well recorded music and are a tape head, this one is a must buy from Ed

BTW, I find Ed's tapes to be at the very top of the heap and he is a true tape head. However I am hoping to be able to convince Ed to carrying his production of Ultraanalogue Recordings one step further by looking into releasing his music also on vinyl or even a direct to vinyl recording as not everyone has a RTR but more people have turntables

Hint...hint...hint Ed

 

[Tango]

I normally dont buy tape or vinyl just because someone said it sounds really good. I have to like the music too. But somehow I keep buying Ed's tapes without knowing the music.

Once I get my headout fixed, I will continue to add your tapes into my little collection Ed.

Tang

 

[steve williams]

Tang


IMO Ed's tapes are a "you are there experience" and this one is no exception yet somewhat better than the last

 

[Deepender]

Best of the Best

I wholeheartedly agree with Steve's comments, but would add that the companion tape of Ultra Analogue's newest releases, the Chopin/Saint-Saens, is at least the sonic equal of the Beethoven and perhaps surpasses it in sheer musical kineticism. I would especially cite the Saint-Saens Rondo Capriccioso selection, which was performed with such brio as to, at least figuratively, knock my socks off! Highly, highly recommended.

i

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Ed warned me he was going to make a classical music fan out of me. All I can say is that if he continues to produce music of such a caliber I am sure he is correct.

This latest edition comes from Ed's recent recording session in October.Ed promised me that this was a continuation of the last recording from the previous session that I raved about and that my buddy marty claimed it was the best recording of violin music he has ever heard. Well marty I need to warn you that not only is this one better but it is better in quantum leaps. The timber of the violin and the dynamics of the piano together was absolutely mesmerizing. These are so well mic'd that you swear you are in the front row listening to these two performers.

Kudos to Ed Pong for once again producing such magnificent music. This album will also take a distinguished spot on my top shelf as it is really that good

Kudos to Ed for not only doing this production but doing it in his home with 70-80 guests who are totally silent until the end when the applause is off the meter

Kudos to Tony Ky Ma and to whomever else Ed uses in the production of these tapes

I have never heard any of the pieces recorded on the album but I was glued to my seat.

First rate stuff Ed. You should be proud for having brought together these two young performers who are at the top of their game. They play so well together. How did you find them. Were they playing together before you or did you assemble them as they have a bright future ahead,

I am assuming there are 1or 2 more albums coming forth from this last session Ed. If so these too will be a must have

If you're looking for some over the top so well recorded music and are a tape head, this one is a must buy from Ed

BTW, I find Ed's tapes to be at the very top of the heap and he is a true tape head. However I am hoping to be able to convince Ed to carrying his production of Ultraanalogue Recordings one step further by looking into releasing his music also on vinyl or even a direct to vinyl recording as not everyone has a RTR but more people have turntables

Hint...hint...hint Ed

 

[steve williams]

I don’t have the companion tape but when I sat down to listen to the one I have, it almost blew me off my seat from the dynamics of the piano.

To do this in your house with 100 guests in one take is a marvel unto itself

Kudos Ed

 

[Edward Pong]

Thanks Steve, it’s really a testament to the talent & artistry of Tatsuki & Yun-Yang...
I will be recording them for a production CD in March... we’re thinking a Homage to Sarasate... so all show virtuoso pieces !
Ed

 

[Tango]

Hello Steve,

You are using a Studer with Doshi head pre. Do you have to adjust the gain of Doshi down so low when play Ed’s tapes?

Kind regards,
Tang

 

[steve williams]

Hello Steve,

You are using a Studer with Doshi head pre. Do you have to adjust the gain of Doshi down so low when play Ed’s tapes?

Kind regards,
Tang

No I don't

I have been receiving them all recently in NAB rather than CCIR. I know this isn't a determinant but I've not had to adjust my Doshi

 

[steve williams]

Thanks Steve, it’s really a testament to the talent & artistry of Tatsuki & Yun-Yang...
I will be recording them for a production CD in March... we’re thinking a Homage to Sarasate... so all show virtuoso pieces !
Ed

Fabulous idea Ed but you know that I am still working on you to do Direct to vinyl recordings as well as there are more people with turntables than there are with RTR

 

[Edward Pong]

I will be visiting a new pressing facility with state of the art equipment in early Jan...
I think it’s looking very good for some UltraAnalogue Recordings LPs...
It’s close so I want to see about taking my tubed Studer to their facility..
Ed

 

[steve williams]

I will be visiting a new pressing facility with state of the art equipment in early Jan...
I think it’s looking very good for some UltraAnalogue Recordings LPs...
It’s close so I want to see about taking my tubed Studer to their facility..
Ed

Fabulous news Ed

 

[Edward Pong]

Hello Steve,

You are using a Studer with Doshi head pre. Do you have to adjust the gain of Doshi down so low when play Ed’s tapes?

