The very best sound: Direct to Disc

Dear @melm  : I posted here that I own the D2D Telarc with the Cleveland and that is really bad recording against almost any D2D similar kind of recordings.

Btw, I was unaware that Telarc recorded not one but two D2D LPs.

R.

I'm a little surprised that the MoFi Mingus Ah Um D2D, featured in the latest S'Phile has not been mentioned. It is largely sold out on preorder. It is not cheap-$125 and up depending on reseller for two 45 rpm records reportedly (Jim Austin wrote the piece) in a vault of a package. Mr. Austin wrote that though pricey, he has never heard better vinyl. 

Onestep Ultradisc Ah Um is not D2D.

"At one time time, later in the LP era, they did collaborate in a series of 3 classical LPs recorded in Russia for the Sheffield label, "The Moscow Sessions." However, since Johnson’s very special tape machine was "contracted" to RR, they had to borrow one (from Wilson IIRC) to do these recordings. Very good recordings, but not up to the RR standard IMO."

Those Moscow Sessions are some of the best recordings of an orchestra that i have ever heard. IMO. Not the CD but the LPs. The best version of Appalachian Spring I have ever heard is in this set by a Russian orchestra. lol

I have just about all the Sheffield “Moscow Sessions“ LP’s.
 I have to disagree about their SQ.
To my taste, the orchestra is recorded too distantly, like from a seat in the balcony. This diffuses the sound with a subsequent loss in detail.
Similar to the sound of current Reference Recordings CDs, which I also have problems with (despite their high regard.)