HOT! Beethoven's Complete Symphonies for $22!

[Zucchini]

definetly agree, classical is the one music where digital compression artifacts are the most obvious most certainly not gonna hear it on britney spears. and yea, cd quality thing is pissing me off. Its why i don't want them to begin selling mp3s.. its like why the fu*k and i going to buy lower quality stuff? We're going back in time... dvd audio is like gone

 

[syf3r]

sound quality issues aside, i never truly understood the hype about napster. i used it once and couldn't stand it. just a bunch of idiots trading single tracks at 128kbps. what the hell is the big deal about? what's the point in collecting single tracks, can anyone explain that to me? if you're into trading mp3's why don't you try hotline? hundreds of servers (yes, actual servers, like the old bbs systems ages ago) that trade full albums... i'm on a few private servers on there that have over 5000 albums each... (that's albums, not single tracks)... do yourself a favor and leave that napster garbage alone... hotline is where the music is...

oh, and like others said in this thread, if you're listening to any music on crappy computer speakers (and *all* computer speakers are basically crappy) instead of outputting to a receiver, or if you're using a soundblaster card and you think that's a good soundcard, well, then there's not much that can be done for you anyway...


-syf3r.

 

[Homerboy]

I know this sounds odd, but I have found the BEST Ludig Van recordings to be those found onthe Immortal Beloved soundtrack. I sadly forget what orchestra did the recordings, and I'm too lazy to dig it up right now, but I know it was recorded in DDD and obvioulsy since its the sound track, its a "greatest hits" compilation of sorts. A brilliant intro to classical CD and for that matter perfect for even the classical buffs.

The rendition of No.9 (ode to joy... Simply the greatest musical composition of all time) is flawless and PEREFECT on this recording. I am getting goosebumps and emotional jsut listening to it in my head... and if you use the imagery supplied by the (somewhat) fantastic movie... well.. that IS classical music.

I STORNGLY suggest picking up this release. $15.50 at amazon. Worth 100x's that.

 

[Zucchini]

A great movie too i recently rented the dvd, some artistic licensce of course, but a great story.

 

[Homerboy]

SOME artistic license? My lord... its a good movei, but far from the truth. Why oh WHY didn't they put the soundtrack on the DVD so I could listen to it it in FULL digital glory?!

 

[Zucchini]

bah, i wouldn't want dts or dd compressed stuff, i want freakin audio dvds,with their full surround high quality goodness. Stupid music industry not coming out with em grrrrrr. Would give some of us a real good reason not to get a lousy mp3.

 

[Homerboy]

That's a valid point... a "ture audio wave" DVD would be pretty freaking slick.
Are we OT now? I think so... where's the classical forum on Anandtech?

 

[Zucchini]

yup kinda off topic even though i think dvd audio would be the hotdeal i want my moneys worth, music at the highest quality possible.. feel kinda ripped each time i buy a cd now.

 

[XzeroR3]

you could buy superaudio cds and a player for them if you want some high quality audio.

 

[Homerboy]

Ripped off becuase CDs cost as much (if not LESS than) "vinyl" LPs yet record labels/companies charge us $16/CD?

THAT'S why I feel ripped off.
(Don't get me started on today's POP music either... that in itself is the REAL tragedy).

To bring the topic round full-circle, Mr. Beethoven should be rolling over in his grave.

/end rant

 

[Zucchini]

yes i know, b ut i want the best, dvd audio.. future proof for a while atleast.

well i can't bitch about pop music, some of it sucks, but some of it serves its purpose. i listen to most everything, cept rap.. which i don't really consider music. its poetry set to a beat some of the newer stuff has a stolen music track for background.. ick.

i just don't understand why the stupid music industry doesnt roll out dvd audio,..it gives much more incentive for purchase since we all know mp3 at 192kbs+ is pretty damned close to cd audio.

scds arent that much better then cd's, its like a hackjob, not worth it. support isn't there either.

