A Guide to Collecting Classical Music on Vinyl
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- Опубліковано 27 сер 2024
- This is a long one.
Opening clip is from a performance of Tchaikovsky's 5th symphony by the San Francisco Symphony and Michael Tilson Thomas.
If you want to follow my performer channel, click here: / @michaeljohnson6385
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Below is some entry level gear I recommend to new vinyl and audio enthusiasts:
The outer sleeves I use: amzn.to/3ld3tcG
The inner sleeves I use: amzn.to/2S1K1CU
Turntables
Pro-Ject debut carbon: amzn.to/30bO0S5
Rega Planar 1: amzn.to/2ECCQhC
Phono Preamp
iFi Zen Phono Preamp: amzn.to/331D6Qs
Integrated Amplifiers
Marantz PM5005: amzn.to/308sSfr
Cambridge Audio AXA25: amzn.to/2FTfK7b
Yamaha A-S301 amzn.to/3ibo92U
Speakers
Elac B6.2: amzn.to/331Ed2A
DAC
iFi Zen Dac: amzn.to/3kNxDCR
Headphones
AKG K240: amzn.to/3j5GwHx
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2:55 Decca
4:05 Decca wide band. Tubes vs transistors at the beginning of transistor technology.
7:52 Decca's American subsidiary, London.
11:34 Later Decca pressings. Narrow band.
14:01 Decca 70s (Decca/London Phase 4). New recording techniques. More substantial differences between UK & US.
15:44 Decca sublabels. Argo. Different type of repertoire (Bach).
16:57 RCA.
17:57 RCA Living Stereo original pressing. Shaded dog.
20:36 60s re-press. White dog.
21:41 Decline of quality for RCA. Dynagroove. Compression in mastering.
23:17 Dynagroove label.
24:06 70s RCA.
25:12 Mercury Living Presence. Known for dynamics.
26:54 Mercury jacket and label.
27:47 Later Mercury pressings.
28:56 Mercury bought by Philips. Mercury Golden Imports series. Dynamics vs noise.
31:22 EMI. Confusion with Columbia.
32:09 Tip-on jackets. SAX serial numbers.
32:21 Second label variant - red arch (vs light blue/silver label).
34:11 EMI variant. HMV.
35:34 Regular British EMI, most common.
36:51 EMI's US subsidiary. Angel records, pressed in US by third party.
38:13 Most common Angel label. Check for made in UK/England for records cut from master recording rather than 2nd or 3rd gen copy.
39:23 Philips.
41:03 Deutsche Grammophon.
43:00 DG Tulip label. Late 50s/early 60s pressings made on tube gear.
43:37 Later pressing with plain white line. Look for DP/Deutsche Pressing.
44:27 Columbia Records (US label). 6-eye pressings.
46:14 Columbia 2-eye pressings.
46:43 Columbia 'circle' pressings.
47:48 Switch to digital. Telarc.
49:43 Nonesuch.
50:12 Reissues.
51:01 Analogue Productions.
52:29 Analogue Productions reissue of Living Stereo. (**side note from me, my kid totally does play these on her Peanuts-cobranded Crosley**)
55:34 Classic Records (bought by Analogue).
57:40 (Japanese) King Super Analogue (?)
59:35 ORG Original Recording group.
1:01:22 (German) Speaker's Corner.
1:05:18 EMI Testament.
1:07:08 Other labels doing reissues. ClearAudio. Reference Recordings. Some larger companies cut their own reissues from CD masters or other inferior source material.
1:09:39 The need to be vigilant in examining wear & tear on classical LPs.
@@holzfallen Now that's commitment!
@@poetryonplastic thank you for an amazingly useful guide!
I have some for sale
I don’t think I can say something that others haven’t said already, but I NEED to tell you this is BY FAR the BEST audiophile-related video I have come up on UA-cam so far. CONGRATS and THANKS for the info you’ve shared with us. Regards from Spain.
