[uosux]

I am dealing with a number of Classical albums all produced by Laser Light Digital, and I was wondering if anyone has experience with the quality of the recordings. Some of the albums are "100 Masterpieces" and "The Beautiful Word of Classical Music".

 

[Oddball]

They're mas o menos bien. Okay, but definitely not audiophile. I haven't listened to them critically, but they're not audiophile. Acceptable yes, did I find them horrendous, no. I think they fit more into the bargain bin box set category than the audiophile ones. But they're not bad.

 

[Ebonyks]

I've heard that laser light recordings tend to be awful from head-fi's own eric343, but he'd have to comment on that

 

[Music Fanatic]

I've listened to a couple of them and they were all unacceptably poor.

 

[uosux]

Is this poor from a general standpoint, or from an audiophile's? I only ask because I am just starting into audiophila, and I am pretty sure my ears arn't trained yet.

 

[davei]

Quote:

Originally posted by uosux Is this poor from a general standpoint, or from an audiophile's? I only ask because I am just starting into audiophila, and I am pretty sure my ears arn't trained yet.

Even so, what are your ears telling you? Are the cymbals harsh, crisp? Are all the instruments separated or jumbled up? Can you hear people coughing or unwrapping candies in the background (I've heard this on some recordings before, not specifically LLD). Learn to trust your ears... if you think it sounds good, fine. Just wait until you hear something better - won't the smile on your face be worth it?

My take on LLD is that they're mediocre at best. I have a couple compilation discs of theirs stashed in the basement somewhere. They're lo-fi, but not in a good way. IIRC one disc sounded like hopped up muzak, the other had too much reverb.

 

[Music Fanatic]

Quote:

Originally posted by uosux Is this poor from a general standpoint, or from an audiophile's? I only ask because I am just starting into audiophila, and I am pretty sure my ears arn't trained yet.

A general standpoint. Compare with Naxos, for example -- a bare budget label, with some great and some fair performances, but usually quite well recorded.

 

[Trawlerman]

I've got a compilation of Johnny Paycheck that was released by LaserLight Digital and it's of a really poor quality.

Each and every track has a clearly audible hiss on it. It is of such a level that it can clearly be heard on even the poorest of equipment.


However, I do have a 6-Cd set of Nature Sounds from them that is quite acceptable.

 

[blessingx]

I think it depends on the title, but I use to work at a record store, and at least eight years ago we'd get them returned all the time. I thought most were bad sounding on bad sounding equipment. Can only imagine what they'd sound like on better equipment now. Course they may have improved since. Bet they're some finds, but probably other safer budget possibilities.

 

[uosux]

Well that's quite depressing

For some reason there is a lot of those CD's around my house...

 

[FalconP]

With Laserlight you definitely are taking a chance. Once in a while, they do obtain the copyright clearance of a decent recording and release it on their own label, and in this case you get some good music with acceptable sound (note: not great sound) at bargain-basement price. I have a CD of Bulgarian Choral music that is, performance-wise, right up to some full-priced CDs by famous choral groups.

 

[Audio Redneck]

Qualifier: A buddy of mine from work buys bulk CDs, tapes, & LPs at local autions when he can get them cheap, and sell most of them at the local flea markets and ebay.

As a general rule, Laser Light = Coffee Coster. Both in terms of sound and performance. There are exceptions, but there are much better budget labels.

I have a few, but ONLY because I don't have another copy of the song/piece on another label.

Recommendation: don't buy without hearing it first.

 

[eric343]

Quote:

Originally posted by uosux I am dealing with a number of Classical albums all produced by Laser Light Digital, and I was wondering if anyone has experience with the quality of the recordings. Some of the albums are "100 Masterpieces" and "The Beautiful Word of Classical Music".

EEEEEEEYAAAARGGHH!!!

I recently sold off all the LaserLight CDs I could find around the house to a used music shop. For about 40 CDs I got about $25.

Personally, I think I made out like a bandit on that deal.

 

[Sue Donim]

i find the CDs are great. i have heard vinyl that sounds terrible but havent heard laserlight vinyl. the CDs seem fine to me im listening to the laserlight DREAM MELODIES 10 CD set (upc 0-1811-58452-4) right now . one issue : QA failed here for disc 9 14-049 OPERA ... even though the CD hub code is 14-049 it is really disc 8 14-048 BALLET. imagine my surprise and dismay when i was expecting opera and heard swan lake which i had heard before on the ballet CD. aaarrrggghhh !!!
so SOME sets may have a wrong disc 9 !!!

 

[mmeister]

I used to avoid Laserlight CDs but recently I have been buying them at Goodwill for $.75 each. I still avoid classical, but some of the big band collections are actually very good.