I found the new record sets cheap and ordered the Rheingold to see if it betters the same 24/192 files.
Yesterday I intensively compared the original LP”s vs. Superanalogue LP’s vs. the new files again (Walküre and Rheingold).
The new digital set is really very good in detail and ambiance retrieval, shape of voices, 3D and even air. The source must have been as good as the one for the originals. This set is extremely similar sounding to the original LP’s with a similar level of the above characteristics, some even slightly better. But part of it is an EQ choice which also has a disadvantage and part seems to be digital limitations I guess.
The new set, besides the great sound characteristics, has less ease and natural character, sounds flatter in string tone than both LP sets, has less flow and especially the female singers sound a little compressed and annoying when loud. It has a somehow technical character in the mids. All this makes it at least as fascinating to listen to as the record sets, but not as natural, harmonically rich and flowing sounding.
That’s where I have a little bit hope for this new LP set. It could possibly improve this PCM remastering, I’ll see and report. Those tapes should have been transferred to DSD.
In 10 years from now, when more sound engineers are again a little smarter, we’ll be sad that once more the better technology was ignored at the time such last time captures of those kinds of analog tapes were done.
I now also got the new Rheingold record set. It sounds technically even better than the files and at the same time a bit more natural in mids (both probably HW and mechanical cutting/scanning process related, no general difference in the transfer). Extremely similar anyway.
The original in comparison also sounds very similar with some less sharp transients, definition, transparency and tonal shape than both (probably also a bit EQ related) but therefore has some more ease.
I’m sure the absolute best would have been an AAA or at least DSD transfer of the new remaster, but the new LP’s sound at least that bit better than the files to make it worth for me to buy the other LP sets, too. Technically the best sounding version at the end although the great source quality was transferred to the files and the LP set with a slight technical touch in sound which the original and the Superanalogue release don’t have. I think that’s the damn digital PCM step inbetween.
The Decca Wagner/Solti originals don’t have the full amount of air several Italian opera recordings on Decca have and this air/ambiance so far didn’t make it to a digital media or remaster. So I guess that made it easier for the new Wagner remastering to be so close to the original even by a digital transfer.
So finally the digital media of the new remastering is gorgeous and the best ever on digital. The new LP set can sound technically even better (depending on your record player) and also lessens the slight technical touch in mids a bit. The original LP (if you have a NM one) sounds nearly but not fully as good technically but with more ease and natural tone. Difficult to decide which to listen to, but as it’s hard to find an original playing as clean as the new remaster, the new one is the more probable choice for most. The Superanalogue has the richest tone and a little too much deep bass. The rich sound and the ease of this tube cut is also very nice for an opera, but the technical losses of the tape copy used in this case are also obvious.
All that said if there’s no better original stamper than I have (you never know, but I took care).
