Has anyone listened to any Decca’s new remasterings of the Solti ‘Ring’ yet, and (particularly) been able to compare it against previous issues?
I’m fairly sure David Hendon has (at least Das Rheingold). I think he described it elsewhere. Perform a search on his userid.
Maison (above) has listened to a download, but was waiting for the LPs to arrive.
I’ve ordered the LPs anyway, but I’m just interested to read anyone’s thoughts. (I’m limited at the moment to listening to music on my iPhone or this Mac (which has a faulty speaker), so not quite what I’m used to.
(I’ve been corresponding separately with David about John Culshaw’s ‘Ring Resounding’, his recollections of recording the Solti set.)
Yes, I have that book - a large hardback copy came with the big white boxset, released a few years back. Don’t tell David, but I’ve still not got round to reading it 
A friend of mine who isn’t a forum member recently bought the remastered Das Rheingold on vinyl and compared it with another vinyl set which I know was an original pressing from the early 70s because it was mine before I gave it to him and I remember buying it.
He said that he could hear more detail in the remastered set which seemed quite transparent but nevertheless he preferred the original vinyl because it seemed more realistic and musical to him. I suspect that he is just liking what he is used to, but he got quite cross with me when I said that.
He has a good Naim system 252, NAP 300DR, Fact 12 speakers and a high end LP12 with a Lyra cartridge. He also has an NDS, NAT 05 XS and a UnitiCore and always prefers the vinyl sound to anything that he rips and streams to the NDS.
He sent me a rip of the last section of Das Rheingold from my original vinyl and I compared that with the hi res download of the same section on the remastered highlights CD. I preferred the new mastering, but only just. I thought it sounded great and very moreish. The original vinyl rip sounded lovely too.
Incidentally @graham55 Graham I sent you an email about that book a couple of days ago but I didn’t see a reply yet?
Clive you must read it. It’s fascinating. When I was in the sixth form at school I had that book out on loan from the public library for almost a year…
I think I said last year that I’d read it over the winter, but… well, life got in the way! I’ll try to remember to take it out next time I’m listening to the opera. Maybe that was it - I didn’t play any of the operas last winter.
Hello, David, I’m very sorry indeed if I haven’t replied to an e-mail. from you (as I know that you’re kindly trying to help). The last e-mail that I know of was my saying to you that I will be in touch once I’ve escaped my current internment camp (not a phrase that I used, but that’s what it has become). I don’t have any clucking idea when that might be, but I have a horrible suspicion that my internment will now last into the New Year.
Not a happy situation, but none of my (now ex) friends will help me break out.
Anyway, let’s get the conversation back to Solti’s ‘Ring’. I ordered the LPs of ‘Rheingold’ a couple of weeks ago, when I thought that my release from gaol was imminent. I’m really looking forward to comparing them with my Teldec-pressed DMM LPs from 20-odd years ago, but I haven’t got home, so the new LPs could be anywhere now.
Hi Graham Don’t worry about it. I will send my email again, but anyway it’s all up to you. I hope your situation is resolved soon and that you have a great Christmas notwithstanding the circumstances.
Thanks, as ever, David, and I’m sorry to inconvenience you. I wish that the last part of your message were likely, but I don’t think that people who are banged up have much fun at Xmas,
You are no inconvenience Graham. Far from it.
Best
David
I think this observation can often apply to HiFi systems!
Hello, David, I’ve looked again, but don’t see your e-mail. Please don’t worry, as I’d rather have the book sent to my home soon-ish, than sent to my current rats’ nest.
The James Bond film ‘Skyfall’ - which I think is easily the best since the glory days of Connery - has just started on ITV, so that’s me sorted for this evening. I first saw it in a cinema in Berkhamsted (where many of my family live) on its release. I remember that the biggest audience reaction was a huge cheer when Bond took M (Ms Dench) to a lock up garage and, damn me, the old Aston Martin DB5 was revealed. Wonderful stuff!
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Might be in your junk folder I suppose. Anyway I will wait for you to say idc.
That looks like a mouth watering set of LPs. I’m very envious indeed.
I’m also rather concerned about what might have happened to the LPs that I ordered, as I’ve had no message from Amazon that they’ve been left with a neighbour (or whatever). It’s my own fault, of course, but I thought that I’d be home by now to receive them.
In the US, they now include a photo of the item on my porch when delivered, and you can see that in your order status in Amazon. Have you by chance checked your order status to see if they were delivered? Regardless, I don’t want to delve into your personal affairs but I sincerely hope you are home soon!
Thanks, that’s kind of you. Sometimes I do get photos of items taken on the front step to the house, but practice varies so much here that I can’t rely on that. No doubt I shall get the LPs eventually. There’s no point in obsessing about it, as it can make no possible difference.
OK. I have now listened to the new Rheingold remastering on vinyl. I absolutely loved it! I haven’t had time to go back and listen to the 2012 remastering as a comparison, but the new version is so engaging, lifelike and balanced that I am sure there is improvement. Based on my memory of having listened to the earlier remasterings many times, there is more space to the sound, especially in the louder passages. More and clearer overtones, particularly in things like the horns. And Freia’s voice seems to have almost unlimited overtones and headroom. It is like a film has been lifted from the sound in many places. More shimmer and life. Little internal details that I don’t remember noticing before. And there were moments, like the Nibelheim scene, where I really forgot I was listening to a recording and just luxuriated in the voices. Quite an achievement for a recording that was put on tape in 1958!
Again, it has always been a great recording, but this latest tweak seems to have brought it up a notch. Well worth it in my humble opinion.
And now I see that they are going to release it in Dolby Atmos? That sounds like fun!
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That’s very good to read your thoughts. I look forward to listening to my new copy, assuming that I can find it.
I have no idea what Dolby Atmos is or does, or how you would go about playing it back. Whatever it may be, I will not be buying these LPs again, wonderful as I hope that my new LPs will be.