ULTRA AUDIO -- Archived Article
 

Letters -- July 2005


In support of high-resolution multichannel music

July 25, 2005

To Rad Bennett,

I just wanted to say that I completely agree with your position on multichannel music, particularly classical. While my equipment does not reach the stratospheric heights often discussed in your publication, I do have what I consider to be "decent" equipment and the advantage of multichannel is clearly evident even with my modest setup. I've had many arguments about the superiority (when done well) of multichannel mixes over two-channel mixes, though I fear I remain in the minority. Oh well -- those listeners who prefer stereo don't know what they're missing, I guess. I will continue to add multichannel high-resolution recordings to my collection for as long as they are available. I sometimes wonder if those who think two channel is the gold standard and multichannel is unnatural were among those who resisted the move from mono to stereo.

I applaud your support of high-resolution multichannel music and thank you for the recommendations.

Paul D'Amboise


"Room ambience is fundamental..."

July 6, 2005

To Rad Bennett,

You are completely right in "Bringing Up the Rear." Room ambience is fundamental in any recording, as the musicians always reflect on it while interpreting the music. Thus the recorded sound, be it in stereo or in multichannel, should always transport the natural ambience.

Surround is even more interesting when considering those scores that invent musician positioning at other places in the room.

Please compare our Shostakovich "Leningrad" with Kofman, in which we recorded the "Red Army" from behind. Or that tremendous interpretation of the Schütz-Vespre by Peter Neumann recorded from different balconies in the church, which you can easily detect in our 2+2+2 Recording. And in our Haydn SACD with Adam Fischer, you hear the horn soloists walking around in the concert hall as they always do during the concert.

Werner Dabringhaus
www.mdg.de
www.2plus2plus2.ch


Likes "TWBAS"

July 2, 2005

To Jeff Fritz,

I chanced upon your column, "The World's Best Audio System." It was simply mind-blowing just reading your riveting experience in setting up this wonderful system.

A layman like me would never get the chance to listen to such an expensive system, but you are blessed with it. My congratulations to you.

M. Yusoff


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