Posted by audiophile on April 08, 2003 at 11:37:08:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: San Francisco Symphony Tubist? posted by True... on April 06, 2003 at 20:21:53:
A few points about the recording that have gone unmentioned so far: It was recorded live just days after the 9/11 attacks on the USA. It employs some of the newest cutting edge recording/audio technology out there, the DSD (direct stream digital) format was used during recording, and the consumer discs you purchase have both a conventional cd layer and a SACD (super audio compact disc) layer. For you non-techies DSD is a new digital process that utilizes a much higher sampling rate than conventional (PCM) recording does, the sound is sampled over 2,800,000 times per second in DSD versus 44,000 times in PCM. SACD is a "new" cd format that allows the retrieval of the greatly increased ammount of information, as well as the option of recording up to six channels of music instead of the regular two channels present on convetional stereo cd's. These particular S.F.S. discs will play on all cd players, but you need a SACD player to hear the SACD layer, which is present both in stereo and multichannel!
The multichannel (surround sound) tracks of the Mahler 6 are fantastic sounding, capturing the "acoustics" and "ambience" of the hall in a way two channel stereo simply cannot. Get theeself a copy of this disc and hear it in multichannel, take it to a stereo retailer that has a five channel system and have them play it for you.
If you are anything like me, you will quickly decide you must have a multichannel system of your own. MTT and the SFS are doing a complete Mahler cycle utilizing this technology, 1,3,and 6 are done and available so far.
If I am not mistaken the recording of #6 won the Grammy award in at least one of the "big" classical categories, Best Orchestral Recording I think.
Visit the SONY website for more details on the technology and the SFS website for more info on both the recording process in general, and these Mahler discs in particular.