The EMI/Karajan megaboxes

Started by Lethevich, February 06, 2008, 02:43:29 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Print
Go Down Pages 1 2 3 4
User actions

head-case

#60
April 23, 2008, 12:35:24 PM
Quote from: BorisG on April 23, 2008, 11:51:08 AM
The EMI is warmer and less bright, but I would not refer to it as glassy. There may be, but I cannot remember hearing a glassy recording on EMI. That description is usually reserved (sometimes tiredly so) for DG Karajan. Anyway, that is not applicable for their 1975 Bruckner occasion, which is thinner sounding.

Obviously there is no agreed meaning for these adjectives.  Bad DG sound (Karajan or not) I would describe as "strident."  Bad EMI is "glassy," bad Decca is "tubby."  Presumably all of these impressions relate to some frequency band which is excessive or deficient.


BorisG

#61
April 23, 2008, 01:18:48 PM Last Edit: April 23, 2008, 01:22:42 PM by BorisG
Quote from: head-case on April 23, 2008, 12:35:24 PM
Obviously there is no agreed meaning for these adjectives.  Bad DG sound (Karajan or not) I would describe as "strident."  Bad EMI is "glassy," bad Decca is "tubby."  Presumably all of these impressions relate to some frequency band which is excessive or deficient.


Yes, I have heard strident on many DG, usually amongst their budget and mid-priced recordings. Galleria was a prominent offender.

Some of the 1980's DG Karajan digitals sounded masked, coated. What would you call that, other than being a mess that they eventually tried to resolve with "Gold" remastering?

EMI and Decca I have been pleased with. Few complaints, except for some EMI France recordings. They could be strident on occasion.

Philips CDs could be too warm.

We could be talking about porridge, too.  :D

Lilas Pastia

#62
April 23, 2008, 08:26:27 PM
Quote from: head-case on April 23, 2008, 12:35:24 PM
Obviously there is no agreed meaning for these adjectives.  Bad DG sound (Karajan or not) I would describe as "strident."  Bad EMI is "glassy," bad Decca is "tubby."  Presumably all of these impressions relate to some frequency band which is excessive or deficient.


Not a bad description. I'd add that many EMI discs between 1975 and 1990 are glassy and/or glossy. Which to my ears means not analytical enough and resonant to a fault. It seems that these faults have mostly occurred in the eighties, a period in which technicians were still grapppling with the new medium and adjusting their control knobs to variable results.

Bunny

#63
April 24, 2008, 07:02:17 AM
Quote from: head-case on February 06, 2008, 03:01:40 PM
BTW, the thing is available in the US as well
http://www.tower.com/details/details.cfm?wapi=111716100

I hope everyone knows that Tower.com is now part of the Caiman empire...

head-case

#64
April 24, 2008, 08:02:12 AM
Quote from: Bunny on April 24, 2008, 07:02:17 AM
I hope everyone knows that Tower.com is now part of the Caiman empire...
What's your point, is it owned by Osama bin Laden?
Print
Go Up Pages 1 2 3 4
User actions