Purchases Today

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These are excellent recordings. I also appreciate his recordings of Reger on BIS and Rautavaara on Ondine. Have you heard any of Segerstam's own compositions?

Yeah, Segerstam usually doesn't disappoint in Sibelius. I have heard one of Segerstam's symphonies, but that's all I'll say about it.

Hope you enjoy it, John (Scaramouche).  Upon a second listen, I am really starting to enjoy it even more.  I am also interested in the Swanwhite and other incidental music disc with Segerstam on Naxos.

Thanks, Ray. If you haven't bought any of the Sibelius Edition sets on BIS, then you should really look into those. Loads of music you may/may not have heard before.

[Brian]

There are places where Segerstam's Naxos series suffers from basic orchestra playing issues, especially compared to the awesome Helsinki PO recordings, but of course it is generally a very good, useful series.

[Wieland]

In Europe already available. Another great final symphony.

[asin]B0176N4C48[/asin]

[Richard]

These arrived earlier than I had anticipated. Looking forward to a joyful evening of discovery and many hours of escape into a sonic oasis.   




I'm breaking them in with:

[asin]B015OPM7G0[/asin]

[asin] B00WUFBQ92[/asin]

Not everyone agrees with Honeck, finding him a little too exaggerated (I don't mind his reading), but man do the Pittsburgh players deliver!!

The Kansas City recording with Kraybill is a sonic spectacular.

[Mirror Image]

These arrived earlier than I had anticipated. Looking forward to a joyful evening of discovery and many hours of escape into a sonic oasis.   

I've heard of Fostex headphones, but never actually heard a pair. I assume these are closed-back headphones? The majority of my listening is through headphones with a headphone amplifier, so it would be interesting to 'swap notes' with you.

[Richard]

I've heard of Fostex headphones, but never actually heard a pair. I assume these are closed-back headphones? The majority of my listening is through headphones with a headphone amplifier, so it would be interesting to 'swap notes' with you.

The Fostex TH-X00 is a significant upgrade for me. I've been using the Sennheiser 598's, which aren't a bad set of headphones, especially for the black friday/boxing day price that seems to come around every year. I also have a set of AKG K7XX's which are quite good, and a set of Bose Quiet Comfort's that I use when travelling. But the Fostex offer something more... a significant step up in resolution, mid-range speed and accuracy, soundstage, and tight, bass reach. The design is based on the Fostex TH-900 / TH-600, which is one of legends of the audiophile community.

The Fostex TH-X00 is a collaboration between the tech-heads at Massdrop and Fostex. Amazingly, they took what was best about the TH-900 / Th-600, which sell for $1299 / $699 respectively and produced it for the Massdrop community for $499. It's probably one of the real "bargains" in that class of headphones. (if you can call anything a bargain at that price point).

If you haven't discovered massdrop.com yet I suggest you avoid it like the plague... danger lurks on that site! 

It will take me a few weeks before I can offer an informed opinion (though my initial impressions are very good), but here's a review on a generally trustworthy site:

]http://www.head-fi.org/t/788776/fostex-x-massdrop-th-x00-review[url]

[Mirror Image]

The Fostex TH-X00 is a significant upgrade for me. I've been using the Sennheiser 598's, which aren't a bad set of headphones, especially for the black friday/boxing day price that seems to come around every year. I also have a set of AKG K7XX's which are quite good, and a set of Bose Quiet Comfort's that I use when travelling. But the Fostex offer something more... a significant step up in resolution, mid-range speed and accuracy, soundstage, and tight, bass reach. The design is based on the Fostex TH-900 / TH-600, which is one of legends of the audiophile community.

The Fostex TH-X00 is a collaboration between the tech-heads at Massdrop and Fostex. Amazingly, they took what was best about the TH-900 / Th-600, which sell for $1299 / $699 respectively and produced it for the Massdrop community for $499. It's probably one of the real "bargains" in that class of headphones. (if you can call anything a bargain at that price point).

If you haven't discovered massdrop.com yet I suggest you avoid it like the plague... danger lurks on that site! 

