Best sounding Beethoven symphony LPs

Get the Readers Digest complete set with Rene Leibowitz. Just make sure you get the stereo version...

Well I have some recommendations for complete boxed sets, but right up-front, I like my Beethoven clean, clear lined, and energized. I'm not up to deep, 'brooding' Beethoven.

Harnoncourt's set which blends the efect of the HIP but uses modern instruments. Scrubbed from the over orchestrated performances that were so common for so many years and are still highly regarded.

Bernsteins set - despite his general reputation for overblown distorted interpertations of a lot of music, in this set he gets the 'beat' - it is uplifting and energized. He did a similar set of the Schumann Symphonies with the same result. Whoda guessed. :-)

Vanska recent performances - a complete set of performances but not in a box set yet. You have to buy them individually. Excellent sound, SACD if you care, straight ahead performances. BTW I like them best with the volume up a bit.

Wand's set on RCA. Very tradition 'Germanic' performances.

I agree with Rushton, the best Beethoven is not found in sets. And as he has already recommended, BUY the Kleiber 5th! There is no other like it, IMHO.

I'm very fond of my Von Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra 7th Symphony, DGG 2531 107. I think the detail is amazing. In fact I listened to it late last night through headphones and again this morning through my speakers after hearing the 7th used in the film "The Knowing."

Bernstein's boxed set with the Vienna Philharmonic (Deutsche Grammophone) offers both good performances and outstanding,up front sonics.

I second the vote by Rushton and add Symphony 4, Herbert von Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic DG 2531 104