Hello and welcome to whatishifi blog, a blog for HiFi lovers with common sense.
In the past I almost hated Woody Allen; I just couldn't stand even looking at him and I was finding his humor kind of obvious and predictable.
But that changed over time. Maybe because I got older, maybe because he stopped playing at his films. I guess "To Rome With Love" has to be my favorite movie coming from him.
I also liked a lot "Café Society" and I remember how I adored the music coming from my home cinema - at this older post I was saying that "even a Woody Allen film deserves to be enjoyed at a home cinema; 30% of his movie's essence lies in the music soundtrack".
But somehow I have forgotten about the O.S.T. of that movie, it was only till some weeks ago that thanks to Panos I was listening to the O.S.T.'s MP3 file (I don't do that often, I mean the MP3 part). The music was terrific and the sound was amazing - I could swear that this MP3 file had a soul of a good CD recording. Shame of me - stating something like this I guess is enough to get me kicked out of any respectable Hi End club.
Anyway, this led us to a reasonable assumption that the original recording should be marvelous, so since we liked the music a lot purchasing this O.S.T. album seemed like a good investment.
One day returning from work I made a small stop at Athens center and purchased for Panos the LP (MOVATM115).
Indeed, this album is nothing less than a reference sounding recording. Also, the LP with it's 180 gram record on a gatefold with a booklet and a PVC protective sleeve with a nice At The Movies sticker is a wonderful album to own.
Under regular circumstances, I would also buy the LP album without a second thought. But after some days of thinking about it, my desire to make a sound comparison test finally won; maybe the original recording was made in digital so the CD would have some more juice to offer. By the way I never answered that question (analogue or digital master recording), but I have to say that Battery Studios in N.Y. and Mrs. Maria Triana in particular have done an excellent job; the CD has a reference sound quality, plus CD-Text. Congrats!
The CD was surprisingly not easy to find - it had to be ordered and I suspect that the LP I got for Panos was also the last unit. After more or less a week the CD arrived and soon I was at Pano's home to start the test.
As I have repeatedly mentioned I am not dogmatic about the media. Sure, I know cases of analogue vinyl albums like Michael Jackson or Dire Straight that sound much better than their equivalent albums on CD or even high res audio FLAC files. Also, both of our systems are capable of reproducing both digital and analogue albums without some kind of bias - just give them a good recording and they don't care about the media. Last but not least, I have to suggest you reading this wonderful older post.
Back to the test, with the use of a decibel meter we took care that the volume coming from the perfectly set up Dual 505-4 Audiophile Concept / Ortofon Super OM 30 cartridge and the Pioneer transport / tweaked Parasound DA/C-1500 DAC is the same; something easy since the pre amp has a step ladder volume control. Unfortunately these kinds of tests can not be performed with a blind & instant A/B comparison, so we just relaxed and enjoyed the music while we were changing input and volume at the pre amp.
The sound was a little different but it is virtually impossible to choose a winner. Both media sound superb. Both media sound live. Listening to both media produces equal and tremendous amounts of pleasure. The sound of the LP was a little more relaxed and sweat while the sound of the CD was offering more focus to the little details of the music.
More or less the same happened to my system with the perfectly set up Technics SL1210 MK2 / Stanton 681EEE / Jico Shibata stylus and the Pioneer / tweaked Parasound DA/C-1000 DAC. If you have read the post regarding comparing the sound of two different versions of a LP of Dianna Krall, you know that for me things were more different than better so I ended up preferring listening to track A from LP X and track B from LP Y. Here things were even worse; for example I preferred listening to the intro of a track from the LP but the rest of the track from the CD. Panos in general agrees with me but soundwise he marginally prefers the sound of the LP.
Still, we have to try coming to a conclusion. First step for you is to discover if you like the music of this album; you can have an idea here.
If you like the music it contains, you absolutely have to get this album. If you feel that your system is stronger at the analogue part, get the LP. If you feel that your system is better at the digital part, get the CD. If you feel that your system is equally good both in analogue and digital reproduction, the LP provides more satisfaction at owing it and holding it at your hands. This will cost you approx. 12 Euro more than the CD and if you don't like the 3 tracks that are recorded in the 30's, you will have to get to your turntable to manually skip them instead of using a CD remote.
