RCA Living Stereo goes streaming and social

[TitaniumTroy]

"In a definite sign of the times, Sony Classical is poised to bring the 60-year old classic RCA Victor Living Stereo series to streaming, hi-rez download, and social media platforms. Beginning on Friday April 27, and lasting for two months, Living Stereo playlists—Living Stereo Spectaculars, Living Stereo Top 50, and Living Stereo Deep Cuts among them—will stream on Apple Music, Spotify, and Deezer.
Read more at https://www.stereophile.com/content/living-stereo-goes-social-and-streaming#4VDmR2TQHAxVdbc1.99"

I picked up two Living Stereo CD's at AXPONA, both by Henry Mancini. The Pink Panther and Hatari, haven't had a chance to check them out yet.

 

[Deleted member 133]

I picked up two Living Stereo CD's at AXPONA, both by Henry Mancini. The Pink Panther and Hatari, haven't had a chance to check them out yet.

I highly recommend any and all of the Mancini titles on SACD - especially those in multi-channel.

If you only buy one then get Ultimate Mancini (2004) - which is a fabulous collection, and includes an uber demo-worthy extended version of The Pink Panther Theme. The collection is in stereo and 5.1 surround.

If you want more, I suggest his collaboration with Doc Severinsen: two album on one SACD (2016): Brass, Ivory and Strings (1973) & Brass On Ivory (1972) - both albums in stereo and quad surround.

Mancini spent over 20 years with RCA.

Jeff

 

[TitaniumTroy]

Thanks Jeff, I will check out that Ultimate Mancini.

 

[MakeMineVinyl]

One of the best sounding living stereo classical albums is Scheherazade with Fritz Reiner from 1960. It's a classic recording with really rich sound.

 

[TitaniumTroy]

Thanks Altec, would this 8-track version be of suitable Hi-Fidelity? While not Living Stereo it looks in great condition, yikes. https://www.amazon.com/Chicago-Symphony-Fritz-Reiner-Scheherazade/dp/B00H6P2HLC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1525142440&sr=8-3&keywords=Scheherazade+with+Fritz+Reiner&dpID=51bqVIunC%2BL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Here is a review of the version you mentioned.
"This is a classic recording of these two works, led with grand authority by Fritz Reiner. The Chicago's brass and wind section play gloriously throughout, and the final movement of Scheherazade (we learn from the original producer [1960] in an accompanying essay) was recorded in one take--an almost unheard-of feat. This fast movement is taken at breakneck speed, with no loss of clarity or power, with the strings in the hands of magicians. Stravinsky's Nightingale has never sounded so exotic, so bristling over with color, since this 1956(!) recording under Reiner, and the wonderful surprise with this new release of old material is the revamped sound: the original "Living Stereo" was a fantastic breakthrough in recording, and this new SACD format has returned the spatial relationships to something so "real" that it comes as close as I've ever heard to a true concert hall experience. Simply glorious. --Robert Levine"

 

[MakeMineVinyl]

Thanks Altec, would this 8-track version be of suitable Hi-Fidelity? While not Living Stereo it looks in great condition, yikes. https://www.amazon.com/Chicago-Symphony-Fritz-Reiner-Scheherazade/dp/B00H6P2HLC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1525142440&sr=8-3&keywords=Scheherazade+with+Fritz+Reiner&dpID=51bqVIunC%2BL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Why HELL YES!!!

Seriously though, this Scheherazade is by far the best recorded performance of the work, and on top of that, I've seen it written that this is probably the best recorded performance of any work, ever. I can't disagree! The last movement is really something to hear; the precision of the entire ensemble at that tempo, and doing it in one take no less.....pretty incredible.

 

[Deleted member 133]

Why HELL YES!!!

Seriously though, this Scheherazade is by far the best recorded performance of the work, and on top of that, I've seen it written that this is probably the best recorded performance of any work, ever. I can't disagree! The last movement is really something to hear; the precision of the entire ensemble at that tempo, and doing it in one take no less.....pretty incredible.

I've got the SACD of that - which also includes Song of the Nightingale.