Kind regards,
Tang

Tang,

The level on your tape is the same level the master was recorded at, 396 nW/m. It's a 1:1 duplication.
396 is +4 db over 250 nW/m.... these tapes can take +9 so I allow some piano peaks to go +3 to +4 over the 396 level.
This allows the really low level signals to be recorded higher up the scale at the toe of the curve, so you will hear (resolve) much more low level details - where the real music lives - IMHO. I think this brings you closer to the live sound of these instruments... especially the decay of the piano & violin sounds...

There is no distortion on the peaks, but this higher level may overload some pre-amps or line stages...

That is why I will make 250 or 320 level tapes for people, if they need a lower level... at the 396 level, what you get, dynamically, is as close to the real event as possible...

Ed

PS. Decca Records recorded at these same levels for their fantastic SXL LPs from the 60's... (DECCA: Supreme Stereophonic Legacy, Larry Toy, pp.40-41)

 

[Edward Pong]

Fabulous news Ed

I'm hoping to use my battery powered playback tape amp on my Studer to play the master or running master tape for the LP cutter in their facility....
Will keep you posted if this will be possible... exciting!

Ed

 

[steve williams]

I'm hoping to use my battery powered playback tape amp on my Studer to play the master or running master tape for the LP cutter in their facility....
Will keep you posted if this will be possible... exciting!

Ed

This will definitely up your game Ed

Definitely exciting

 

[steve williams]

Gentlemen

This thread is so far off topic that I am going to interject

If all of you want to talk about circuit boards and bypass switches, I would kindly appreciate you starting a separate thread so that the topic of this thread can still be discussed

I appreciate everyones understanding. If you wish to talk about all these other things perhaps Fred can start his own thread.

Any further off topic posts will be deleted going forward

 

[microstrip]

Gentlemen

This thread is so far off topic that I am going to interject

If all of you want to talk about circuit boards and bypass switches, I would kindly appreciate you starting a separate thread so that the topic of this thread can still be discussed

I appreciate everyones understanding. If you wish to talk about all these other things perhaps Fred can start his own thread.

Any further off topic posts will be deleted going forward

Since this a very interesting subject that effectively wrapped and surpassed the original thread, it would great if a moderator could duplicate it with a different appropriate tittle.

 

[dminches]

Since this a very interesting subject that effectively wrapped and surpassed the original thread, it would great if a moderator could duplicate it with a different appropriate tittle.

I did that here:

http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?24669-Reel-to-Reel-Head-Wire-out-and-associated-topics

 

[microstrip]

I did that here:

http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?24669-Reel-to-Reel-Head-Wire-out-and-associated-topics

Thanks, I referred to duplicating, not creating a new thread. IMHO most readers will not understand what is being debated without consulting the old posts. There is a lot of great information there that explains what is now being addressed.

It is a privilege for an audio forum to have Ed Pong and Fred Thal as contributors, we have a lot to learn from them.

 

[audioguy1958]

This tape (Beethoven Violin 1, Brahms Dances 1&2) really does have even more resolution than previous releases, also more space between the instruments. Is it the WE 300B tubes Ed put in his microphone preamp? The performance also seems to show off Tatsuki's virtuosity. I very much enjoyed this performance.

 

[Edward Pong]

This tape (Beethoven Violin 1, Brahms Dances 1&2) really does have even more resolution than previous releases, also more space between the instruments. Is it the WE 300B tubes Ed put in his microphone preamp? The performance also seems to show off Tatsuki's virtuosity. I very much enjoyed this performance.

Maybe what you're hearing is the vintage NOS 1956 WE300b tubes in the microphone pre-amp breaking-in..... likely about 100-150 hrs on them now....

Ed