Ed Pong-you continue to up your game

[Edward Pong]

Interestingly, when I ran this tape for violinist Alena Baeva, 1 month ago,

she said "it's mesmerizing.... it's difficult to stop listening to it.... it draws you in... Tatsuki has a great sense of the instrument..."

 

[Steve williams]

Interestingly, when I ran this tape for violinist Alena Baeva, 1 month ago,

she said "it's mesmerizing.... it's difficult to stop listening to it.... it draws you in... Tatsuki has a great sense of the instrument..."

Ian

you need to take note of these comments as there is no dryness and no reverb. I have all of the tapes Ed has done with Tatsuki and each one seemed to be recorded better than the one it followed with this last one being simply mesmerizing

The miking is so good that the ambience and presence you feel listening well as hearing roar of the applause you feel as if you are there

 

[MadFloyd]

Well my copy has been made and shipped today. Looking forward to it!

 

[Edward Pong]

I sent a CD made from a 2xDSD copy of this tape to Alena in Luxembourg, before she came last month, to show her the sound we can get & she said the sound was amazing... coming from someone who's recorded quite a few CDs before... I was very happy she heard the benefits of analogue tape...

When she heard the master tape of it - it completely shocked her - she didn't think recorded sound could be so "real..." she had never heard anything like this before....

After that, I knew she was hooked....

 

[Tango]

If there's too much reverb (even though it's natural in this case) I don't enjoy them (I like them more dry as if they were in my room) and some of the audio samples have a lot of room sound so I won't buy more without verifying that.

Dear Ian,

I have a few Ed’s tapes. I find they are excellent presentation of “you are there.” There is another label that mostly do “they are in here” type recording. All good just different taste.

Kind regards,
Tang

 

[Edward Pong]

Hmm, I thought I did get that one, but it seems I got something different. I saw the buzz about the latest tape, noticed it was Beethoven Violin Sonata No. 3, but the one I got has Xiang Yu on violin (same pianist though). I see now that there are more than one recording...

An interesting situation actually exists here for audiophiles, with the 2 recordings of the Beethoven Violin Sonata No.3 - to compare the sound of 2 famous violin makers...

1) by Xiang Yu playing a 1729 Stradivari violin
2) by Tatsuki playing a 1738 Guarneri del Gesu violin

2 of the top makers, but very different sounds... (in audiophile terms - almost like tubes & solid state...)

Of course, each player also creates a different sound...

Ed

 

[MadFloyd]

Dear Ian,

I have a few Ed’s tapes. I find they are excellent presentation of “you are there.” There is another label that mostly do “they are in here” type recording. All good just different taste.

Kind regards,
Tang

Thanks, Tang. That's a good way to describe it. While I may prefer the 'they are here' approach of that other label (assuming it's recorded very well) I don't mind the "you are there" as long it's not so bathed in room sound that it obscures the timbre of the instrument and still captures some detail. Or, put another way, you can transport me to the recording venue as long as you give me a good seat.

I have no doubt I will love Ed's tapes.

 

[PeterA]

Thanks, Tang. That's a good way to describe it. While I may prefer the 'they are here' approach of that other label (assuming it's recorded very well) I don't mind the "you are there" as long it's not so bathed in room sound that it obscures the timbre of the instrument and still captures some detail. Or, put another way, you can transport me to the recording venue as long as you give me a good seat.

I have no doubt I will love Ed's tapes.

This may go down as one of the all time classic audiophile comments. Superb!

 

[astrotoy]

I haven't had time to write about the newest tapes from Narek.

First, although these players are young (or youngish), they are top flight international stars. The Armenian cellist Narek Hakhnazaryan, subject of Ed's most recent tapes, won the Tchaikovsky Competition in 2011 (the same competition that Van Cliburn won in 1958, now expanded to include cello and violin - awarded every four years, still probably the top competition in the world). Tatsuki Narita was the runner up in the Queen Elizabeth of Belgium violin competition in 2012, one of the three most prestigious violin competitions in the world (many critics stated in writing that Tatsuki should have won the competition.) Alena Baeva, Ed's latest discovery, won the 12th Wieniawski violin competition in 2001 at age 16, and two later international competitions. The Wieniawski competition given every five years is also one of the top three violin competitions, one with an illustrious history. Ginette Neveu (my favorite violinist) won the first competition in 1936 also at the age of 16, beating out the favorite and much older David Oistrakh.

