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From: greg@olivej.UUCP (Greg Paley)
Newsgroups: net.audio
Subject: Re: Ivor Tiefenbrun and the demons of digital
Message-ID: <216@olivej.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 18-Sep-84 12:43:51 EDT
Article-I.D.: olivej.216
Posted: Tue Sep 18 12:43:51 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 25-Sep-84 06:55:18 EDT
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Organization: Olivetti ATC, Cupertino, Ca
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Craig Dory doesn't give me much benefit of the doubt as to what
listening and comparisons I've done, presuming "no" answers to
questions he hasn't asked.

Record companies haven't made direct comparisons easy since
there have been very few recordings made available of which
duplicate master tapes were made, one analogue and one digital.
I've listened and compared those I could find - the London
recording of the Beethoven 3rd Piano Concerto and the Vanguard
disc of Haydn symphonies (both sides had the same program -
one side digitally mastered, the other side analogue).
I had to go by the vinyl pressing of these "digital" recordings
since they were not, at the time I compared them, available in
CD format.

I have had a chance to compare a number of analogue-mastered
recordings in CD format, vinyl LP, and, in some cases, pre-recorded
open reel tape.  Among these have been the Solti/Vienna Verdi
"Requiem" (London/Decca), Haitink/Concertgebouw Debussy "Jeux"
and "Nocturnes" (Philips) and the Bruno Walter/Columbia SO Beethoven
Symphony #6 (CBS - a friend brought me the CD from Japan).

I've never wanted to hear an analogue recording sound better than
a newer digital recording.  I don't like the idea of great recordings
being a thing of the past.  However, I can't hide the disappointment
I continue to find when comparing the newest digital recordings with
what I find to be the "best" of the analogues and I'm not about
to be intimidated by the "Digital is absolutely better - believe
it and shut up" attitude presented by the mass media and a number
of net contributors.  I keep buying the digital issues in the hope
that they'll start to justify their press, and I eagerly await
the day that happens.


	- Greg Paley