Yes, these:
Outer box is white. Inner box black. So I think we mean the same thing! Invaluable libretto, to be sure!
You must be listening to a ‘wrong’ recording of ‘The Ring’ if you’re able to drift off into a comfy little snooze - you sure as heck wouldn’t be able to in my listening room with six ESL57 panels playing Wagner’s ‘magic fire’ at you.
Six?!!! Can you share some pictures of that setup? Sounds amazing!
That’s funny. I wonder if there is any other difference. Are you in Europe? I am in the U.S.
Not during the magic fire, but you must allow that there are occasional snooze points in 16 or 17 hours!
I’m not at home at the moment - stuck in a care home, recovering from a stomach disorder - so I can’t post pic’s (although I have in the past).
Essentially, there are two stacked pairs of QUAD ESL57s in front of the sofa (listening seat for three), two floor standing LHS panels and two floor standing RHS panels (powered by an NAP135 for each side) plus a ceiling mounted LHS ESL panel and RHS ESL panel behind the sofa (with rear signal processed by an AV-1 processor feeding a single NAP250).
That sounds complicated, but think it as a mono power amp and two panels each for front LHS and RHS in front of the sofa, and a single stereo amp and a single panel for each of the rear LHS and RHS speakers hanging upside down and above and behind the sofa. Fortunately the room is a perfect rectangular ‘shoebox’ shape, as seen in all the best concert halls.
I hope that makes sense, and I’ll post some pictures when I get home.
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Well I have reached the end! A monumental work with endless twists and turns. Not a happy ending other than the ring, representing power over the world, being removed from those who would use it for their evil ends being returned from whence it came. The evil get their just deserves and some of the goodies as well.
I am blessed to have a system that portrays the drama and the emotion so well. I’m not sure how much the latest remastering could improve on what I have. I will listen again. I guess to goal is to follow the story rather than listen to the magnificence of the music. The singing is out of this world in terms of power and the high notes.
I have a collection of my late cousin’s CDs and LPs of just about every opera ever written/recorded if not every production. I have hardly scratched the surface.
Phil
I think that I’m right in saying that Wagner wrote at the end of the score ‘The mighty work is completed’.
It certainly always feels that way once you reach the end. And you’re quite right, it’s not a happy ending, but that’s not always the way that things work out - even for Norse gods!
Of course you can follow the story while enjoying the music but, once you have the gist of what’s going on, you don’t need to worry too much about following the libretto word for word.
You couldn’t make that recording today, as the singers of that quality are no longer around. (I don’t know why.)
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Why not buy a 192/24 download of the latest remaster of Rheingold. It’s not expensive and I think it is a significant improvement.
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Thanks, I’ll stream it on Qobuz and let you know.
Phil
I’ve never streamed from Qobuz, but I have from Tidal and to my ears my locally stored downloads sound better than the streaming equivalent. Effectively, I only use tidal to hear a new piece before deciding to buy, or to listen to something not available to download.
We are waiting for you to get home.
best wishes
Ian
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Thank you so much, Ian.
These frigging friggers won’t let me out.
Can’t get my frigging bank to let me operate my account either, so I can’t even buy any more LPs to cheer myself up.
I have thought of refusing to eat, but I was recently diagnosed as diabetic, so that wouldn’t be very sensible.
I would never have believed that such a situation could arise in this (supposedly free) country. All sorts of threats to have me declared mentally unfit so as to be a danger to myself or others.
I’ve tried to think of ways to get before a judge, to argue my case to be released, but I don’t particularly want to smash the place up or hit one of the staff or other inmates (residents too polite a term for the other inmates here).
I’m worried that, in order to trick my way out, I may have to leave all the possessions that I have here (including the two unused Nikon F2 Titans) behind.
This may read as fanciful or exaggerated, but I’m afraid that it’s only too real, and I’ve been stuck like a rat in a trap here for too many months now.
You need someone to act on your behalf - an advocate
Rooting for you big time
Ian
I’m well able to do that for myself, Ian, but there’s no person who is prepared to front up to being in charge of incarcerating me in this rats’ nest with whom I can discuss any of this, let alone argue my case to be discharged home.
I’ve just shouted at a nurse who came into the room just now whom I’ve never seen before in my life.
This is not good for my mental health, even though I can see very clearly that I’m playing into the hands of those who want to make a so-called DOLLS order (depriving me of my liberty under Mental Health legislation).
So not a good situation by any stretch of the imagination.
I intend to refuse all food (but not fluids), starting tomorrow morning. I imagine that, if they want to force-feed me against my will, the matter will have to go before a judge. Which is exactly what I want.
Anyway, I really don’t want to wash this particular dirty linen in public, so let’s leave it here, please.
But thanks anyway.
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This has gone way too far
All the best
Ian
I’ve been streaming it this morning and I am finding it crisper, more detailed (individual instruments like woodwind very noticeable) and more natural, not that the overall enjoyment is vastly increased although this would be my favourite.
I have given up buying as Qobuz satisfies my needs. I don’t want to embark on scratching any more itches!
Phil
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Much the same experience here. The Qobuz stream of the new remaster reveals, to my ears, better interior detail and overall a smoother frequency response, especially at the extremes. Things seem to have been brought more in line with one another and into a little better focus. The blacks seem a bit blacker, too. Vinyl is on order and I can’t wait to compare!
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Many thanks for bringing this new version to my attention. Just ordered the SACD version of the two that have so far been released, Das Rheingold and Die Walküre. Looking forward to an immersive listening session during the Xmas break!
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