I've heard a number of the early Dvorak quartets, and I've seen reviews
of the Bayer recordings that were very positive.  The early quartets are
extremely fine, even if #3 lasts almost an hour (perhaps more?); if you
extend early to include not-so-early, with quartet #9, op. 34, you have
a masterpiece that to my ears even some of the late quartets do not match,
let alone exceed.  If you want to sample the early quartets, Naxos is about
to release or just has released a CD coupling two of them (the f minor and
one of the two in a minor- #s 5 and 7 I think? or #s 5 and 6?.  Not sure.)
Their series- not yet complete but apparently intended to be, and so
possibly an alternative to the Bayer, for their quartet (the New Vlach) is
very good- has already covered (most? I forget) the late quartets and at
least some of the early (5, 6 or 7, 8, 9 on various CDs.  I wouldn't be
surprised if 3 got its own CD...).

-Eric Schissel