User Details - jdaniel@jps.net

recommendations


Name:
  John Smyth
Details:
  Classical Music buff, Orchestral Musician, (Piano, Celeste) Audiophile wanna be.
Location:
 
HiFi:
  Marantz SA-14 ver.2 SACD/CD player (2 channel)
Musical Fidelity A308 Integrated amp
Vandersteen 3a Signatures speakers (3 way with 10" bass radiators)
Cardas Neutral Reference bi-wired speaker cables and interconnects
Sony DVP-NC685V Universal player with SACD surround ($250--what can I say?)

Soon to come:

Harmon Pardon AVR 230 A/V processor for rears and .1 sub
Vandersteen VCM rears and Sub.
Email:
 
Web:
 
Posts:
  210

 
 
Reviews
Found: 18 show all

Shostakovich: Symphony No. 11 - Rostropovich          (7 of 7 found this review helpful)
  March 1, 2005

Just finished listening. Damn I had forgotten how much I loved this symphony. The good news to report is that both 2 and multi-channel SACD relieve much of the congestion and claustrophobia of the redbook edition. Strings are miraculously warm considering how closely recorded they are, and bass drum ... more
Holst: The Planets - Susskind        (6 of 7 found this review helpful)
  November 8, 2004

There's no denying that this is an excellent recording--very roomy with incredible bloom, impact, and yes, a satisfying organ contribution--*and* a mostly inspired, sometimes unique performance. The armies of "Mars" don't march by as anonymously as one might be used to--the occasional solos are ... more
Saint-Saëns: Piano Concertos Vol. 1 - Malikova/Sanderling        (6 of 6 found this review helpful)
  November 6, 2004

So soon to have complete Saint Saens Piano concerti on the Audite label with Anna Malikova on the piano accompanied by T. Sanderling and the WDR Orchestra, Koln. The 2nd and 4th concerti, (vol. 1), need no intro, but if you don't know the 3rd and esp. the 5th, they are gems. Some beautiful poetic ... more
Saint-Saëns: Piano Concertos Vol. 2 - Malikova/Sanderling        (4 of 4 found this review helpful)
  November 6, 2004

So soon to have complete Saint Saens Piano concerti on the Audite label with Anna Malikova on the piano accompanied by T. Sanderling and the WDR Orchestra, Koln. The 2nd and 4th concerti, (vol. 1), need no intro, but if you don't know the 3rd and esp. the 5th, they are gems. Some beautiful poetic ... more
Gershwin, Ravel: Piano Concertos - Pascal Rogé        (10 of 10 found this review helpful)
  October 30, 2004

A winning disc. Who would have thought: Ravel and Gershwin Piano concerti on SACD so soon--and with Pascal Roge no less! Roge tosses off an exciting and fragrant performance of the Ravel. Listen to the tocatta-like material in the first mov't--if this doesn't raise the hairs I don't know what will. ... more

 
 
Latest Posts

Discussion: Dutoit/Montreal Recordings from early 1980's?
October 10, 2007
I'm a big Dutoit fan as well, luckily, most of his early Decca/London work came out on Lp, with the extra upper octaves and clearer, fleshed-out bass that CD can't resolve. Get yourself a $125 Technics turntable and an $89 Shure cartridge. His records, some even sealed, might run you up to .29 cents. I'm so glad Dutoit is coming to Philadelphia. ... more
Discussion: Mahler: Symphony No. 7 - San Francisco/Michael Tilson Thomas
August 26, 2007
The extrovert sections are exciting and virtuosic, but IMHO MTT tends to push through the "magical" sections, (such as the beautiful "moonlit" music of the first mov't), missing the said magic and delicacy. If this section and the 3rd mov't are most interesting to you, the best I've heard are Sinopoli/Philharmonia and Levine/Chicago, sadly not SACD ... more
The unconfirmed thread
August 4, 2007
This is very interesting. We're talking his '60's cycle with the NYPO? I hope they will be able to do something with the original sound, which has very "hot" strings, anemic bass and too much compression. I listened to the 2nd and 7th on lp and was very disappointed. Double checking, I also listened to both on reel to reel and the tapes were ... more
Minimum Expectations - why stereo and not multi-channel? What can we do?
July 15, 2007
"Charles states that in order to achieve the quality of sound in the surround and center speakers to match that in the mains, the price of the unit would be prohibitive. This is the main reason he is offering two channel only." I think there's something to this in every respect. Perhaps speaking for the middle-class "audiophile," I starved myself ... more
News from Pentatone
May 23, 2007
I wonder if Pentatone was able to secure the hall in which Ansermet was recorded. It has to be one of the best ever. I'm just a back-seat listener, but if Pentatone has the Suisse Romande, it would be great if they could hunt down Dutoit to work with them. I've read he got thrown out of Montreal but I still think he's the real deal and could ... more