These albums were recorded for great sound and still available

Extremesam

Active Member
These are great albums for real audiophile quality sound. They were actually recorded to give the ultimate listening experience. Recorded in the early 60's , these records were designed to cross the boundaries of what could be acoustically achieved. Be sure to read the liner notes for the full story.

Marty Gold Sounds Unlimited
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Richard Rogers Victory at Sea Volume III
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How does one cross the boundaries of what can be achieved?

Or do you mean that these recording were made using the best technology available at that time? If so, I would disagree. The Gold, at least, is a mono recording...nothing wrong with a good mono recording, but it was not leading edge technology in 1963. More importantly, it is a Dynagroove recording...an early sound processing technology that was not widely accepted as an improvement (and in fact was disdained by many audio engineers, critics and industry experts). Adding insult to injury, the music on that album is elevator schlock...pleasant enough, but certainly not what I would have chosen to demonstrate the "ultimate listening experience".

On the other hand, if it's what you like, my opinion is irrelevant.
 
If you have the Nautilus Super-disc of John Klemmer's Straight From the Heart then you have the best-sounding vinyl I ever owned (I didn't have many audiophile recordings). Very dynamic. This particular Super-disc was of the straight-to-disc variety, with each side a single take in real time, including the pauses between tracks, a live-in-the-studio sorta thing. At the time, I paid twenty-five or thirty bucks for it new, when most new albums were less than ten dollars. Nautilus had three different types of Super-discs... straight-to-disc, half-speed-mastered and.... I've forgotten the third... somebody catch!
 
The problem with the Victory at Sea albums was the technology of the time. If you apply just the right amount of boost in the midrange at cut the highs following Ampex old AME equalization curve you'd e surprise how natural and more realistic the sound becomes. Volume 3 gave my older ortofon SPU SPE real fits when playing the horns and whistle sound effects with an SME 3009 at 3.5 grams. I was sprised how after I purchased my TD 125 and went with a linear arm using SL-15 series how much the sound quality improved. It was only V-15'sand Stanton 881 that really mastered the tracing. How ever the bass response was not quite as good. Even with the recording remastered and released on CD the sound isn't quite correct. So having a 11 band equalizer really helps. Even Bennett's Armed Forces suite suffers from the same compromised sound. Where was Telarc and Reference Recordings when you needed them? I guess that was 20 years down the road. I thoroughly enjoy the music from the three albums and the muscian ship. Its just a shame the technology of the time wasn't up to the quality of Bennett's compositions.
 
I appreciate some of the Martin Denny LP's. Some sound better. The Victory at Sea LP's were recorded here but a few were stamped offshore. I found a German RCA version that is outstanding. Compared to the sound that was offered by RCA when this series was originally shown on TV is an improvement. The sound was no better than 1940's telephone quality. I was maybe 10 or 12 when it was on TV for the first time. I was very shocked when the high school I went to played some selections of Victory at Sea for a Veterans day theme. The high school I went to was a technical high school and the sound I heard from these near professional high school band members was enough to bring the audience to tears. It was so vibrant and moving that to this day every time I play my several LP's of Victory at Sea I am moved.
For wide open sound I prefer Dick Schory series of Bang, Baroom and Harp and Music to Break Any Mood. Hope I got that right.
I also have 2 Sheffield direct to disk recordings. They sound terrible. For all the hype of the direct to disk system it sure is a let down.
 
How does one cross the boundaries of what can be achieved?

Or do you mean that these recording were made using the best technology available at that time? If so, I would disagree. The Gold, at least, is a mono recording...nothing wrong with a good mono recording, but it was not leading edge technology in 1963. More importantly, it is a Dynagroove recording...an early sound processing technology that was not widely accepted as an improvement (and in fact was disdained by many audio engineers, critics and industry experts). Adding insult to injury, the music on that album is elevator schlock...pleasant enough, but certainly not what I would have chosen to demonstrate the "ultimate listening experience".

On the other hand, if it's what you like, my opinion is irrelevant.
You are correct that Mary Gold did use the Dynagroove technology but Sounds Unlimited WAS recorded in stereo.
Like I said, that if you read the album liner notes "maestro" Gold and team were attempting to push the limits of recorded music.
For example in "Donkey Serenade" the song will come to a loud peak and then end with a simple triangle. No-one would ever had tried something like that before. As for it being "elevator" music.. back in 1963 that style was still fairly popular. In my humble opinion, with a good system today, It rocks right up with Led Zeppelin any day. Thanks for the reply Spark.
 
If you have the Nautilus Super-disc of John Klemmer's Straight From the Heart then you have the best-sounding vinyl I ever owned (I didn't have many audiophile recordings). Very dynamic. This particular Super-disc was of the straight-to-disc variety, with each side a single take in real time, including the pauses between tracks, a live-in-the-studio sorta thing. At the time, I paid twenty-five or thirty bucks for it new, when most new albums were less than ten dollars. Nautilus had three different types of Super-discs... straight-to-disc, half-speed-mastered and.... I've forgotten the third... somebody catch!
Thanks John, will have to check it out
 
You might want to take a look at the May-June issue of TAS. They have a list of 800+ great recordings. A large percentage are classical. However, there are plenty of recommendations for all types of music. This list is sort of a logical extension of Harry Pearson's Super Disk list.
 
You might want to take a look at the May-June issue of TAS. They have a list of 800+ great recordings. A large percentage are classical. However, there are plenty of recommendations for all types of music. This list is sort of a logical extension of Harry Pearson's Super Disk list.
You Da man Skyranger ty
 
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