[DjBobby]

  I'm eyeing the Horowitz box set. It's massive - 70CDs. The recordings are listed below. I like Horowitz, just don't know whether many of these are truly "great" perfs.
 
http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B002P3J3BW?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_sfl_title_4&smid=A3FIYE5M6J6BOA
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Have that one too. Performances are always, well always Horowitz. If you love Horowitz, then you don't pick up wrong notes, but get carried away by the genius.
But some of the recordings are terrible, and I mean really terrible. Some of them sound like being a copy of a copy of a copy of a radio broadcast. 

 

[DjBobby]

  Just wait till the Woo Heroin comes out.

So, the rumors are true 

 

[CanadianMaestro]

^^  snort, snort.
 
That's not good news, about the low SQ of the Horowitz recordings. But thanks for the heads-up.

 

[CanadianMaestro]

 
Well I was considering ordering between Schiit and Bottlehead Crack, incl. Speedball upgrade. Ordering Schiit sounded more safe, for not getting questioned by the local DEA agents.

Do a Polaris.

 

[icebear]

 
Is this the box?
 
http://www.amazon.ca/Mercury-Living-Presence-Various-Artists/dp/B005XBA9Y8/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1441281758&sr=1-1&keywords=mercury+living+presence
 
I toyed with getting one of the RCA or Mercury boxes, but I'm just not a "completist", and there just wasn't enough Beethoven/Mozart/Brahms in them! There is a LOT of Dorati in the Mercury box set.

Yes, this is the volume 1 with the blue banner if I'm not mistaken.
Red banner -> vol. 2, green banner vol. 3
 

 
Then I can only envy you 

 You must have high quality headphone amp. My experience with Szeryng's Kreisler CD is very sharp, almost metallic sound of his E-string, which is completely opossite of how he sounded live. If you have this CD, could you please check the very first number, Caprice Viennois. If it sounds good on your setup, then it's maybe time for me to get rid of my Schiit.

I think the source & DAC are more important but yes the amp isn't too shabby either, no complaints

 
I'll check if I have the Kreisler...

 

[uchihaitachi]

 

[icebear]

 
... My experience with Szeryng's Kreisler CD is very sharp, almost metallic sound of his E-string, which is completely opossite of how he sounded live. If you have this CD, could you please check the very first number, Caprice Viennois. If it sounds good on your setup, then it's maybe time for me to get rid of my Schiit.

 
I just listened to the Caprice Viennois, track 1, 4:19
Vol. 40 #434 351-2 (P) 1995, Rec. 01/1963 of the Mercury Living Presence box 1
The sound is perfectly fine, even the highest notes are clean, almost silky, no problem to enjoy listening.
Eyes closed and Henryk is just in front of me. Stunning.
 
If you indeed have the exact same edition, then you might use the for sale section for some of your equipement

 

[DjBobby]

   
I just listened to the Caprice Viennois, track 1, 4:19
Vol. 40 #434 351-2 (P) 1995, Rec. 01/1963 of the Mercury Living Presence box 1
The sound is perfectly fine, even the highest notes are clean, almost silky, no problem to enjoy listening.
Eyes closed and Henryk is just in front of me. Stunning.
 
If you indeed have the exact same edition, then you might use the for sale section for some of your equipement

Thanks a lot. Something to think about...Just listened to it through floor spkrs, no problem there. Only on HP SS amp, slightly treble irritating. If you have no problem on HD800 who are known for nor being treble shy, then it's really time for my new equipment. Or, maybe I like tubes too much. Glowing tubes in winter nights, with a single malt glass reflecting the glow  

 

 

[icebear]

After checking for any negative aspects in the first track, I was so fascinated, I continued to listen to the entire CD - first time I have to admit. Not a fan of Kreisler but Szeryng is my absolute favorite.
As for tubes ... I never went that route. I would get mad if I finally arrive at a sound I really like and it keeps shifting gradually and I have to chase replacement tubes, just to find out that they are not available anymore at all or the prices are up in the sky. I have arrived and want to focus on listening to music. So much stuff on my shelf that I haven't heard yet.
But glowing tubes in winter nights, with a glass of single malt reflecting the glow, mmmmh

I light up the wood fireplace, not too bad either.

 

[CanadianMaestro]

But glowing tubes in winter nights, with a glass of single malt reflecting the glow, mmmmh

I light up the wood fireplace, not too bad either.

 
I thought fireplaces were redundant with tubed gear.....?

 

[icebear]

I'm only a solid state, so some wood is required

 
On the other hand the M2 is sucking 200 watts and gets pretty cosy w/o any tubes.

 

[uchihaitachi]

Was at the proms yesterday listening to mahler 4... It's so beautiful, just too beautiful
 
Any recommendations for the mahler cycle?
 
i have bernstein rattle boulez and gergiev
 
any other recommendations welcome!

 

[CanadianMaestro]

  Was at the proms yesterday listening to mahler 4... It's so beautiful, just too beautiful
 
Any recommendations for the mahler cycle?
 
i have bernstein rattle boulez and gergiev
 
any other recommendations welcome!

Box: Haitink/Concertgebouw
You already have Bernstein, so that's good. I don't care for Rattle/Berlin, but Rattle did do a fantastic #2, 3 with Birmingham.
 
Do single discs:
Kubelik/Bavarian Radio: Mahler #1
Szell/Raskin/Clev: #4
Bernstein/VPO: #5
#7: Abbado/Chicago, Abbado/BPO, Bernstein, Masur/Leipzig
#8: Solti/CSO Vienna Staatschor
#9: Bernstein/BPO, Karajan/BPO

 

[CanadianMaestro]

@uchih:  is this any good?
 
http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B000001GQJ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3J7QDZPBRV5UB

 

[RRod]

For Mahler 4 specifically you can give these a try:
Budapest + Fischer
VPO + Maazel
Pitt + Previn