NYT on Electric Recording Co. vinyl


In today's New York Times there's an interesting (and laudatory) article on vinyl from Electric Recording Co. by columnist Ben Sisario. I think this forum prevents listing of the complete URL, but the piece is easily searched online if you'd like to read it.

Sisario listened to a few ERC LPs at Michael Fremer's house and was taken with the product: "I am often skeptical of claims of vinyl’s superiority, but when listening to one of Electric Recording’s albums of Bach’s solo violin pieces played by Martzy, I was stunned by their clearness and beauty. Compared to the other pressings, Electric Recording’s version had vivid, visceral details, yielding a persuasive illusion of a human being standing before me drawing a bow across a violin." He notes, of course, that MF has a state-of-the-art system to justify the cost:benefit ratio.

On the other hand, he notes skepticism by Chad Kassem (Acoustic Sounds). In essence, the difference is price per Kassem.

Perhaps more interesting are details of the production process, a bio sketch on ERC founder Pete Hutchison and justification for the price/album. All in all, an interesting 5 minute read.

kacomess
Yes but unfortunately its five minutes wasted on whatever narrative the NYT wants you to believe. 

Its not even good writing. Check it out:
"I am often skeptical of claims of vinyl’s superiority, but when listening to one of Electric Recording’s albums of Bach’s solo violin pieces played by Martzy, I was stunned by their clearness and beauty. Compared to the other pressings, Electric Recording’s version had vivid, visceral details, yielding a persuasive illusion of a human being standing before me drawing a bow across a violin."


He is "often skeptical of claims of vinyl's superiority, but..." but what???  "Compared to the other pressings!" Oh. I see. So he was skeptical, until he heard vinyl compared to.... itself! 

Oh and you got to love, "one of Bach's solo violin pieces". Ahh yes, the famous "one of!"
Well one thing for sure, it really is "the failing New York Times!"




@millercarbon: "I am often skeptical of claims of vinyl's superiority ..." here Ben Sisario is obviously referring to the old analog vs. digital debate. How's your reading comprehension, eh?
The criticism of the NY Times comes from MAGA hatted crazies who follow a right wing credo to the letter. The Times is far from failing, has one of the most respected group of writers anywhere, and clearly this article was written by a non audio geek...a refreshing take compared to the leaking gasbags who often hold court around here.
I think @millercarbon would have found the exact same article far less offensive if printed identically by National Review. It’s a shame that an article published in a newspaper of wide circulation that perhaps draws some heightened interest in this hobby is slammed on a purely political level. sigh.
Wonderful records however i won’t be buying any anytime soon remember Fremer gets them for free.Not worth $300.00 and up to me however if you think they are  great jump on some asap before they sell out.
Really liked the article, especially the comments sections.  It's good to see audiophile esoterica presented to the larger population.  Love the NYT, America's newspaper of record. I want to give a shout out to Will Weng and Eugene T. Maleska!
I have seen Johanna Martzy’s original pressings sell on eBay for as much as $6000. Hard to figure out when one can buy Erica Morini recordings for next to nothing.

://theamericanscholar.org/the-cult-of-johanna-martzy/

Frank
Post removed 
The comments on the NYT article include this one posted about an hour ago by Michael Fremer:

Michael Fremer, Wyckoff NJ54m ago

"I have enjoyed reading the responses to Ben Sisario’s story, in which I’m referenced, though it saddens me that this story about musical enjoyment so angers some. Stereophile readers own stereos costing from very little money to a whole lot. They are all music lovers who appreciate good sound. I’ve never met one who owns equipment for its own sake. The ones with more money or who devote more of their limited resources to it, have better systems from which they derive a great deal of pleasure. Does anyone think "all cars drive alike"? Or that you have to be an "autofool" to drive a Maserati when a KIA will get you to the grocery store and back? Or that you’d better do a double blind shock absorber test before choosing one over another? Beyond some anger in the comments is a curious level of resentment. And over what? Someone else’s preferred music source? What’s that about? The digital lectures, anger and resentment began when I dared say in the early 1980s that compact discs sounded terrible. They did! When Mr. Sisario visited I wasn’t there to sell him anything. He just wanted to hear on a quality audio system what exactly The Electric Recording Company was selling. When we compared the ERC pressing on vinyl to the newly mastered CD version, his comment wasn’t about frequency response, or anything technical. It was that one sounded as if a person was sitting in front of him playing a cello and one didn’t. You can’t measure that but you sure can hear it."

Does anybody remember Hans Fantel, the home audio writer from the NYT and Stereo Review? Always looked forward to his articles.

What’s most interesting about the article sidebar comments is how many folks believe their view on digital vs analog is the "correct" one...as if being correct in this regard makes you a more virtuous person. What’s wrong with liking what you like? You might as well argue over a flavor, scent, color, or even a newspaper you enjoy reading. Why can’t we just share ideas, experiences, and preferences without being so self righteous? Some just can't help but opportunistically insert their agenda in order to fuel oneself continuously.
I used to put down digital somewhat until the system improved to the level it is now. Red Book CDs can sound fantastic, right up there with vinyl. However, there is something about good vinyl that just has that "extra." I'm not ready to give up my LPs, that's for sure. 

Plus, there's all of that gorgeous artwork and liner notes on LP jackets that are meaningful too.  Any David Stone Martin fans out there? 

Frank
R. Crumb prefers 78's. Have all ya'll seen the documentary done on him, "Crumb"? Very entertaining.