The new audiophile vinyl series The Original Source from Deutsche Grammophon (AAA)

[Argonaut]

To my understanding, it's not unusual for small groups to perform in smaller venues to avoid longer reverberation times, the past impinging on the present.

Now who would have thought it

 

[Kjetil]

Fun fact: The Kammermusiksaal at the Berlin Philharmonie seats 1180. That’s a big chamber!

 

[No Regrets]

To my understanding, it's not unusual for small groups to perform in smaller venues to avoid longer reverberation times, the past impinging on the present.

I agree 100%.

I admit that I am not the most effective communicator and as such, I feel that I may be misunderstood. I wouldn't want to hear a small quartet or quintet perform in a big orchestral hall as the hall would swallow them up whole. However, in the small recital hall that I was referring to. it has very dampened acoustics... too much so in my opinion, to the point that it doesn't let the sound of the instruments breath or develop fully to show their full glory, their full sweetness, their full beauty.

Overall, I think The Original Source did a great job with the Trout recording, but I wish the instruments on side one could have developed just a tad bit more. I am still very happy that I have this recording. The transparency is remarkable!

And yes, Kjetil I also did notice the difference in sound between the movements as well.

Best wishes,
Don

 

[Kjetil]

Latest arrivals.
The one on the left is my first Verdi Requiem, a work I haven't listened to more than sampling it.
The one on the right I'll play the audiophile with; I have this 1970 release from before:
https://www.discogs.com/release/243...New-England-Conservatory-Chorus-Claudio-Abbad

 

[No Regrets]

Latest arrivals.
The one on the left is my first Verdi Requiem, a work I haven't listened to more than sampling it.
The one on the right I'll play the audiophile with; I have this 1970 release from before:
https://www.discogs.com/release/243...New-England-Conservatory-Chorus-Claudio-Abbad

Hello Kjetil,
I hope you enjoy the Verdi as much as I have! I feel it is quite an amazing piece of work that is very well captured in this pressing
Best wishes,
Don

 

[Rensselaer]

I have listened to three “The Original Source” records today (just received them yesterday), after listening to an Electric Recording Company release of Bach’s Brandenburg concertos and IMHO (as I know nothing about these classical works or the venues they were recorded in), the OS records are more dynamic, with differences in db between the quietest and loudest being greater than I have ever heard before. In fact, I had to reduce the volume on my amp two notches after listening to the ERC record to match volumes generally. The songs are very clear too. I cleaned all the new records first in my Degritter, as usual, but the OS and ERC were absolutely silent, no surface noise whatsoever.

Where the ERC bettered the OS, to my ears and on my system, was sound stage and instrument tone. Whereas I could point to each instrument playing with pinpoint accuracy during the playing of the ERC Brandenburg Concerto, I couldn’t with pinpoint accuracy on the OS recordings (I don’t know, but wonder if due to quadraphonic 4-channels being somehow pressed into stereophonic 2-channels?). Instrument tone/timbre, to me, is slightly better on the ERC records.

What does this mean? Nothing really, I was comparing records costing < £70 with very limited boutique items costing £400. I should add here that the difference is subtle, and perhaps similar to the difference between Audio Naunte‘s and Craft AAA records, they are all excellent sounding, but deserving of their price is a different matter.

 

[Kjetil]

Thanks.
The only concert venue I’ve ever been to where I could pinpoint individual performers was at the Kammermusiksaal der Berliner Philharmonie. I’m not sure if pinpointing is a necessity for a feeling of “being there” from a record.
The ERC Brandenburg, could you point to it on Discogs?

 

[oldvinyl]

Thanks.
The only concert venue I’ve ever been to where I could pinpoint individual performers was at the Kammermusiksaal der Berliner Philharmonie. I’m not sure if pinpointing is a necessity for a feeling of “being there” from a record.
The ERC Brandenburg, could you point to it on Discogs?

