American sound quality - what went wrong?

[Bryn]

Hmm, I will have to get my Decca Monteux box out and check that out.

[jayne lee wilson]

Yes LMP, I remember some horrible experiences with CBS vinyl - Bernstein's Little Russian/Francesca da Rimini, Szell's Mahler 4... that Mahler sounds rather better on CD as do many CBS/Columbia/latterly Sony classics from the earlier American stereo catalogue. Much of the Szell and Ormandy is very enjoyable now, if still suffering a bit from restricted dynamics. So the masters seem to have been pretty good.

[Ferretfancy]

Gordon

I too have many CDs from American sources, some of them bought there, and certainly there seems to be no difference in quality.Perhaps American requirements were different in the LP era, and there have certainly been many changes in speakers and amps since the 1960's when many of those CBS discs were mastered. Again, American companies like Delos produced some of the finest recordings of the early digital era.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

In 1971, some student friends very kindly bought me the LP set of Bernstein's CBS recording of Haydn's Creation. I have never forgotten their kindness. The problem was the aggressiveness of the recording, which was at a very high level throughout. And the pre-echo before that dramatic moment "and there was light" was infuriating.