# Brahms cycle on direct to vinyl disc



## Richard8655 (Feb 19, 2016)

Anyone else getting these invitations from the Berliner Philharmoniker to purchase this vinyl set of Brahms symphonies for $530? These are apparently limited audiophile pressings from direct-to-master recordings for those into analog reproduction (i.e., turntables).

I never completely bought into this high-end and expensive approach. CDs and downloads were fine for me with a modest audio system. But I wonder if others here have found a lot of satisfaction with classical music on audiophile vinyl (like this set) vs. everyday digital.

https://www.berliner-philharmoniker...nyl.html?___store=rec_en&___from_store=rec_de


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## Richard8655 (Feb 19, 2016)

I guess no one saw this. Oh well, I don't think I'd spend that kind of money on high-end vinyl recordings anyway.


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

I got the BPO email, looked at it, shook my head in amazement and went on with my breakfast!


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

They must be kidding, it's outrages.


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

It 's a ridiculous price. I don't believe that vinyl is superior to digital but even if I did I wouldn't go near it. I suspect the target audience is the very well healed audiophiles that care more about vanity audio equipment than they do out actual music appreciation.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Triplets said:


> It 's a ridiculous price. I don't believe that vinyl is superior to digital but even if I did I wouldn't go near it. I suspect the target audience is the very well healed audiophiles that care more about vanity audio equipment than they do out actual music appreciation.


Besides that, I don't believe for one minute that the most die hard L.P fan would pay that price.


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

Look this is the Berlin Phil so it must be worth the money 
You can all laugh but in 20 years time these sets will be priceless, so get them quick whilst stocks last and you can even marvel at the signature of Sir Simon 
Alternatively you could decide for that money you would want Sir Simon to wind you your gramophone himself and personally change the records, he can damn well make the tea whilst he is at it for good measure
Depends on upon your viewpoint I suppose


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

Pugg said:


> Besides that, I don't believe for one minute that the most die hard L.P fan would pay that price.


I await the next Stereophile issue where Mickey Fremer plays it on a $250,000 turntable


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## Richard8655 (Feb 19, 2016)

Triplets said:


> It 's a ridiculous price. I don't believe that vinyl is superior to digital but even if I did I wouldn't go near it. I suspect the target audience is the very well healed audiophiles that care more about vanity audio equipment than they do out actual music appreciation.


I'd agree with this. It's probably an example of audiophiles listening more to the technology than the music (as stated). And more discretionary funds than they know what to do with. BPO seems to know where to find them!


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## 13hm13 (Oct 31, 2016)

You get 6 vinyl discs and a 72-pg book (+ other stuff) in the BPO pkg.

You only get ONE Lp with The Electric Recording Company offerings, at roughly £300-£750 (and many are supposedly sold out after the 300-pressing limited run)...see this thread:

http://www.talkclassical.com/45402-audiophile-pressings-electric-recording.html


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

13hm13 said:


> You get 6 vinyl discs and a 72-pg book (+ other stuff) in the BPO pkg.
> 
> You only get ONE Lp with The Electric Recording Company offerings, at roughly £300-£750 (and many are supposedly sold out after the 300-pressing limited run)...see this thread:
> 
> http://www.talkclassical.com/45402-audiophile-pressings-electric-recording.html


I love vinyl but not at that price.


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

My wife was complaining yesterday when I showed an interest in one of the Living Stereo big reissue boxes, 60 CDs for $70.00. I told her about this Brahms set to make her feel better about the dollar to music ratio.


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

Rattle and the BPO have already recorded an excellent set of these symphonies for EMI, also live , with first rate sound and on CD . How many sets of all four already exist ? Do we really need another ? But if this makes money for the orchestra , you really can't complain . 
Orchestras today , whether in Europe, America or elsewhere, need all the financial help they can get .
Today , you can choose from Brahms symphony sets by the likes of Abbado, Alsop, Barenboim, Bernstein, Boehm, Berglund, Boult, Barbirolli, Chailly , Dohnanyi, Colin Davis, Eschenbach , Gardiner, Giulini, Gielen , Haitink, Harnoncourt, Jochum, Neeme Jarvi, Jansons, Janowski, Jansons, Karajan, 
Klemperer, Kempe, Kertesz, Kubelik, Levine, Leinsdorf, Mackerras, Masur, Marriner, Muti, Mehta,
Norrington, Neumann, Ozawa, Ormandy, Rattle, Alexander Rahbari, Solti, Skrowaczewsi, Svetlanov,
Steinberg, Szell, Kurt Sanderling, Toscanini, Walter, Wand, Weingartner, Jaap Van Zweden , David Zinman and many other conductors, as well as ones who didn't record all four such as Carlos Kleiber, 
De Sabata, Reiner, and others . 
The classical CD market is hopelessly oversaturated with complete sets of the symphonies of Beethoven, Brahms, 
Bruckner, Mahler, Sibelius, Schubert, Schumann and other great composers . And new ones keep coming out every year . It's sensory overload !


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Triplets said:


> My wife was complaining yesterday when I showed an interest in one of the Living Stereo big reissue boxes, 60 CDs for $70.00. I told her about this Brahms set to make her feel better about the dollar to music ratio.


So you did buy the Living Stereo after all ?


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

Pugg said:


> So you did buy the Living Stereo after all ?


No. upon further review, I think I already have more than half the discs already


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## 13hm13 (Oct 31, 2016)

Published on Nov 18, 2016


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

I remember when Direct to Disc recordings first appeared in the late 70s. They cost perhaps twice the price of a regular lp. I had bought several second hand recently. Compared to a conventional lp, they had an expanded dynamic range, but still less than any garden variety CD


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