I am coming to this video six years after you made it having just started investigating classical records and emarbking on building my own classical collection (having spent the last 30 years pretty much exclusively concentrating on jazz, my first love). I had started off by buying cheap Deutsche Grammaphon records from a local charity shop, just because that (and Decca) were the only classical labels I had any passing knowledge of so it was reassuring to hear your comments at the end that this was a relatively sensible strategy that I had just happened to stumble upon. I had no idea about Tulip pressings but lucked out on quite a few of those for £1/£2 and a couple of Deccas (although not the desirable ones you mention)! Anyway, the real point of this post was that I just wanted to thank you, albeit belatedly, for boiling all of this knowledge down into a relatively short video to help people starting their journey into classical music. This is one of the best examples of what UA-cam should be for, a valuable resource for sharing knowledge and education. Thanks again.
holy shit kid you just became one of my favorite you tubers.
I've been a metalhead for years and starting to get into classical music for some time. Thanks about this lesson, it is such a HUGE amount of music. THANK THANKS THANKS.
I know this video is about 2 years old now, but I want to thank you for making it.
I am just getting back into vinyl after being seduced by digital for quite a few years. That romance is now over!
I find it easy to get good info on rock and jazz recordings when it comes to what pressings to buy, but much harder for classical.
Your video is a very good help for this!
If you like classical music and you go for vinyl , i'm quite sure you'll have a miserable time cleaning records over and over again getting no better sonic result and being really dissapointed. I tell you based on my own experience.
You Sir are the man! I watched and devoured every minute of this faultless video last night before bed....I was too tired to comment but had to this morning. I own a used vinyl record shop so im pretty good with the world of first presses etc, however classical was until recently something I personally loved as a genre/audiophile (I also collect and sell vintage HIFI) but never realised the collectability and potential value of some of these pressings. I have recently began to really pay attention to my huge un processed back stock of classical and have ordered them by label/number and am pleased to have a mass of Decca widebands etc....with the help of this vid I will be able to sort them even further and I hate to say, anything strings based (I favour violin/cello/chamber music/solo stuff) is probably going to go home with me and start my own 1st press classical collection. Anything of value that is not to my taste personally gets priced accordingly and will be available in my store! I am subscribing to your channel, your un scripted flowing unfaltering non stop knowledge was exceptional. Well done fella. Dan 'Creekside Vinyl' Faversham/ UK
I enjoyed your video very much, and I am inspired to revisit the classical records I have; a lot of Columbia, London and DG, with a smattering of Angel to my chagrin, but also other lesser known interesting labels. Most were picked-up used for a song over the years, at state sales, thrifts and the like, can't find them anymore. Surprisingly even when the sleeves are not mint, most of the records are NM, speaks about the owners who cared for them, and also didn't play them much. Look forward to your videos, Thank you!
I’ve been collecting classical since 1972. I really admire your knowledge and ability for discussion.
I am eager to begin a classical LP collection.. start me off on a few LPs that will brighten my day? Thank you Joe
Rimsky-Korsakov- Scheherazade Chicago Symphony w/ Fritz Reiner on Analogue Productions
Brahms the Four Symphonies- Karajan and Berlin in the new box set by DG, cut from analog tapes.
Bartok- Concerto for Orchestra Chicago Symphony/Fritz Reiner on Analogue Productions
Saint-Saens- Symphony No.3 "Organ" Munch/Boston Symphony on Analogue Productions
Mahler- Symphony No. 2 Solti/London Symphony on Speakers Corner.
All of these are currently in-print.
@@poetryonplastic TY Much ... Joe
stateniland
Try Scherazade with Charles Dutoit and the Montreal Symphony. Reiner’s version sounds like a fat woman on a barge.
I agree with him on the Saint Saens/Munch. After almost 62 yrs it is still a the definitive performance.
Simply one of the best videos on UA-cam!
This is the best introduction to classical vinyl i know. gracias desde España
One of my favorite conducters is the legendary Leonard Bernstein.
I just bought the exact RCA Tchaikovsky No 5 Record you showed because of your review, can't wait to receive it and spin that great piece!
Possibly the best vinyl collection video ever, thanks! If only there were more emphasis on finding the best version of any given recording.
I'm not sure Michael understands that this is the best video on vinyl collection
That is a very debatable topic that is even a bit subjective. This video is a good foundation to build from what you desire.
Thanks for this thoroughly informative video guide. You are a wellspring of excellent info. I've just started to revive my vinyl collection and have been scouting for classical music in the bins. This is a big help. Keep it up.
Fantastic resource. Thanks for doing all this. Much needed.
