‘Twas the night before The Original Source Vinyl and all through the house
Not a record was spinning, not even by Strauss;
The masters were remixed by Emil Berliner Studios with care,
In hopes that a music lover soon would be there;
The audiophiles were nestled all snug in their listening rooms,
While amps and speakers matched their cable looms.
And an Amazon purchase from the computer in my lap,
And just cleaned a record to prevent electrostatic zap.
When out of the turntable there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my listening chair to see what was the matter.
Away to platter I flew like a flash,
Called up the dealer and spent some more cash.
The four track mix from original quadro
Gave the timbre of mid-hall to the soundstage show,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a Mahler 5th, I loved it so dear,
With a transient response, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it was a really great disc.
More rapid than eagles his masterings they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
"Now, IEC! now, Baerwald! now, UNI-DIN and Loefgren!
On, Walker! on Rega! on, Avid and Linn!
To the top of the groove! to the top of the null!
Now spin away! spin away! spin away all!"
Once again ....
'Twas the night before analog, when all through the house
No music was playing, not even by Strauss;
The clock cables were hung from the chimney with care,
In hopes that sound improvement soon would be there;
The bits were nestled all snug in their DACs;
While visions of analog-like went through their heads;
And some with their Lampi, and I reading TAS,
Had just settled down to stream from a NAS,
When out in the forum there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the listening position to see what was the matter.
Away to the Windows I reprogrammed the flash,
Swore about jitter and spent more cash.
The tune that was wrest from the new-fallen micro,
Gave a lustre to the midrange of the digital flow,
When what to my wondering eyes did appear,
New lacquers underway and remastered by Rainer,
With 4-track masters so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be DG music.
More rapid than eagles his masters they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
"Now, Berliner! now, Weiner! now Kleiber and Jochum!
On, Quartet! on, Abbado! on, Kubelik and Scriabin!
To the top of the score! to the top of the hall!
Analog soundstage! Analog sonics! dash away digital!"
