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RCA Living Stereo

I have collected vinyl for over fifty years. Jazz, classical, rock… I have lots of late fifties jazz recordings… some of the best are RCA Living Stereo albums. So, over the years if I found a Living Stereo Album, even not in the category of music I liked, I would buy it. I just found a couple dozen… I had bought over the years, usually for a dollar. I had cleaned them on my record cleaning machine, treated with Last and hid them in the corner.

I am currently listening to one called, Lisbon At Twilight… stereo 1958. Wonderful recording. There are a lot of these orchestral works created.. jazzy often from contemporary tunes. The recordings are compelling, so are the orchestrations and individually musicians even though I would have to classify much as elevator music.

 

But with such great recordings in a great system they can be really enjoyable. They are 180 gram of heavier as well. $1… what a deal… blast from the past.

ghdprentice

Showing 3 responses by audioguy85

audioguy85's avatar
audioguy85
2,022 posts
 

@drbond according to Tom at Better Records, the white dog Rca Living Stereo pressing is superior in sound quality to the shaded dog Reiner Sheherazade. I tend to trust his opinion as this is what he does for a living. I’ve bought many a record from him over the years, including the above, and I can attest that he knows his stuff. According to Tom, today's Lp's do not have that "tubey magic" that yesteryears Lp's possessed. Yes, they may be quieter. But they are lifeless. The older pressings present a living breathing person. 

Also, not all Living Stereo lps were all that great (Tom will even admit that) but some were fantastic. Like any other label, there were duds.

Mercury Living Presence was also a great sounding lp/label. Most of those I own sound superior to Anything released today. Most current releases sound like utter garbage.

audioguy85's avatar
audioguy85
2,022 posts
 

I own many RCA Living Stereo recordings, and I agree, some sound spectacular. I found a crap load in decent condition at a record store near where I work. I think I bought like 15 of them in one shot there, paying on average $3.99 per Lp. Others I acquired from both Ebay and discogs.

One thing I have learned is that on occasion, the white dog labels sound better than the shaded dog....for instance Sheherazade...

The Phase 4 Lp's sound great as well, I pick them up whenever I come across them in good condition. 

audioguy85's avatar
audioguy85
2,022 posts
 

@drbond 

https://ontherecord.co/2020/08/17/who-cant-hear-differences-in-sound-from-side-to-side/

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