has anybody noticed that the sound quality of DG's recent recordings has
got worse? This is common to almost all Abbado's recordings.  The sound
is thick and monotonous, without details ja unfocused.  Worst of all is
Abbado's Beethoven-cycle that sounds kind of muddy, to my ears at least.
It sounds like all the high frequencies have been cut off.  Listening to
these recordings makes me very tiresome.  Is DG trying to create a new
image? Karajan used to prefer a very clear sound.  Has Abbado been making
the opposite? I like the Chandos's clear and atmospheric sound for instance
but I very seldom have a new CD from DG because its dull image.  Am I just
imagining?

Jukka Virtanen, Espoo, Finland