I have found that some of the CBS Masterworks records that were made right before they went digital (or at least they didn't say they were digital)--say, 1980ish--have outstanding (natural and clear) sound quality.
LOVE THIS. Well done, very informative and helpful. What a great resource, Cheers.
Incredibly educational video. As a new vinyl collector watching this, I have picked up 6 DG records for $8. Whole different world from the 1950s and 1960s jazz albums I usually look for.
Thank you for this guide. I am just getting into vinyl for the first time. Today I trawled the antique and record shops and got a DG mono record of Beethoven's 3rd piano concerto from May 1953 (blue tulip border) for the princely sum of one Australian dollar; an Argo pressing of Haydn's trumpet concerto from 1967; and an EMI of Adrian Boult conducting Holst's The Planets also from 1967.
...and yesterday I got Brahms's Deutsches Requiem in a DG blue tulip from 1964, in a nice big case; a Decca narrow band Elgar's Gerontius from 1972 conducted by Britten, also in a nice big case; a 1984 DG repressing of the Elvira Madigan concerto from 1962; and a Mercury of Beethoven's Fourth Piano Concerto from 1965. A nice haul.
Michael:
You've created a unique and comprehensive resource for YT . Nice work -- and thx!
I know this is a vinyl channel, but I think you should create a similar Guide for digital/CD. Maybe compare/contrast to vinyl, etc.
Great crash course. Finally renewed hope in my local Goodwill stores. Thanks for the video.
I too discovered this video 5+ years after recorded. Great information and delivery and really enjoying your other posts!! Great to hear the Jacqueline Du Pre Elgar mentioned towards the end. I have an original mono, and it is one of my favourites.
I love this video. Very informative, especially to someone new to collecting classical records. Thank you !
Anyone interested in key performances needs a few copies of the Penguin guide. Mid 80s thick copies covered LPs and early CDs. I’ve had several versions for over 20 years and they generally are a good guide to the better performances. The advice on decca is great, but don’t pass up good performances on lesser pressings if the price is right, or frankly, the CDs.
I agree ,the six eye pressings were very good
I meant emphasis among the entire the you-tube community, your example is the benchmark
Thanks for all the great info. I recently started going through my classical collection and found some great gems that I never knew I had! I discovered a Decca Phase 4 stereo Respighi Fountains of Rome, Pines of Rome Charles Munch and the New Philharmonia Orchestra that sounds amazing. I had never listed to it before today. Thanks!!!!!!!
absolutely top notch video, you know your stuff! I learned quite a bit - great work.
so I took your advice, bought an LP for $0.50 at the thrift store today, come home and do some research, turns out the LP is on the TAS super list! thanks for the good advice!
Fantastic deep dive. Great to learn the backstory on these labels!
5:04: "This is what a late 50's, early 60's UK Decca pressing looks like." Said with a 1968-1970 UK Decca pressing (ED3) in his hands ...
Charming mistake, even the sun got spots! A bright and thorough introduction to important parts of classical record collecting, thank you.
Ah, I knew that was an ED3 but I wasn't aware wide band went that late into the 60s? I had thought they went to narrow band by 68, my mistake!
I have zero desire to EVER purchase a classical record. Yet I thoroughly enjoyed this. I inherited a few very nice things from my grandparents but like I said, I have no desire to actually purchase classical stuff on my own.
Thanks for making this video! I've been a long time jazz collector and I've been into classical recently. After learning from your video, I went to my local thrift stores and found some mint Londons, RCA Living Stereos, DGs, and even a very valuable original Decca!
This was a really well done and informative video posting. Much needed info for someone just starting out into a deeper appreciation of classical music. Awesome job!
This has been a great one hour info. all in one place. Thanks!!!
