Remastering

[Conchis]

I think this belongs here rather than in a Tech Forum, because I'm interested in remastering as it affects personal taste.

Reading reviews of the recent Schnabel Beethoven remasters on EMI/Warners, I was reminded of what a minefield this is. Some people want to hear what listeners in the 30s heard, complete with the clicks and pops - and argue that removing these reduces the treble range and gives recordings that are clean but also anaemic.

My ears are probably less sensitive than those of some forum members but appreciate not having to 'tune out' surface noise when listening to vintage recordings - I can usually do this eventually if the performance is good enough, but part of me likes the idea of 'radical methods' and listening to Schnabel or Cortot as if they were recording the day before yesterday rather getting on for a century ago.

What do others think?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

For myself, I want to hear the Music and performance in the best possible sound. I'm not at all attracted to reproducing the recorded sound experience of eighty years ago, though I can see that this may well be an additional attraction for many others. Pays yer money, takes yer choice from those available.

[hafod]

For myself, I want to hear the Music and performance in the best possible sound. I'm not at all attracted to reproducing the recorded sound experience of eighty years ago, though I can see that this may well be an additional attraction for many others. Pays yer money, takes yer choice from those available.

I quite agree. I want to be able to hear as close as it is possible to do so, the ambience and sound that the artist actually produced and not what the playback equipment of the time was able to recover (with added various non-musical extraneous sounds).

I was given the Schnabel box for Christmas and the sound improvement is for me a revelation. What was previously something of a struggle to the extent that I could not really figure out what all the fuss was about Schnabel, is now a thing of the past. For those who don't like the remastering the older versions remain available. Everybody wins!

[Conchis]

I quite agree. I want to be able to hear as close as it is possible to do so, the ambience and sound that the artist actually produced and not what the playback equipment of the time was able to recover (with added various non-musical extraneous sounds).

I was given the Schnabel box for Christmas and the sound improvement is for me a revelation. What was previously something of a struggle to the extent that I could not really figure out what all the fuss was about Schnabel, is now a thing of the past. For those who don't like the remastering the older versions remain available. Everybody wins!

Indeed: and that's an important point. You can choose your 'version' of a recording from among the many available. This would probably have appalled someone like the late John Culshaw, but I think it's something to be celebrated.

[Beef Oven!]

Indeed: and that's an important point. You can choose your 'version' of a recording from among the many available. This would probably have appalled someone like the late John Culshaw, but I think it's something to be celebrated.

The late John Culshaw wouldn’t know, would he? Maybe the other one.

[visualnickmos]

For myself, I want to hear the Music and performance in the best possible sound. I'm not at all attracted to reproducing the recorded sound experience of eighty years ago, though I can see that this may well be an additional attraction for many others. Pays yer money, takes yer choice from those available.

Exactly - I could have written the very same words!