PDA

View Full Version : Deutsche Grammophon_premier coding ???



Earl K
01-17-2004, 11:45 AM
Hello

- Anybody have any opinions/experience that they'd like to share about Deutsche Grammophons' " Original-Image-Bit-Processing " / coding?

- My experience with this coding process is quite abysmal. For example; as I increase my systems resolution and imaging capabilities - the more this "process" reveals itself as just "suckingout" all sense of soundstage , resulting in little left to right image and just about zero front to back . On the other hand, the process does create great sparkly/rich sounding "wallpaper" ( one dimensional music ).

- Right now I'm auditioning an old Studer A775/ Revox B225 CD player.

regards <. Earl K :D

Jan Daugaard
01-18-2004, 02:50 AM
Hi Earl,

I think that Deutsche Grammophon's use of original image bit processing (mastering in HiRes before down-conversion to 44.1 KHz/16 bit) is a minor issue.

The problem is that they were (and still are) using a large number of microphones, some of them for close-miking. This leads to suppression of the natural reverberation from the concert hall, and artificial reverberance is then added to compensate for this deficiency. Furthermore, the bass in a nearfield recording is too strong, so EQ has to be applied as well. The result is necessarily awkward. :biting:

With the exception of some historical recordings, I stopped buying records from DG many years ago.

Earl K
01-18-2004, 05:08 AM
Hi Jan

Thanks for your thoughts .

I stopped buying records from DG many years ago.

Thats discouraging - but I feel I can empathize with you after my own dissappointment over paying premium prices for glorified musical wallpaper.

Here's a bit of a quote from DG touting what they are particularly proud of ( referring to "Original-Image Bit-Processing" )
DG: "This recreation employs (whever possible) physio-acoustic principles to compensate for delay factors ( such as the time required for sounds to reach the main microphones) as well as an extremely high-resolution processing of the musical signals.

That appears to describe a "Time-Aligning" of some secondary microphones.
Whatever it is, it doesn't translate into any depth of field for me.

Now on the other hand; I have a Deutsche Grammophon box set of Verdis' "Nabucco". I find the 3 distinct microphone placements or "perspectives" from these recording very engaging . These perspectives are so interesting in fact that I could be turned into an opera fan.

So for me the jury is still out on Deutsche Grammophon products, though I don't think I'll ever buy a disc that has been massaged by their "Original-Image Bit-Processing" .

regards < Earl K :)

BTW, Jan , do you have a preferred or recommended "label" for classical recordings ?

Jan Daugaard
01-19-2004, 04:41 AM
Hi Earl K,

The time aligment issue addressed in your DG quotation is yet another problem incurred by the multi-microphone approach.

Other record companies have a similar approach. The DVD-A from EMI of Mahler's 10th symphony with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Simon Rattle thus sounds like a mediocre CD -- the potential of the new medium is regrettably wasted because of EMI's recording technique. The music and the interpretation are strong arguments in favour of buying this recording on CD, however.

I have just bought my first recording from Linn records, and it certainly won't be the last: Mozart's Requiem and Adagio & Fugue in C minor K546 / The Scottish Chamber Orchestra / Sir Charles Mackerras is delightful, both musically and technically. A reviewer in a German magazine complained that the sound is distant, which is true compared to DG's wall of sound, but the Linn SACD conveys the natural acoustics, and this is the way to go with the new HiRes media (DVD-A and SACD).
Most of Telarc's SACDs are fine, too. Even old recordings can be made to sound glorius with careful mastering; the multichannel version of Billie Holiday's "Lady in Satin" Columbia CS86697 is a prime example of this. Be careful not to confuse it with the previous SACD version of this recording, Columbia CS65144, which technically is a failure.

It might be appropriate to add that I have a 4.0 system: Four JBL S3100, two NAD S300, and a Denon DVD-2900 (plus a Revox B795 and some other components that aren't relevant here).

Regards
Jan D.

Earl K
01-19-2004, 06:26 AM
Thanks Jan

I appreciate you sharing your thoughts on this .

<. Earl K :)

PSS AUDIO
01-19-2004, 08:38 AM
Originally posted by Earl K
Now on the other hand; I have a Deutsche Grammophon box set of Verdis' "Nabucco". I find the 3 distinct microphone placements or "perspectives" from these recording very engaging . These perspectives are so interesting in fact that I could be turned into an opera fan.

Hi,

If I am not mistaken this a very old technique from Mercury and their famous recordings under the name of "LIVING PRESENCE".

I must say that those are the only CD I buy as they seem so natural, even better than the artificial head.

With a good stereo system you are in the arena listening at the music and all the ambience of the musicians even the lorry driving out doors!