I have been collecting records since about 1960 and my collection goes back to the earliest electric recordings circa 1925; for example I have the first 50 classical albums issued by Victor. However, the relevance to your video is that I mostly concur with your analysis of stereo records. I identified the bad LP labels when I had to thin my collection about 10 years ago; out went the US Angels (pressed in Scranton, PA), the non-tulip DGGs (which also cleared out the hated von Karajan recordings; I hate the guy as a human being as well as a musician), many 1970s records, etc. I’ve gotten interested in tape recordings; I have Ampex 354 and PR-70 recorders, both tube decks. I also bought the later Ampex transistorized AG-350 and their 440. The AG-350 was pure junk that I sold immediately; the 440 was much better but no match for the tube 354 after I restored the tube electronics. In my view, much of the quality issues you discussed resulted from the change in recording and mastering gear from tubes to transistors. I’ve also collected many prerecorded tapes, both 4-track and 2-track. When you play the tape version of one of the Living Stereos, it’s absolutely amazing how compressed the LPs are. For years, these prerecorded tapes have been looked down upon by audiophiles, but in general they’re better than the discs and probably come from an earlier generation of master tapes. I also have half a shelf of LP reissues, buying everything that came along in the 1970s and 1980s, and most of them have been played once at most. They just are mostly too transistory and I’d rather listen to even a scratchy Living Stereo than these pathetic and expensive “prestige” pressings. Finally, my last comment about your survey is that the problem with collecting good pressings is that most of them cover a very limited repertory. For example, I like chamber music and there are hardly any Living Stereo or FFSS recordings of the chamber music repertoire. You’re stuck with the marginal labels that may or may not work out sonically. Anyway, best.
Very informative! I learned so much from this video and I'm stunned that someone so young is so knowledgable about historical vinyl records. Will definitely subscribe and watch your other videos. Thank you!
Very thorough breakdown. Incredible.!Thumbing through some 200 plus classical records I possess I was able to find a few shaded dog RCA’s. Good titles too. Ravel, Stravinsky, Brahms, Shostakovich. Thanks for the in depth video.
Thanks for an excellent experience, your time and for sharing your knowledge. You're very good at this Michael. I'm going to run to my collection now and see what I have that I didn't understand previously.
Extremely helpful video, Michael. Thank you.
Thank-you for doing this I am going through my classical collection trying to figure out what to keep.
I had the same realization that a lot of what I have is crap and I wanted to get rid of it and only keep the good stuff.
If you want to be blown away by the Angel series, get a copy of the 45 rpm version of Holst, The Planets suite, with Andre Previn. The quad version, SS-45000 played in standard stereo is incredibly dynamic.
Hello Michael. How do I begin to thank you for your time and amazing information I have got from this video. I have been collecting classical and opera for afew years now and I had no idea about some of the stuff you have talked about. So informative and interesting. As I write I have four pages of notes that I will use as a reference when out and about record shopping and I will spend this morning checking the records I already have with the information you have given me. I do tend to favour Deutsche Grammophon pressings mainly because I find they are found more easily but I will definitely be on the look out for some of the other labels you have spoken about. THANK YOU SO MUCH for taking the time to make this video, going by what other people have said these videos take a lot of time to make and edit so I just wanted to let you know your appreciated. Have a lovely Sunday. Best wishes, Floss x
Seriously this video is THE definitive guide for collecting classical music on vinyl. I keep coming back to it to get informed about labels. Thank you very much!
Great great video! Thanks for all your hard work, and thanks for bringing some attention to classical music.
I have a Nutcracker Suite on a London Red seal conducted by Ansermet, It was in excellent condition when I got it.
Wow, I thought *I* was a classical geek! :) (And I say that with all due respect and awe.)
great video! i love the fact that you have the kertesz mozart requiem recording and the backhaus! decca also did great mono LPs.
Learned a ton from this one. Thanks for sharing.
I don't know diddly about classical music (yet) but I love your clear enthusiasm and knowledge about the subject. So far the closest I've gotten to the genre is I own one recording of The Mikado which sounds like it was captured from the bottom of a well, with a bit of string and a tin can.
This is an excellent, informative video that I will use whenever out shopping for classical. I did not realize that the early Angel label LPs had such poor sound. Now I will know what to look for. Thanks for the great advice!
I agree. Philips records were superb!
Fantastic video! Greatly enjoyed this. It inspired me to dive deeper into my own Classical collection, do some analyzing/evaluating, comparisons between releases and pressings, etc. Even made a video sharing the results of my first experiments. Thanks!
One of the reasons that many prefer the Deccas over the Londons is that the pressings were earlier. I don't want to get into what happens when more records are made from the same stamper, but, having both in my collection for decades, there are often significant differences in the sound.
An excellent video, young man.
Big fan of this video! Informative, geeky, obscure....everything I dork on about records! Subscribed. Please make more videos.
