Embarking on building a classical LP collection...in 2023!

[Ron Resnick]

My desert island list includes Pictures At An Exhibition, Rites/Petrushka/Firebird, Scheherazade, Lark Ascending, pretty much any Shostakovich, and I have a deep addiction to Bach organ works.

May I suggest/add:

Beethoven Symphony No. 5
Beethoven Symphony No. 9
Mussorgsky Night on Bald Mountain
Mozart Jupiter Symphony No. 41
Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique

For piano:

Beethoven Egmont Overture
Rachmaninoff piano concertos (Apparently this guy was a slow learner, but after a few bites of the apple did some interesting piano pieces.)

There, now you’re done. See how easy that was?

I understand and agree with the whole original pressing thing, certainly with classical, but the early Chesky re-issues are wonderful. Please find a sealed copy of Chesky RC30 The Power of the Orchestra. https://www.discogs.com/release/299...The-Power-Of-The-Orchestra-A-Night-On-Bald-Mo

PS: I find the big Mahler and Shostakovich pieces to be confused hot messes.

 

[spiritofmusic]

May I suggest/add:

Beethoven Symphony No. 5
Beethoven Symphony No. 9
Mussorgsky Night on Bald Mountain
Mozart Jupiter Symphony No. 41
Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique

There, now you’re done. See how easy that was?

Ron, picking the pieces is child's play (lucky that since I have a mental age of 7).
It's picking the vinyl with those pieces.
Right now I could buy over time thousands of eBay album choices at under $10...but should I?
Building a collection quickly and economically, no question.
Building a collection I want to listen to all the time...maybe not.
As usual in this hobby, should one make the perfect the enemy of the good?

 

[zerostargeneral]

SAX 2494 - Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4 - Klemperer - NM | eBay

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Bargain.

 

[zerostargeneral]

SAX 2494 S/C. Tchaikovsky; Sy. 4. Klemperer/PO. NM/VG+ | eBay

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[zerostargeneral]

SAX 2339 Tchaikovsky - Romeo And Juliet / Nutcracker Suite Columbia Stereo ED2 | eBay

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[Ron Resnick]

As usual in this hobby, should one make the perfect the enemy of the good?

As usual in this hobby, you’re making it complicated for yourself.

The Chesky RC30 covers both Pictures at an Exhibition and Night on Bald Mountain. Those are two of my favorites out of the six or so, and I own half a dozen different recordings of each of those titles on vinyl. The Chesky literally is my favorite, and everybody I play RC30 for loves it. (I have not yet played the records that I purchased from Ebiye.)

There’s nothing wrong with buying $10 records of your favorite pieces. I think it’s fun to cycle through a bunch of records of the same title and figure out which performance/recording I like the best. After I do this with my favorite titles I will have a lot of records I will want to sell (the losers of these contests).

Listen to the recordings of titles you like (or think you might like) on Qobuz, figure out which is your favorite performance/recording, and then buy the LP of that particular performance/recording. This is my favorite use of streaming.

 

[zerostargeneral]

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[spiritofmusic]

As usual in this hobby, you’re making it complicated for yourself.

The Chesky RC30 covers both Pictures at an Exhibition and Night on Bald Mountain. Those are two of my favorites out of the six or so, and I own half a dozen different recordings of each of those titles on vinyl. The Chesky literally is my favorite, and everybody I play RC30 for loves it. (I have not yet played the records that I purchased from Ebiye.)

There’s nothing wrong with buying $10 records of your favorite pieces. I think it’s fun to cycle through a bunch of records of the same title and figure out which performance/recording you like the best. After I do this with my favorite titles I will have a lot of records I will want to sell.

Can't disagree with your opening sentiment.
But if you wanted to get Vaughn Williams Lark Ascending, would you know what the best, or at least better versions are to get? Or would you just randomly trawl?

 

[Ron Resnick]

Can't disagree with your opening sentiment.
But if you wanted to get Vaughn Williams Lark Ascending, would you know what the best, or at least better versions are to get? Or would you just randomly trawl?

I am sorry — our posts crossed. You don’t have to randomly trawl. Listen to everything and compare on Qobuz first and then order the LP of the performance/recording you like best. (Yes, this means you will have to get streaming for the big stereo. If you copy and paste the modest but high sound quality per quid set-up I did for streaming — Innuos PULSEmini, Lampizator Baltic 4 and iPad and Qobuz (ignore Roon) — you will make it simple for yourself and I promise you’ll be happy.)

