Mercury Living Presence Box Set
Mar 5, 2012 at 9:43 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 37

bigshot

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To those considering this set, now is the time to act. This set is released tomorrow and if similar boxes at Amazon are any indication, it will probably go up at least $20 as soon as it is released. It's currently at $101. Two bucks a CD ain't shabby for great performances and spectacular recording quality like this.
 
http://www.amazon.com/Mercury-Living-Presence-Boxed-Set/dp/B005XBA9Y8/
 
Mar 6, 2012 at 12:34 PM Post #3 of 37
I have the complete SACD set. I wonder how many titles will overlap...
 
Does anybody know if these are new remasters or are they simply re-issues of the original CD's?
 
EDIT: Nevermind...all the SACD's are there...or at least the CD layer. The ones that were never issued on SACD I have on CD. Still...if you guys don't own these, then GET THE BOX SET!! It's a fantastic offer. I paid up to $25 for some of those titles on regular ol' CD.
 
Mar 7, 2012 at 10:51 PM Post #5 of 37
For Mecury Living Presence, the CD layer on the SACD is just the old master.
For instance, the Pictures at an exhibition by Janis has couple out of range moments like the old CD version.
Moreover, the CD rips can be matched.
Since only a small part the MLP recordings are on SACDs, this boxset is a great chance to own MLP.
 
RCA Living Stereo did remaster the CD layer, and the 60CDs box is just a collection of all the remasters appeared on SACD series plus the sampler CD which is not in SACD.
 
 
Quote:
I have the complete SACD set. I wonder how many titles will overlap...
 
Does anybody know if these are new remasters or are they simply re-issues of the original CD's?
 
EDIT: Nevermind...all the SACD's are there...or at least the CD layer. The ones that were never issued on SACD I have on CD. Still...if you guys don't own these, then GET THE BOX SET!! It's a fantastic offer. I paid up to $25 for some of those titles on regular ol' CD.



 
 
Mar 8, 2012 at 12:16 AM Post #6 of 37
Quote:
For Mecury Living Presence, the CD layer on the SACD is just the old master.
 
RCA Living Stereo did remaster the CD layer, and the 60CDs box is just a collection of all the remasters appeared on SACD series plus the sampler CD which is not in SACD.


SACDs always seem to have hobbled redbook layers. I bet they'll use the SACD remaster on the new box set like RCA did on the Living Stereo set.
 
Mar 8, 2012 at 2:07 AM Post #7 of 37
Just like I said, MLP did not remaster the CD layer like Living Stereo did.
The CD rips from the CD layer of MLP SACDs can be matched with the old issues back in early 90s.
Therefore the difference between the SACD layer and CD layer is more prominent due to the more different remasters.
Janis' Pictures in Exhibition does not have out of range problem in SACD layer.
There are only about 20? MLP reissues in SACD, yet the MLP box contains 50CDs.
 
Living Stereo 60CD box can be perfectly matched with the CD layer of the SACD issues but not with only CD issues in early 90s.
All but one CD in that box (1st CD, the sampler) have their exact copy in the CD layer of SACD issues.
 
Quote:
Quote:

SACDs always seem to have hobbled redbook layers. I bet they'll use the SACD remaster on the new box set like RCA did on the Living Stereo set.



 
 
Mar 9, 2012 at 5:42 PM Post #8 of 37
I just got my box today. Haven't had a chance to listen yet, but the packaging isn't quite as nice as the RCA or Decca boxes. The record covers are flimsier and not as nicely printed, and the book is considerably smaller. Could someone who has the Mercury SACDs give me a title and remastering date? I'll check to see whether it matches the CD on this set.
 
Mar 11, 2012 at 3:52 AM Post #9 of 37


Quote:
I just got my box today. Haven't had a chance to listen yet, but the packaging isn't quite as nice as the RCA or Decca boxes. The record covers are flimsier and not as nicely printed, and the book is considerably smaller. Could someone who has the Mercury SACDs give me a title and remastering date? I'll check to see whether it matches the CD on this set.



Chabrier - Espana; Roussel - Suite in F with The Detroit Symphony, 2004 date.
 
Mar 11, 2012 at 1:34 PM Post #10 of 37
That one isn't in the set. A cursory glance shows remastering dates of 1990 to 1997. Dorati's Dvorak Slavonic Dances is 1997
 
By the way, the sound on the Dorati/Minneapolis disks is phenominal. I had remembered from the LPs that Mercury was a bit more closely miked than RCA Living Stereo, but that isn't the case. The difference in sound with the Doratis is less reverberation in the hall. There's a Kubelik disk in here that has the same sort of hall ambience as RCA. It must be the sound of the hall in the Minneapolis that I was remembering.
 
Also, the string tone on the Dorati recordings is astounding. I've never heard strings sound so clear, yet so smooth. No edge on them at all. Beautiful. I love the Karajan Slavonic Dances because of "Allegro non Troppo", but Dorati's version in this box wipes the floor with Herbie!
 
Mar 13, 2012 at 1:13 AM Post #11 of 37
In the MLP SACDs notes, they noted the info about the original CD transfer and original CD remaster.
In the last page of the notes, they also mentioned:
 
Because of the historical significance of the Mercury Living Presence recordings, it was decided to retain (as with the previous CD releases) the original LP covers and liner notes, as well as the original CD stereo mix prepared by Wilma Cozart Fine in the 1990s.
 
Quote:
I just got my box today. Haven't had a chance to listen yet, but the packaging isn't quite as nice as the RCA or Decca boxes. The record covers are flimsier and not as nicely printed, and the book is considerably smaller. Could someone who has the Mercury SACDs give me a title and remastering date? I'll check to see whether it matches the CD on this set.



 
 
Apr 28, 2012 at 7:15 PM Post #12 of 37
I'm curious - are some of the Mercury Living Presence SACDs still in print?  There are a few of them that are available at very reasonable prices still in many places (the Starker cello concertos, for example).  
 
 
 
Apr 28, 2012 at 7:48 PM Post #13 of 37
 
Quote:
I'm curious - are some of the Mercury Living Presence SACDs still in print?  There are a few of them that are available at very reasonable prices still in many places (the Starker cello concertos, for example).  
 
 

 
Get them while you still can. Some of those are OOP now.
 
Apr 29, 2012 at 7:33 AM Post #14 of 37
But are they OOP now already, or did Mercury decide to delete only some (or most) of them?  I have all the Living Stereo SACDs - just curious, as it's hard to tell from what I've seen on line so far - is there anything in the new 60-cd Living Stereo box set that I don't already have?  (I wonder, are there SACDs or just CDs, in that box set?)
 
On a slightly different, but related note, has anyone heard any of the new EMI SACDs that are being released any time now in the States (I think they've already been released in Europe)?   Too bad they're not releasing those in a box!
 
Apr 29, 2012 at 1:10 PM Post #15 of 37
The CD box uses the same mastering as the SACDs, so there isn't any sound quality difference. I'm sure they figure with a box full of disks for $100, they won't be selling many more full price individual copies.
 

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