Thanks to this guide I got into collecting classical vinyl one year ago.
(Although I am a broke teenager in germany 😅)
Magnificent work.
thank you so much for this guide. I am new to collecting classical vinyl but enjoy how cheap they are at my local record store.
Very good! Hello from Russia!
Amazing and so informative. So glad I found you. I've gathered a nice collection alomg the years. Thought I knew something 😅
Now I'm browsing my records looking for older ones, or the seven eyes...
Specially interesting knowing about the reissue labels and the differences.
Thanks for your video.
The classical market is so much more niche than rock, pop and jazz. I've found that it's much more fruitful digging for vinyl classical rarities in charity shops than for any other genre. Picked up a beautiful1969 HMV ASD issue of that Du Pre this afternoon for a pound (along with a white and gold ASD for £3 a few weeks ago!)
This is easily the best primer on classical music labels on You Tube, thanks for posting this. Quick comment and a question for you. I've only been collecting classical records for a few months now and this video really helped me save time, by pointing me to the best labels and staying away from the weaker ones. I'd love to see you post a similar video on Jazz labels.
Regarding classical labels, what's your take on Epic? They seemed to have a relatively strong roster of artists in the '50's (I just picked up a NM Clara Haskil record playing Schmann earlier today, in fact) -- just wanted your take on this label. Again, thanks.
This is also a "Guide" for anyone that wants to flip classical records. Inadvertent to his video message, but it is a complicated feat to sell and profit off them. This guy is a whiz.
If you admire--quite reasonable--early Decca LPs, there should be a tip of the hat to Arthur Haddy, Decca's remarkable recording director. Haddy was at the forefront of high quality audio technology, from FFRR (Full Frequency Range Response, originally developed during the War) to early mono LP to pioneering stereo recordings from the mid-50s onward. His taste in recording engineering was unsurpassed.
Agreed. Those Decca mono ffrr pressings are really good recordings. Finding them in good condition isn't as easy as the London monos but, as Michael pointed out, classical buyers in the early 50's and through the 60's usually took better care of their records than those strictly buying rock and pop.
If you want a nice size collection of early London monos in perfect condition (still in the onion skin inner sleeves, as delivered) let me know. I have them in my record shelves, heard them once, and now want to make room for a just-acquired 78rpm classical music collection. I had read that they were half-speed mastered, and the quality certainly shows in contract to a perfect condition RCA Victor or Columbia disc of the same period.
This is amazing! Thank you for this
Amazing information . 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Thank you for this. Very informative.
you may already know about the DTD records on chast the dragon label but just in case you didn't, there are things there that YOU must have.
another thing that i have on my mind is that boulez is a stravinsky expert and his three ballets on columbia, both are on LP and cd. i first got turned on to his petrouchka on columbia and it is delightful and to me the quintessential version. i was self educating myself at the library in panorama city (nearly across the street from the security pacific bank where harry nillsson worked as a teller) and started with the rite of spring by karajan on DG. dynamic enough to pressurize a room but (i didn't realize the travesty it was to reality) it was DG multimked to death. still a good performance.
next was a pristine copy of boulez' petrouchka which i promptly committed to tape on my TEAC 4010GSL which became my main listening version for years. i was going to go to tower on van nuys blvd and get it along with planets/mehta/LAPhil BUT when i went in to do so, the LPs were NGONE and CDs were there instead. i was deflated.
i am mostly a jazz guy so then i concentrated on that and expanding my horizons via my friend to Ben Sidran and Dan Hicks and his hot licks. ETC. now i my tastes are widlely varied towards things like YELLO, dead can dance, trilok gurtu, etc. medeski martin and wood are also in there.
metal, punk, ska, and genres like that don't do it for me like it does you but we seem to have parallel interests up to a point.
...hifitommy
Very informative video. Learned a lot of important stuff.
I'd like to see a video of your discussing your favorite Decca vinyl.
Analogue Productions and Speakers Corner are really the best in modern LP reissues. In fact, most sound even better than the original issues.
I would be interested in your take on some of the minor European labels. Erato. Supraphon. Telefunken. Hungaroton. Melodiya. Ducretet-Thomson. Supraphon has long been one of my favorite labels, due to the large numbers of recordings featuring the Czech Philharmonic, one of my all time favorite and most colorful orchestras.