 

[zerostargeneral]

SXL 6512 - Britten Piano / Violin Concerto - Richter / Lubotsky - Decca UK - NM | eBay

Mega bargain.

 

[bonzo75]

Can't disagree with your opening sentiment.
But if you wanted to get Vaughn Williams Lark Ascending, would you know what the best, or at least better versions are to get? Or would you just randomly trawl?

for Lark ascending, which does not have any real quality level pressing, the best are relatively inexpensive. Try HMV ASD 3904 and 2329, then there is another on Nimbus,

 

[zerostargeneral]

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[bonzo75]

Cheeky and such reissues are ok I wouldn’t get them unless for budget reasons. For pictures itself Ansermet on Decca and Szell on Columbia would be great and the original of the power of orchestra. All are over 500+ maybe 1000 sometimes.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Cheeky and such reissues are ok I wouldn’t get them unless for budget reasons.

Please understand I am distinguishing Chesky from all other re-issues.

 

[spiritofmusic]

I am sorry — our posts crossed. You don’t have to randomly trawl. Listen to everything and compare on Qobuz first and then order the LP of the performance/recording you like best. (Yes, this means you will have to get streaming for the big stereo. If you copy and paste the modest but high sound quality per quid set-up I did for streaming — Innuos PULSEmini, Lampizator Baltic 4 and iPad and Qobuz (ignore Roon) — you will make it simple for yourself and I promise you’ll be happy.)

Ron, I'm not sending £000s on streaming.

 

[rando]

Rando, maybe you could rephrase your post because I'm having real problems understanding it.

Sure, I'll put a spin on what everyone has said after and before.

I personally would devote about 1/3 of my research to a less structured pursuit.

Based off your personal compass and chart readings

Penguin Guide
astrotoy / zerostargeneral
undoing harm/good above to pursue your own ideas

Absolutely I would discriminate against any vintage recording made in a local church chapel. Favor anything penned by one the "B's" that is yet to go out of print. Safe choices on the well trod path.

...intense contact with the physical element of construction and state of reproduction

Spot grading lousy photos and dirty finds in low light before the next guy.
Go figure that there are a few more people with the same idea as you out there right now.

From what I know of your personality this was really determined to see you turn tweaks into becoming a crack at reconditioning manufacturing imperfections. To enjoy analog to the fullest.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Rando, well my journey was a natural consequence of live classical fortnightly for the last 7 years (Covid end times excluded), and hearing brilliantly sorted systems and components (Bill's horns, Blue58s Extreme based setup, Azzolina horns/Vyger-Red Sparrow at The General's). These are impossible to ignore benchmarks.
The fact I'm anywhere near being in a distant orbit to these, has taken some thinking and finagling (and of course, spending).
And having never really appreciated the sonics of classical at home, to being impatient to get on with filling my listening w classical must speak to something.
I'm just want to choose a logical path here, one that balances good SQ choices with not bankrupting myself.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Ron, I'm not sending £000s on streaming.

I know it is anathema; it was anathema to me. You can go even much cheaper than I did. You can do the full streaming + Qobuz set-up for way less than £500.

I’m simply telling you that hearing tracks via streaming on the big stereo is the incredibly efficient, smart and logical way to vet and “audition” classical recordings before you buy them on LP.

If you’re serious about this classical project, and you are (rightly) concerned about a shotgun approach to just buying random LPs, then not getting even a very cheap streaming capability that you can attach to the big stereo is like saying you are getting into carpentry, but you refuse to buy a box of hand tools.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Ron, if you saw my carpentry skills, you'd know a box of hand tools shouldn't be left anywhere near me. I'm the woodworking YING to Bill's YANG. Or is that his Ying to my Yang.
I might consider a Bluesound Node or equivalent for £500. Would I need a Tidal or Qobuz account?

 

[Ron Resnick]

I might consider a Bluesound Node or equivalent for £500. Would I need a Tidal or Qobuz account?

Yes, exactly, a Bluesound device. Yes, all you need is a Qobuz account. It is very simple. If you have ever signed up for any app on any smart phone you can sign up for a Qobuz account. It takes mere minutes. Believe me, if I can do it without getting frustrated, then you can do it.