Two of Narek's tapes (I got all three) were done before a live audience in Ed's concert venue at his home, where he does all of his recordings. The third was a studio recording in the same venue, but without the audience. BTW, Ed's audiences are about the quietest I have ever (not) heard. Ed is able to capture both the sound of the instruments and the sound of the performing space. So more than just about any other recordings that I have, I really feel I am in the space. 15ips 2 track tape captures the extremely low level ambient clues that make that possible.

There are at least three secrets that make Ed's recordings special. First he has absolutely top flight artists. Second, in the case of the violins, Ed has great expertise in the restoration and set up of violins - so the violins are set up for the particular pieces that are being played and the players. Third, Ed has great control of the recording environment - the actual space itself, equipment used, placement of microphones and location of performers. Ed tells me a fourth secret, a wonderful Chinese restaurant where the musicians are treated to a fabulous meal after their performances! Musicians do really sing for their supper.

If Steve doesn't mind, Ed has provided a sampler tape which is circulating on a list "UltraAnalogue Tape List" found on the AudioNirvana forum.

Larry

 

[Tapetech]

For classical recordings, I prefer and enjoy to hear the sound of a good concert hall along with the music. To me, a "dry" classical recording is semi-pointless. Even for live rock recordings, I prefer to hear the acoustics of the venue (if they are good acoustics). There are several examples of live rock recording that had very good sounding hall acoustics and when they were re-mixed for re-release, the engineers omitted the "audience/ambiance mics" from the mix and as a result they ruined the recording for me.

 

[Edward Pong]

I haven't had time to write about the newest tapes from Narek.
Two of Narek's tapes (I got all three) were done before a live audience in Ed's concert venue at his home, where he does all of his recordings. The third was a studio recording in the same venue, but without the audience.

Larry, actually all 3 of Narek's tapes are live. He told me. he's "no good without an audience..." There was a studio tape of Tatsuki, recorded just before his last live concert which is the tape "Tatsuki Narita"... there are also 3 live tapes of Tatsuki's last concert....

Larry, is much better with words than me... If you haven't seen Larry's 2 volume book on Decca Records.... it is a MUST read! All the details behind the artists, recording engineers, & venues with great pictures... I'm not sure where they can be found now, but I cherish my signed copy!

You are absolutely right about the artists... THEY are the main reason these tapes "sound" (emotionally) so good... because without a great performance, there is no magic in a well recorded lack-luster performance....

Ed

 

[Steve williams]

Thanks, Tang. That's a good way to describe it. While I may prefer the 'they are here' approach of that other label (assuming it's recorded very well) I don't mind the "you are there" as long it's not so bathed in room sound that it obscures the timbre of the instrument and still captures some detail. Or, put another way, you can transport me to the recording venue as long as you give me a good seat.

I have no doubt I will love Ed's tapes.

Ian

I agree about timbre as for me it is most important. Ed’s tapes are so well miked that for my ears the timbre is so perfect that you are truly transformed to that venue

 

[Edward Pong]

Ian, I just got this when I opened my email this morning....! Ed

Dear Edward,

I hope all is well.

I just got back from travelling. Over the weekend I listened to the tape and WOW! It
is just phenomenal. Definitely one of the very best tapes in my collection. I
listened to it three times.

The performance and recording and both just top notch. The sheer emotion you have
captured is very rare in a recorded performance. The dynamics are startling but
still so natural. What I liked the most is that in my opinion you have captured just
the correct amount “ambience” in the recording. For me, this is what makes the tape
so enjoyable. Some recordings miss the ambience/reverb totally while others overdo
it in a bid to have a “natural” sound. In the latter, the instruments and music are
lost imho.

Thanks again for the wonderful experience

 

[MadFloyd]

What I liked the most is that in my opinion you have captured just
the correct amount “ambience” in the recording. For me, this is what makes the tape
so enjoyable. Some recordings miss the ambience/reverb totally while others overdo
it in a bid to have a “natural” sound. In the latter, the instruments and music are
lost imho.

Excellent! Can't wait to hear it!

 

[Edward Pong]

Here is Part 2 of Jeff's visit to my place for Narek's concert....

http://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl?num=1534228880/0#1

Ed