Thread: Sonarc, the Atlanta Symphony, and DSD

Posts: 17
Page: 1 2 next

Post by Ubertrout January 14, 2012 (1 of 17)
So, I was browsing the record store lately, as is my wont in spite of their thinning numbers, and noticed that the Atlanta Symphony just released a recording of the Rachmaninoff 3rd Piano Concerto (w. Garrick Ohlsson) and the Symphonic Dances - on their own label. The rear of the CD clearly indicated that the album was recorded in DSD, but there was no indication that it was a SACD. Further, the recording was apparently produced by Sonarc - the succesor to Telarc. If the ASO isn't interested in making this as a SACD, it's surely an ominous sign.

Post by diw January 15, 2012 (2 of 17)
That might be the most depressing piece of SACD news I've heard recently. After all, it's not Telarc. And if any orchestra understand the virtues of SACD, you'd think it would be the ASO.

Post by fausto K January 15, 2012 (3 of 17)
Even Exton releases RBCDs which are DSD recorded. I had someone in Japan purchase Sieghart's recent Mahler 5 for me and was puzzled to find out that it's not a SACD, but DSD recorded nonetheless. As far as I know it has not been released as a SACD. It's odd, given that the other Mahlers by Sieghart with the same orch. (Mahler 6, 10 and DLVDE) are of course in the SACD format.

Post by DSD January 15, 2012 (4 of 17)
Yes it is a crying shame!

SonArc (which means "Son of Telarc") was formed by Robert Woods (previous co-owner of Telarc) with his wife Elaine Martone. The other previous co-owner Jack Renner retired.

Telarc is now owned by Concord Music Group, Jack Renner and Robert Woods were bought out and the all the recording staff were fired. Telarc now outsources the previous staff "Five/Four Productions" (Michael Bishop, Robert Friedrich, etc.) for new Telarc recordings which are so far only available on CDs or MP3s even though they continue to be DSD recorded in Stereo and Multichannel.

Another sad thing is besides Telarc, Five/Four Productions is making new DSD stereo/multichannel recordings for Deutsche Grammophon and others which like the Telarc's are only released on CD and MP3.

All of these companies are paying for the multichannel hi-res programs so we must assume that at some point in the future and in some form they intend to eventually release them in multichannel and hi-res.

Post by Ubertrout January 15, 2012 (5 of 17)
But that doesn't all explain why Sonarc recordings would not be released as SACD, unless the format is seen as essentially expired.

And also...they paid for a DSD recording done with (presumably) enough mics for stereo or MCH....not for a MCH mix.

Post by hiredfox January 16, 2012 (6 of 17)
Ubertrout said:

So, I was browsing the record store lately, as is my wont in spite of their thinning numbers, and noticed that the Atlanta Symphony just released a recording of the Rachmaninoff 3rd Piano Concerto (w. Garrick Ohlsson) and the Symphonic Dances - on their own label. The rear of the CD clearly indicated that the album was recorded in DSD, but there was no indication that it was a SACD. Further, the recording was apparently produced by Sonarc - the succesor to Telarc. If the ASO isn't interested in making this as a SACD, it's surely an ominous sign.

Ominous in the sense that they appear to be covering their future options by recording in the best format available today, anticipating that the future of hi-res is downloading for which the DSD format can be readily down-sampled to 192/24 prior to on-line transmission. In the highly unlikely circumstance of somebody in the future offering commercially viable DSD downloading as an alternative to PCM then bingo they have exactly the format for that as well.

The Atlanta Symphony is not a world-class orchestra so it is a relatively minor loss to we audiophile collectors. Of more concern would be the loss of LSO and RCO from the SACD family.

It is worth reminding ourselves that LSO Live always recorded in DSD even 'though many of their initial releases were RB only and we had one glorious 'summer's' day a couple of years ago when they re-released in SACD the only one of Davis' 3rd Sibelius set that had initially been released as an RBCD.


LSO Live must be throroughly fed up with my lobbying to get the Berlioz discs onto SACD, especially


"Harold in Italy" (PLEASE CHAZ!!!!!)
"Symphonie Fantastique" (PLEASE CHAZ!!!!!)
"Les Troyens" (PLEASE CHAZ !!!!!)


We can only buy what is offered after all......

Post by FunkyMonkey January 16, 2012 (7 of 17)
Do sonarc do downloads in DSD?

Post by LivyII January 16, 2012 (8 of 17)
hiredfox said:

The Atlanta Symphony is not a world-class orchestra...

I don't know that I would agree with this...! They have just refurbished their hall and they have played under world-class maestros like Shaw...recent discs with Spano, such as RVW 5th Symphony have drawn superlative reviews...what is not world-class about them?

Post by Gigi January 17, 2012 (9 of 17)
LivyII said:

I don't know that I would agree with this...! They have just refurbished their hall and they have played under world-class maestros like Shaw...recent discs with Spano, such as RVW 5th Symphony have drawn superlative reviews...what is not world-class about them?

+1

Post by hiredfox January 17, 2012 (10 of 17)
LivyII said:

I don't know that I would agree with this...! They have just refurbished their hall and they have played under world-class maestros like Shaw...recent discs with Spano, such as RVW 5th Symphony have drawn superlative reviews...what is not world-class about them?

It seems fair to think in Hollywood terms of 'A' List and 'B' List with orchestras and players and observers should take particular note of which soloists and guest conductors are prepared to go where.

My local Bournemouth Symphony is superb technically and artistically and have made many renowned recordings over the years but I would not rate them as 'A' List even 'though they sometimes attract top soloists and conductors.

... but we'd never get Jansson, Haitink or Perahia and my bet is neither would the Atlanta Symphony.

'A' List is World Class, the bar is very high and maybe 10 orchestras have a valid claim to be there.

We are talking RCO, BPO, NYPO, LSO, VPO, CSO, Dresden + 3 more at most probably.

Page: 1 2 next

Closed