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Classical music listening... what is a better source High Rez or Vinyl?

For many of us who really enjoy classical music, for me it is Baroque and opera, what is the better and more consistent for source high fidelity listening?

I am a mid hifi guy and have a Pro-ject Classic SB turntable with a high output MC Sumiko Blue Point No. 2 cartridge.. I am using a Jolida JD 9II Tube phone stage, with a vintage Telefunkin tube upgrade.

I have a Rogue Sphinx 3 integrated amplifier, with a vintage Mozada tube upgrade. My digital source DAC/SACD/CD is a Yamaha CD-2100 player.

I have refurbished Ohm H's loud speakers.

I have been picking up many vintage classical albums recently, mainly 1980’s releases in excellent condition too, at my local transfer station, and it has been mixed bag in comparison to my high resolution music files and SACD collection.

I was expecting much more when it came to vinyl and classical but I have not been as won over, as I have been with rock and jazz on vinyl.

My experience with SACD and high resolution, 96/24 or higher, has been very rewarding with a wide variety of classical music. Opera really shines in digital IMHO. Strong and full on classical piece are quite stunning on many a SACD releases I own. Rachel Podger’s Vivaldi: L’estro armonico - 12 concerti, Op. 3 on SACD is an excellent example of the audio quality I demand, as this recording is exceptional! Plus there are are very few new remastered vinyl releases for classical, particularly for opera, these days. A perfect example of this is Shubert’s Winterreise featuring Joyce DiDanato and pianist Yannick Nezet-Sequin, which I saw performed at Carnegie Hall for this recording and which sounds phenomenal in 96/24, and was release recently.

That would seem counter intuitive but that is clearly what the market is showing.

On one of these threads I recall someone posting how strings of violins, and the intensity that they are played at, can lead to degraded sound quality depending on the type of cartridge used.

I want to hear back from the classical music posse here to help me get to that higher level of listening with classical vinyl.

Is it the cartridge?

Or should I just stay with my digital sources?


idigmusic64
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simonmoon's avatar
simonmoon
482 posts
 
 If you want to keep up to any degree with what is happening NOW, you need a good digital source.

I absolutely agree!

Being a huge fan of contemporary classical music, limiting oneself to vinyl, would eliminate so much incredible music from the last few decades.

Thomas Ades, Augusta Read Thomas, Unsuk Chin, Nico Muhly, Erkki-Sven Tuur, Esa Pekka Salonan, James Dillon, Jennifer Hidgon, and many more. 

Hell, even many composers from the 20th century had a majority of their compositions released only digitally. Elliott Carter, Bruno Maderna, Joan Tower, Toru Takemitsu, etc.

I could never imagine giving up such a large part of my music collection, in the name of 'vinyl purity'...
idigmusic64 OP
56 posts
 
I am enjoying how this thread is blossoming as well as getting some good recommendations to check out.
@frogman  @edcyn thanks for the tip on the Decca and London vintage recordings.

I only actually got back into vinyl last November and my vinyl classical collection is still in it's infancy, but I did have a mono London FFrr album by Pilar Lorengar from the early 1960's that I  saved from my local transfer station.

Wow ! I was thoroughly impressed by Ms. Lorengar exquisite voice and the sound stage on the album was quite impressive too. This mono recording was lush and dynamic allowing Ms. Lorengar's captivating soprano voice to dance and soar.

I  just scored two Joan Sutherland London boxed  sets in near mint condition on that famous secondary  site for under $30 total. 

I also picked up a   CBS Records Masterworks recording of Yo-Yo Ma from 1983, in mint condition, with harpsichord Kenneth Cooper playing Bach's Sonatas for Viola da Gamab & Harpsichord and other works

Yo-Yo' cello playing is full of lustrous and brilliant notes that you can feel in your chest...that is always an indication to me of an exceptional recording. The harpsichord also sounds quite natural and vibrant and not overly tenuous in tone either.

Have a good weekend everyone.
unreceivedogma's avatar
unreceivedogma
916 posts
 
This is a bad question. 

There are so many factors that go into this. 

Number one is whether or not the recording engineer(s) got it right in the first place, or if the recording is historic and relying on outdated recording technology, digital or not. Garbage in, garbage out. 

Then, is the source digital or analog? Is the mastering digital or analog? There was a period of time when there was labeling on the CD or LP that addressed this:


AAA
ADD
DDD
DDA


So, you can get an LP that was recorded and mastered digitally. That was thought to be good. Some systems - mine, for example - reveal an audible difference between an LP that is DDA and is AAA. On my system, DDA sounds thin and lacking in timber and atmospherics. 
bkeske's avatar
bkeske
5,596 posts
 
@melm 

Forgot to follow-up, I received the  Mahler’s 9th with Barbirolli conducting the Berliner Philharmoniker.

A wonderful LP, to say the least. You and @rvpiano were correct. A fantastic performance. Instant favorite. The Adagio is amazing….especially on vinyl 😉😁
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