Thread: New Esoteric releases: Lehar's The Merry Widow (Karajan), Strauss' Die Fledermaus (Kleiber)

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Post by gunkie2k April 14, 2010 (1 of 23)
Just announced within the last week. These 2-SACD sets are even more expensive ($120 US) than the Mravinsky Tchaikovsky set!

Karajan's DG recording of Lehar's The Merry Widow:
http://www.elusivedisc.com/prodinfo.asp?number=ESOSA90039

Kleiber's DG recording of J. Strauss' Die Fledermaus:
http://www.elusivedisc.com/prodinfo.asp?number=ESOSA90041

Post by akiralx April 14, 2010 (2 of 23)
The Kleiber is good but the Karajan is an odd choice, not one of his better recordings. Why not his Strauss or Sibelius?

Post by Chris April 15, 2010 (3 of 23)
So this is where SACD is really heading when one label after the other is abandoning SACD? Though obviously not LINN.

Esoteric comes to the rescue at a PRICE:SUPER EXPENSIVE remasters from 24/96 PCM digital copies of analogue mastertapes?

119 dollars for something you could pick up in a second hand shop for 10-15 dollars or less as original LPs?

I wonder what will happen to Esoteric´s business concept, when Universal too realizes there is money to be made in releasing those 24/96 masters as hi rez downloads?

Anyway:I still have the original LPs in my collection.

Post by hiredfox April 15, 2010 (4 of 23)
Hope they issue the Kertesz/LSO Dvorak cycle, which has been a front runner for 50 years.

Post by Claude April 15, 2010 (5 of 23)
Chris said:

I wonder what will happen to Esoteric´s business concept, when Universal too realizes there is money to be made in releasing those 24/96 masters as hi rez downloads?

The difference between small and big companies is that the big ones only bother about offering new products or services when there is A LOT of money to be made.

The big labels could easily take over the business of small audiophile labels, by hiring the best mastering engineers and selling $30 SACDs, but they don't care because the audiophile market is too small.

Post by audioholik April 15, 2010 (6 of 23)
Chris said:

So this is where SACD is really heading when one label after the other is abandoning SACD? Though obviously not LINN.

obviously not Linn and Universal Japan.

Post by tream April 15, 2010 (7 of 23)
akiralx said:

The Kleiber is good but the Karajan is an odd choice, not one of his better recordings. Why not his Strauss or Sibelius?

I suspect that the Lehar would be a big hit in Japan and is likely considered to be a more important recording there than in the West.

Post by rammiepie April 15, 2010 (8 of 23)
I am trepidatious that Teac~Esoteric's pricing is going to set a dangerous precedent for all future re~issues and will no doubt be a deterrent to newbies dipping their feet in the SACD landscape. Insanely priced, these releases will no doubt find their mark. Even Analogue Productions upcoming Nat King Cole Story (a 2 SACD set), mastered from the original three~track analogue master tapes and utilizing the Grimm Audio converter is listed at US $65....which seems like a virtual bargain considering the painstaking work which went into it. Greed seems boundless. When one can purchase an OPPO BDP~83 Universal player for US $499, if one does the math that is 7 Teac~Esoteric 96/24 SACDs. Knock yourselves out!

Post by feinstei April 15, 2010 (9 of 23)
I have purchased all of the Esoteric SACD's (including the Ring Cycle). When I was informed that they deceptively and sneakily falsely advertised (or inferred strongly) that their SACD's were mastered from the analogue 2 track masters, I have sworn off of anything that Esoteric tries pawn off on unsuspecting audiophiles.

Another suspicion... The Ring Cycle, as currently released on CD by Decca/Polygram is hideously noise reduced. Are the Esoteric SACD's that I paid $725 for also from the same crushed, noise reduced masters?????

I urge others to boycott Esoteric until they HONESTLY and FORTHRIGHTLY disclose the EXACT source that they've used for their overpriced releases.

Post by Jonty April 15, 2010 (10 of 23)
feinstei said:

from the same crushed, noise reduced masters?????

Esoteric state that Universal made new 24/96 transfers for them. You can believe them or not. I do.

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