Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site olivej.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!hou3c!hocda!houxm!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!hplabs!oliveb!olivej!greg 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 References: <802@opus.UUCP>, <214@olivej.UUCP> <904@houxm.UUCP> Organization: Olivetti ATC, Cupertino, Ca Lines: 37 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