 

[S0me1X]

Napster? Scour? Hotline? iMesh? for classical music?

I just don't think "it works.":
1) 99% of the time, you have no idea who is performing the piece that you just downloaded. So, how would you know who played the piano for a concerto you downloaded or who were the conductor and orchestra of the symphony that you just downloaded?
2) The loss of audio quality is far more noticeable when compressed to MP3 format.
3) It is stealing.
4) It is nearly impossible to find a complete piece. Sure, you may see "Chopin's Nocturne in C minor," but you'd be out of luck if you want to find the entire cycle of Chopin's Nocturnes. I doubt that you can download the entire Beethoven Symphonies from Napster.
5) It make take a while to download the entire symphonies (assuming you can find them.) And even if you do manage to collect all of beethoven's symphonies from wherever, you would likely have over 20 different performances by 20 different conductors and orchestras.... total loss of consistancy.

 

[Zucchini]

yup napsters selection is poorly lacking. Theres too much inbreeding and too little ppl actually ripping their cds to add to the pool. Its amazing when you look around and everyone pretty much has the same rip. I once was looking for a full album, and the only ppl that did had mish mosh compilations of different encodes at different quality, going down to 64kbs which is crap. The songs that were in 64kbs could only be found at that rate.. ppl kept trading the same crap to each other.

 

[Homerboy]

Oh i don't know... after reading your post, I (for the sport of it) did a search on NAPSTER for "Karajan's" and derivatives there-of, and found MANY hits. most encoded at 160k/sec or better.

I will agree with you, mp3 is NOT the correct manner to listen to ANY classical peice through. However, when I simply want some classical work in the backgound while I clean , or do work around the house etc, the mp3 format (through my kick-ass audiotron (www.audiotron.net)) more than fits the bill.

Now when I _LISTEN_ to the works, I will toss on the LPs and/or CD and melt into my armchair.
Stealing? Well... ok it MAYBE to some extent. I'm riding the fence on that arguement.

Ya'll see Napster's $1billion offer to the labels?

 

[Fritzo]

Napster is going under. Try audiogalaxy.com----MUCH better

 

[Woodsea]

Every ear is different...as is every phase of life or emotion. Mondays I cannot stand Dvorak, Tuesdays anything but brooding Beethoven. MP3 at over 128kbps, my ears after all those Def Leppard and AC/DC concerts I cannot tell the difference.
And I have a decent stereo system.
Find out what renditions you like and get it...Silver Platters in Seattle would let you listen to anyhing before buying. Now in Columbus I download everything and burn what I like.
Oh and Mozart fits my personality best, but I am sure my future therapist would claim Beethoven.
Peace!
thanks fritzo for the heads up

 

[Zucchini]

Homerboy,

Just bought the immortal beloved soundtrack, good stuff

 

[syf3r]

s0me1x:

there are several servers on hotline that i'm aware of which deal with classical music and they do, in fact, show great care in accurately labelling their albums, if not with a text-file, then with the record label and catalog number, which you can then check against what you're looking for... anyway, to each his own.

-syf3r.

 

[Homerboy]

Enjoy it Zucchini.
I've listened to a lot of Classical recordings in my day (and hoepfully many more) and for somre reason Immortal Beloved just hits home with me. Maybe its because I have the images from the movie and the emotions associtated with them.... who knows. I guess a sort of "(very) early videos" of sort.

Again... to each his own.

 

[Mday]

oh, i ripped the 4 seasons from a CD myself, and encoded it, sure it was several hundred MB, but it did not sound that bad =P

--

btw, DAMN you people for making me wanna spend more money =(

 

[OutlawWolf]

10 classical cds featuring the 10 best composers in the world are at Costco for $20.

 

[GeorgeBenson]

Beehtoven eh? Looks like that crazy dog is at it again!

 

[Homerboy]

touche'
you win

Beethoven III: Digitize that Dog!