Very good brother ! You know your stuff.
I have never been more interested in classical records
Thank you so much for this video. I was able to take a risk with confidence today. I found a decca wide band of Verdi Nabucco Highlights. I am so happy with the results. Thanks again.
Always a fan!
Epic video, thanks! I watched it non stop and took plenty of notes. I already have an honest CD collection of classical music (nothing audiophile really). I am happy with it, but I am looking into discovering classical music on vinyl, especially Beethoven. Unfortunately, I did not start on the right foot. Last time I went shopping, along with my usual stack of rock albums, I bought my first classical album on vinyl. It was a $10 used copy of Symphony no. 9 by Beethoven, conducted by Bruno Walter, on the Columbia Masterworks "6 eye label". I did not see any scratches in the store and it was graded NM by the people there by way of a sticker, as they always do. So I bought it, brought it home and washed it with my Spin-Clean. Unfortunately, it was so noisy all the way through, I could not enjoy it at all. When looked under good light, I could see that the record had suffered some kind of harsh treatment, maybe moisture. That was not something I could have notice at the store under normal light. So your video arrives at a time when I was just starting to say to myself that maybe I should stick to CDs for classical... I guess now I will give it another try and maybe try an Analogue Production reissue, I don't know. I have the rock profile that you mentioned near the end of the vid, so I guess you're right, I really have to be more vigilant. On the other hand, I am wondering if it is worth the headaches... That's where I am at today.
I always take a small flashlight with me when i go to record stores, many stores keep the lights dim on purpose so you don't see scratches! In general, the records from the 50s and 60s tend to be beat up when you find them, you'll have much better luck with London's and DG's I think, I tend to find those in much better condition in shops.
For a good place to start your collection, try the Solti/Beethoven Symphonies box set on UK London. Great performances, great sound quality, and you can probably find a mint copy on ebay for about 40 dollars or so.
You know what, a flashlight is not a bad idea at all! Thanks for all your recommendations. :-)
Can’t believe you didn’t use that remarkable Fennel/Cleveland recording of the Holst Suites as your example of early Telarc. That bass drum almost made my stylus jump! LOL
Love this. Thank you!
I will tell you why Deccas sound much better than the corresponding London. While the lacquers are the same, the vinyl is different. If you take a London blueback, and compare it with the corresponding Decca wideband from the same lacquers, you will find that the records have a completely different feel in your hand. The London will seem much thicker and stiffer. Interestingly, if you weight them, you will find that the weight is about the same; I came up with 151-2 grams for each one. This would seem to imply that the London vinyl is not as dense.
The hand feel of the two records is completely different. If you hold the record between your hands and flop it, the London and Decca flex differently. The Decca is more flexible and flops easily. What the Decca reminds me of is the 150 gram vinyl used by JVC Japan to press Mofi records in the late 70s and early 80s. I suspect that the softness and flexibility of the Decca vinyl allowed it to receive the impression from the stamper much more accurately.
Just my two cents, but I have had the pleasure of handling hundreds of rare early Deccas and Londons, as well as listening to them on kilobuck systems, as well as my own relatively humble equipment.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience and expertise... I am returning to Vinyl after 30 years... very excited to hear Violin on Vinyl.... aside from Super High Res and 24-bit, I did not enjoy the CD or digital revolution. For all its flaws Vinyl still has a buzz and a warmth and my 30 year old (or more) records have survived hibernation
Nice video. A few inaccuracies, but generally good. Just for the ‘record’ Electric & Musical Industries is the company manufacturer that own the Labels it is not a Label - that came in the 80’s. HMV, Columbia, Angel etc are the Labels owned by E.M.I
Yes !!! Classical on vinyl is a great approach if you want to listen a huge amount of pops, clicks and distorsion
Fantastic video!!!! Thank you so much!!!!!!
Let me know if you would like to work on a book collectors could use. I don't have a lot of the knowledge, but would be willing to do a lot of work to get something like this done.
Yesssss, a young person who speaks my language.
Quiz: What is the RCA dog’s name? No cheating!
Nipper
Lee Craig
Yessssss😁😁😁
Really appreciate this one! A friend recently gave me (free for nothing!) a Classical vinyl library of close to 50 NM LPs - lots of Deutsche Grammophon (UK and German pressings), Angel Eminence (UK pressings) and a handful of Phillips (Netherlands pressings). I've been listening non-stop since bringing them home. Good stuff!