Electric Recording Co

Discogs does not yet list the ERC version, they cite the original pressing.
Discogs Bach SAX 2408

All Discog versions listed here. Would need to search again for SAX 2409, the other set.
All SAX 2408 versions Discogs

Have not listened to the new Electric Recording Co pressings yet, but plan to this weekend. Along with the UHQR Coltrane A Love Supreme. I got a low serial number set since I have been a subscriber to their LP reissue series.
Coltrane UHQR

 

[Rensselaer]

Thanks.
The only concert venue I’ve ever been to where I could pinpoint individual performers was at the Kammermusiksaal der Berliner Philharmonie. I’m not sure if pinpointing is a necessity for a feeling of “being there” from a record.
The ERC Brandenburg, could you point to it on Discogs?

Hi Kjetil,

ERC is a specialist recording company in London who only release around 300 copies of any pressing, for the entire world.
See:

The Electric Recording Company.

Those who have signed-up to be notified when the next pressing comes up for sale get a message bleep on their phone or iPad when they will start taking orders. You literally have just minutes to decide and purchase before all are sold out. It then takes a month+ before your record arrives. Due to their exclusivity (and high price) they rarely, if ever, show up on Discogs so I am unable to point to one on Discogs. Sorry.

 

[oldvinyl]

Due to their exclusivity (and high price) they rarely, if ever, show up on Discogs so I am unable to point to one on Discogs. Sorry.

If you search the label name on Discogs, it shows about 180 records from ERC currently for sale. As noted, due to their exclusive nature, they are listed at high prices. My guess is that some of them are purchased specifically for resale and profit.

ERC for sale on Discogs

As noted, the Bach releases have not yet shown up for sale there.

They also show up on eBay for high prices. Some are still in the shipping box.

 

[No Regrets]

If you search the label name on Discogs, it shows about 180 records from ERC currently for sale. As noted, due to their exclusive nature, they are listed at high prices. My guess is that some of them are purchased specifically for resale and profit.

ERC for sale on Discogs

As noted, the Bach releases have not yet shown up for sale there.

They also show up on eBay for high prices. Some are still in the shipping box.

Hey oldvinyl,

Thank you so much for sharing the link with us!

I'm all about getting the best sounding pressing for the music that you love and enjoy... And I certainly understand that the better pressings will cost more. I have a lot of lp's that I have paid $300-500 usd for and I love them very much. But wowza, a lot of the ERC records listed are $1000 - over $6000 usd per record That is too rich for my blood as I wouldn't be comfortable buying many of those! I'm happy for those of you who can though! Please invite me over for a listen

Best wishes to all,
Don

 

[oldvinyl]

I have listened to three “The Original Source” records today (just received them yesterday), after listening to an Electric Recording Company release of Bach’s Brandenburg concertos and IMHO (as I know nothing about these classical works or the venues they were recorded in), the OS records are more dynamic, with differences in db between the quietest and loudest being greater than I have ever heard before. In fact, I had to reduce the volume on my amp two notches after listening to the ERC record to match volumes generally. The songs are very clear too. I cleaned all the new records first in my Degritter, as usual, but the OS and ERC were absolutely silent, no surface noise whatsoever.

Here they are:

 

[oldvinyl]

Hey oldvinyl,

Thank you so much for sharing the link with us!

I'm all about getting the best sounding pressing for the music that you love and enjoy... And I certainly understand that the better pressings will cost more. I have a lot of lp's that I have paid $300-500 usd for and I love them very much. But wowza, a lot of the ERC records listed are $1000 - over $6000 usd per record That is too rich for my blood as I wouldn't be comfortable buying many of those! I'm happy for those of you who can though! Please invite me over for a listen

Best wishes to all,
Don

Don - I agree, some of the prices are stratospheric. I purchase the ones I manage to get from the website. My guess if that some of them must be purchased strictly for resale since they are still boxed and unopened.

I liked the days of combing through record stores and finding treasures for a few dollars apiece. Seemed easy to find music I like at reasonable prices mostly because I like classical including opera and lieder and there is not much market for it. Same for a lot of the early, Baroque and Renaissance music I like.

