Most demanding passages for a turntable & system

One of my favorites and most demanding to play is a Japanese Direct to Disc 45rpm recording of Bethoven's Appassionata on the RCA label. It is very dynamic and exciting to hear. I got it in the 80s and have played it on some good systems. I have heard mistracking on most systems with this record. I can play it with my current cartridge but the stylus has to be perfectly clean. The other record to try is T's 1812 overture on the Telarc label. You can plainly see where the canon shots are in the grooves. I have seen that record (not with my copy, fortunately) throw tonearms off the record! If Peterayer ever invites me over to hear his turntable, I'm bringing these two records with me.

Yes, that is the same album. I found my copy in the 80s in a cutout bin for $2. What a jewel of a find. Now that you mention it, the pace of her playing is fast. I'm used to the record so the one time I heard it live, I felt the live player was a bit slow. It is surprising to me that performers at such an accomplished level would change the tempo so much. Different interpretations maybe. Also, the way the piano is miked on this record makes you feel like you are sitting very close to the piano. (Could you hear her breathing in the quiet passages and the strings rattle on that one loud passage?) The live presentation is very different since I was sitting a good distance away from the piano. That is the other thing about hifi, I think- we have our own intimate presentation to enjoy for ourselves that is not often experienced live.

I have a couple of Digital Mastered records from around 1980 like the Telarc 1812 Overture that I enjoy; but my analog hifi buddies in the 80s turned their noses up at these digital renderings. Especially when their tonearms skate across the record during the canon fire. (Nothing a penny couldn't fix :0) )

Hi Raul, I have not had a lot of different cartridges over the years- maybe 8 or 9; but I had a Koetsu Black that played it wonderfully until it became a bit worn. It still sounded great with other records so I just put the Appassionta away. Now my current cartridge, the Benz plays it perfectly. These two have been my favorite cartridges. I wore the Koetsu down to a nub almost. I still have it and keep planning to get it retipped. I enjoy the Benz so much that I haven't gotten around to it. I think the Benz cartridges (I have had two of them) and the SME tonearms are a great combination. Couple that with a tube preamp and it is hard to leave the room.

I haven't played the 1812 in years, truth be told. I don't think that I have even tried it with my curent Benz. I think the bass was a little soft with the Koetsu; but then I think MC's cartridges in general do not develop that gut punching bass like MM's can. I'm thinking back to the early 80s and liked listening to Rock mostly back then. I heard the helicopter from Pink Floyd's The Wall on at top end system once in the 90s; but it was a CD. (Top end being Wilson Watt/Puppies and all ML electronics). My analog system does not quite get to the level of POP POP POP from the helicopter blades like that system did. (I do not have the CD). The closest is just recently with additonal isolation under my turntable.

I played the 1812. It was fun. One of the few times that a subwoofer would be nice to reproduce the sub-sonics of the cannon fire.