From the scans, it says this is in 3.0 multichannel - from the original stereo three-track recordings.

I'm assuming this is the recording you are speaking of?

While I've never thought of it as strongly as you have, I admittedly have never considered it in the context of recording quality. I just took it as a great recording like many of that era that I've heard. (Some Nat King Cole in 3.0 on SACD come to mind.)

I'll give it a listen in the next day or two - focusing on the recording quality.

Thanks.

Jeff

 

[MakeMineVinyl]

I have the DSD stereo download of this recording. Although I have a few 3 channel SACDs, I built a mixer to split the center channel into the main left and right speakers with adjustable level.

By the way, although the recording quality is generally superb, there is some weird very high frequency distortion which can be heard sometimes on massed violins when they play really high and loud and sometimes on woodwinds. It almost sounds like something which got introduced in the digital transfer since its not the type of distortion which is typical of analog tape.

 

[Deleted member 133]

I managed to spend an hour in my main HT listening to it.

I agree that it is a fantastic recording. I did not pick up any of the "weird high frequency distortion" - but maybe it's just my inability to recognize it. I'll give it a more critical listen next time.

I streamed the DSD files from my server and was able to cue it up such that each movement played first in 2.0 and then in 3.0 - in order to compare the two. In every case I preferred the 3.0 BUT only when the music got "busy" enough that it was noticeable. The 3.0 seemed to present a more solid and defined soundstage. On quite a few occasions the centre channel was as active as the other two channels, but a lot of the time it was more of a "presence / fill." It was really noticeable when the oboe first appears in the third movement. Crisp, clear, distinctive - whereas it was slightly diffuse sounding in 2.0

But I'm exaggerating the differences simply to point them out. Overall I'd say the 2.0 is 95% as good as the 3.0.

And a question or three: how would this recording have been mic'd / made? If it was a three-track recorder does that mean they simply placed three microphones? Or would there have been multiple microphones that were then mixed down to the three tracks? Just curious.

Jeff

 

[MakeMineVinyl]

How a recording presents a solid and deep soundstage in a room depends mostly on the microphone technique used. Using three spaced omni-directional microphones such as this recording, there is a very delicate balance between an even spread of sound across the soundstage and having a hole-in-the-middle where the sound bunches up toward the left and right side. Using three discrete channels overcomes this tendency if done well. However if a derived 3-to-2 mix is well done, and the speakers are not influenced by the room to any large degree, there should be no real difference in a pure 3 channel presentation and a derived stereo mix of the 3 channel master; the onus is on the speakers/room. Horns which are very directional by nature help tremendously in this regard, since they're almost like using headphones in that the room influence is much less.

Most classical recordings made in America use spaced omni-directional mics, where European recordings tend to use the Blumlien or ORTF techniques. The Blumlien and ORTF are specfically stereo techniques; omni-directional microphones are somewhat ill-suited to stereo, and thus more reliant on the center channel, or very careful balancing of the mixdown and especially the speakers/room.

In any event, while this is a good recording, it isn't necessarily the best; my original comments were mainly regarding the musical performance, which is remarkable.

My reference disc for great stereo imaging and soundstage goes to this recording - at least with my speakers and my room (YMMV);

https://www.amazon.com/Ralph-Vaughan-Williams-Masque-Dancing/dp/B00000DO12/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1525209232&sr=1-1&keywords=Vernon+Handley,+Job

Playing track #4 (Scene IV), the depth of the stage is staggering with the instruments in proper width and depth relationship. The boundaries of the recording stage can clearly be heard side to side and front to back. I wish all recordings sounded this good.

 

[Deleted member 133]

Much thanks - once again!

 

[PaulyT]

One of the best sounding living stereo classical albums is Scheherazade with Fritz Reiner from 1960. It's a classic recording with really rich sound.

Thanks, enjoying this one very much. I ordered the SACD based on your recommendation. Got it in the mail a few days ago. And this morning discovered when ripping it into my computer library, that I already had it. Sigh... too many albums to remember. Oh well at least it wasn't overly expensive. Anyone want it? I'll sell it cheap; don't care so much about the money but someone else should enjoy this extra copy.