Both the CD and the LP are top regarding their sound quality, so just get what you feel you will enjoy more, without bothering your mind which might be a better recording.
Happy listening as always!
Christos
In the past I almost hated Woody Allen; I just couldn't stand even looking at him and I was finding his humor kind of obvious and predictable.
But that changed over time. Maybe because I got older, maybe because he stopped playing at his films. I guess "To Rome With Love" has to be my favorite movie coming from him.
I also liked a lot "Café Society" and I remember how I adored the music coming from my home cinema - at this older post I was saying that "even a Woody Allen film deserves to be enjoyed at a home cinema; 30% of his movie's essence lies in the music soundtrack".
But somehow I have forgotten about the O.S.T. of that movie, it was only till some weeks ago that thanks to Panos I was listening to the O.S.T.'s MP3 file (I don't do that often, I mean the MP3 part). The music was terrific and the sound was amazing - I could swear that this MP3 file had a soul of a good CD recording. Shame of me - stating something like this I guess is enough to get me kicked out of any respectable Hi End club.
Anyway, this led us to a reasonable assumption that the original recording should be marvelous, so since we liked the music a lot purchasing this O.S.T. album seemed like a good investment.
One day returning from work I made a small stop at Athens center and purchased for Panos the LP (MOVATM115).
Indeed, this album is nothing less than a reference sounding recording. Also, the LP with it's 180 gram record on a gatefold with a booklet and a PVC protective sleeve with a nice At The Movies sticker is a wonderful album to own.
Under regular circumstances, I would also buy the LP album without a second thought. But after some days of thinking about it, my desire to make a sound comparison test finally won; maybe the original recording was made in digital so the CD would have some more juice to offer. By the way I never answered that question (analogue or digital master recording), but I have to say that Battery Studios in N.Y. and Mrs. Maria Triana in particular have done an excellent job; the CD has a reference sound quality, plus CD-Text. Congrats!
The CD was surprisingly not easy to find - it had to be ordered and I suspect that the LP I got for Panos was also the last unit. After more or less a week the CD arrived and soon I was at Pano's home to start the test.
 |
| The LP & CD of Café Society O.S.T. on the LP booklet. |
Back to the test, with the use of a decibel meter we took care that the volume coming from the perfectly set up Dual 505-4 Audiophile Concept / Ortofon Super OM 30 cartridge and the Pioneer transport / tweaked Parasound DA/C-1500 DAC is the same; something easy since the pre amp has a step ladder volume control. Unfortunately these kinds of tests can not be performed with a blind & instant A/B comparison, so we just relaxed and enjoyed the music while we were changing input and volume at the pre amp.
The sound was a little different but it is virtually impossible to choose a winner. Both media sound superb. Both media sound live. Listening to both media produces equal and tremendous amounts of pleasure. The sound of the LP was a little more relaxed and sweat while the sound of the CD was offering more focus to the little details of the music.
More or less the same happened to my system with the perfectly set up Technics SL1210 MK2 / Stanton 681EEE / Jico Shibata stylus and the Pioneer / tweaked Parasound DA/C-1000 DAC. If you have read the post regarding comparing the sound of two different versions of a LP of Dianna Krall, you know that for me things were more different than better so I ended up preferring listening to track A from LP X and track B from LP Y. Here things were even worse; for example I preferred listening to the intro of a track from the LP but the rest of the track from the CD. Panos in general agrees with me but soundwise he marginally prefers the sound of the LP.
 |
| The LP comes in a protective envelope with a nice sticker. |
If you like the music it contains, you absolutely have to get this album. If you feel that your system is stronger at the analogue part, get the LP. If you feel that your system is better at the digital part, get the CD. If you feel that your system is equally good both in analogue and digital reproduction, the LP provides more satisfaction at owing it and holding it at your hands. This will cost you approx. 12 Euro more than the CD and if you don't like the 3 tracks that are recorded in the 30's, you will have to get to your turntable to manually skip them instead of using a CD remote.
 |
| If you like the music, just get this album - CD or LP, both sound excellent. |
Happy listening as always!
Christos
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