After watching your video I scoured the internet and found someone in my area selling his Classical vinyl for 10 cents a piece! I just got home with 30 LPs in excellent condition - more DGs, some Angel Records (Canadian pressings, which I've read are supposed to be superior to US counterparts), Nonesuch, RCA Living Stereo and Red Seal. Can't wait to put them on my turntable. Thanks again for the tips!
Thank you, this is incredibly helpful!
Fantastic detail and info! You’re right, don’t buy classical albums with any marks or anything on them.
This young man will likely be receiving his doctorate in classical musical next month (May 2021)!
Nice job! I too share your enthusiasm for AP, and wish they would do more classical other than Living Stereos, like the Rachmaninoff 45. I'm def looking forward to their Royal Ballet too. SC has done an outstanding job with their Decca series. All this stuff is great, but really is geared for the audiophile/serious enthusiast because of the cost of these pressings.
"Acoustic sounds" is nearly flawless with their reissues! Chad kasem is a great guy, and really cares about the Music! What do you think of the "MGM" label?
Never had any experience with it sorry to say!
Come back from time to time, feel like I need to have a time stamp for each label 😂
You are my new vinyl guru.
I prefer the Rachmaninoff Symphony #2 with the cuts, but that recording with Paul Paray has to be the shortest Rach 2 ever recorded and it has a few blemishes. The Rach 2 was recorded a lot in the 80's and 90's without the cuts but on some newer recordings on Android and Amazon Prime they' include the cuts. Actually one Karajan recording I like is the Sibelius Symphony #2 from 1982 which was an early Angel digital recording. Another great recording from 1982 that I had was a Philharmonia recording of the complete "Nutcracker" conducted by John Lanchberry (it's on Spotify). The new redesigned Angel label on the record clearly said "DIGITAL" and signified that we were in a whole new era of audio recording.
Also in the early 80's, full priced London Deccas started to be pressed in the Netherlands, I believe the same plant which Phillips used. I found these pressings definitely to be quieter, but perhaps a tad less dynamic.
I have a couple of those netherlands Deccas, to me they sounded alright but I don't have anything to compare them to.
Hi. Very informative indeed. I have a few original Deccas too and some of them have "original recording by" instead of "made in England by" and I believe these are the very earliest pressings. Keep up the good work.😊
Bad turntables? Hah! Most of those early issues in the US sat in Grandma’s living, being played on one of the huge console stereos. That’s the problem. (By the way, those consoles made electric 78s sound REALLY darned good!!!)
You know, it's funny: this video has very little to no editing at all, or at least none that I really noticed. It's just a guy talking into a camera about stuff that interests him and yet I've found this so much more useful than most really flashy channels with quite loud and generic soundtracks and unnecessarily high production value. You really articulated this information well, my friend, and I have since bought my first classical record: Deutsche Grammophon's TULIP Edition Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 with Richter and Karajan, it's in great condition and it's a truly wonderful listen. Keep doing what you're doing, and you've earned yourself a firm subscriber.
Just discovered your channel and after a quick perusal of your channel and insta feed linked in the description, my immediate reaction is that I think we might actually be the same person. We have way too many common interests for me to be convinced otherwise. Good stuff, 100% subbed. 👌🏻
Hallo poertyonplasticEnglish decca stampers are also on early german stereo deccas with oval label and on eurodisc. Some of the mega deccas are pressed on eurodisc label with original english stampers. I bought many of thisGreetings from GermanyAnton
Recently got into collecting early electronic music records. Electronic pop and classical/compilation records. Most of them are recordings of various music performed on early transistor-based or vacuum tube organs. I also enjoy collecting instrumental stuff, stuff most would consider cheesy or elevator music. If I see anything with philharmonic in the tytle Ill buy it. I also have some pype organ stuff I just bought today as well as some wurlitzer air theater organ recordings! I hope the wurlitzer and the baroke stuff turns out to be good pressings. The electronic stuff I am normally after is stuff like demo records that were bundled with the instrument, eric dimpson, ken ken grifn, hil olevera, clous wonderlich sorry probably buchured the names and that word too.
Oh well I love music!