It will take me a few weeks before I can offer an informed opinion (though my initial impressions are very good), but here's a review on a generally trustworthy site:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/788776/fostex-x-massdrop-th-x00-review[url=http://]]http://www.head-fi.org/t/788776/fostex-x-massdrop-th-x00-review[url]]]]http://www.head-fi.org/t/788776/fostex-x-massdrop-th-x00-review[url]

Thanks for the informative feedback, Richard. As for the price range of the Fostex, I'd just assume to buy a pair of Sennheiser HD 700s. I've read nothing but good things about them. One of the only negative things I've heard about them is they have a high treble, but this can smoothed over with a tube amplifier I imagine. Also, I prefer open-back headphones for the more natural listening that comes along with them and not the mention comfort. I have yet to find a pair of closed-back headphones that are actually comfortable. Right now, my headphone of choice is a pair of Philips SHP9500s. They sound absolutely fantastic. I'm using them with a SMSL sApII TPA6120A2 headphone amplifier. I also have a pair of Sennheiser HD 598s and HD 600s. The other headphones I have are a pair of Audio-Technica ATH-AD900Xs and Philips X2/27 Fidelios. I can't say I've listened to any of my other headphones in quite some time as these Philips SHP9500s have really supplied me with all of my needs and it also helps that they're some of the most, if not the most, comfortable headphones I've ever worn.

I'll probably be picking up those Sennheiser HD 700s pretty quickly as the price drop on Amazon is pretty enticing to me right now. What do you plug your headphones into? A headphone amp, CD player, etc.?

[Richard]

I'll probably be picking up those Sennheiser HD 700s pretty quickly as the price drop on Amazon is pretty enticing to me right now. What do you plug your headphones into? A headphone amp, CD player, etc.?

Agreed about the Sennheiser 700s. I've had my eyes (or rather my ears on these for years). Unfortunately the price on these in Canada never seems to drop below about $1200 for 700s and $1600 for the 800s.

For amplification I use an AudioEngine D1 in mobile settings, an O2 DAC/amp combo on my desktop and a Grace Designs m9xx in my listening room. The Grace designs is an amazing little box. It puts out loads of current for driving toughe loads (like the 700/800).

Anyway, back to the music...

[asin]B011WEVXZ8[/asin]

Disc 1 - Symphonies 1 & 2

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Agreed about the Sennheiser 700s. I've had my eyes (or rather my ears on these for years). Unfortunately the price on these in Canada never seems to drop below about $1200 for 700s and $1600 for the 800s.

For amplification I use an AudioEngine D1 in mobile settings, an O2 DAC/amp combo on my desktop and a Grace Designs m9xx in my listening room. The Grace designs is an amazing little box. It puts out loads of current for driving toughe loads (like the 700/800).

Very nice. Looks like an excellent setup you have there.

[Mirror Image]

I bought this late last night but forgot to post:

[Mirror Image]

Just bought:



The Rough Guide To Classical Music said this Kullervo from Jarvi was the best one on record. We shall see. It certainly was cheap enough.

[aligreto]

Based on earlier recommendations here....

[The new erato]

I managed to snag this at 14 euros at amazon.de a couple of days ago:

[asin]B00PCCWXPG[/asin]

[Mirror Image]

I managed to snag this at 14 euros at amazon.de a couple of days ago:

[asin]B00PCCWXPG[/asin]

Excellent! Martinon's performance of Nielsen's The Inextinguishable is top-shelf.

[mc ukrneal]

Based on earlier recommendations here....

Big Thumbs up! 

[aligreto]

Big Thumbs up! 

Cheers; I am really looking forward to hearing it as I like Mackerras 

[Karl Henning]

I managed to snag this at 14 euros at amazon.de a couple of days ago:

[asin]B00PCCWXPG[/asin]

Sweet!

[The new erato]

Sweet!

He looks more ruffled than sweet! 

[Karl Henning]

That's how sweet looks in Chicago, buddy! 

[The new erato]

That's how sweet looks in Chicago, buddy! 

Windy City - I get that!