 

[bonzo75]

I had visited ERC in London before turn pandemic. I have tried all their records released till before pandemic in various systems for classical. I haven’t liked many of them. The Du pre Elgar cello is far from the original.

my favourite is the Magda Tagliaferro piano. This is sold out and you won’t get this. I have an extra promo copy and an extra normal copy I can sell off. t will cost 500 gbp each if anyone is interested. I also like the Kogan Tchaikovsky and have it

 

[Rensselaer]

Perhaps I gave the advantage to ERC due to my preference for the sound of valves, perhaps because it has fewer electronics in the signal path?
The ERC system:

The Deutsche Grammophon mixing looks a bit more complicated:

 

[bonzo75]

ERC has the same masters and in many cases the same equipment as the originals they don’t sound as good as the originals. They should be bought if you cannot access the original or a good alternative at a lower price.

 

[oldvinyl]

Oh, I do not have the overview of the DG four track masters.
Maybe the Pollini Chopin etudes album is one?

Listening to the Schubert Forelle with Gilels, 3/4 Amadeus and Zepperlitz again. It’s excellent musically, but I may be in disagreement with the choice of balance between the close and ambient mikes. I’d like a bit more “room”.
That said, mvts IV and V sound somewhat different, as if the mikes were at a slightly greater distance in those two sessions.

I listened to the Schubert again this afternoon. On side 2, the piano sounded disembodied in the third movement. The bass was a little woolly in the fourth movement. All was right again in the last movement. I have no idea if that was in the original recording or the new mix.

Also, I used both sets of amps to bi-amp my speakers. This allowed for full body contact listening with the first side of the Verdi. Wow. What spectacular dynamics. The bass drum thwacks, the full chorus and the soloists all had incredible presence. I’ll have to get out some more Verdi.

 

[oldvinyl]

Unlike the preceding 2nd, 3rd, and 4th symphonies, Mahler's symphony number 5 has no vocal elements. It is also known for its use of 6 horns (Beethoven's 5th used 3.) Its 1st movement begins with a funeral march with an associated stormy 2nd movement. The 3rd movement, the Scherzo, begins to lighten a bit with dance references. Tragedy turns to beauty in the 4th, scored solely for strings. Perhaps that is its vocal element. The final 5th movement is lively and upbeat.

To the general populace (at least those vaguely or somewhat aware of Mahler), the 5th Symphony contains what may be his most famous piece of music. That is the 4th movement, the Adagietto, often characterized as the most beautiful of all Mahler's music, purportedly written as a love song to Mahler's new bride Alma in 1902. The 4th movement also has the noteriety of being played at Robert Kennedy's (Sr) funeral held at Saint Patrick's Cathedral in New York City with performance by Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic. It has been performed stand alone for various films and commercial offerings; people have heard it even if they don't know its Mahler.

I really like the von Karajan TOS issuance and I'm delighted that DGG is offering the series. As you say, it is somewhat of a traditional reading. With Bernstein, well, you get Bernstein with Mahler on his sleeve -- Mahler with 'flair'. Both are great.

Lots of Mahler at the link in my signature.


edit: watch on youtube

Just listened to the Adagietto again. What sublime beauty. It just unfolds at such a stately pace. I felt awed by the profound tenderness, longing, and beauty. It’s as if Mahler looked at the core of the cosmos and set it to music. While we get to listen to it, what would it be like to be Mahler and not only perceive this, but set it to music

The opening just feels so organic in how it emerges from silence to strings and harp. The harmonies sustain and hold delicate tension until they resolve at their own pace.

Definitely one of my favorite movements from the Mahler symphonies.

The recording not only conveys the hall acoustics, it also has the reflection of the strings rendered above and behind me as it does in a large concert hall. All this from rotating vinyl!!

 

[kodomo]

new additions

 

[No Regrets]

new additions

I love your statue of Nipper the Dog
Let us know how you enjoy your new albums!
Best wishes,
Don