David Harbin writes:

>May I please aks, I would like to get the Munch/BSO Daphnis et Chloe but
>it is only on SACD. Will there be any appreciable difference to the CD
>version if was to play this on a CD player and not an SACD (which I hope
>to get one day?)

That's a good question.  I would say yes, as all three layers are from
new, very careful transfers of the old tapes.  I'm very happy to see
that this series is mostly sold out at my local tower.  It's a stunner
in any case.  My favorites of the series have been the Munch/Saint Saens,
the Heifitz/Beethoven and the Rubenstein/Chopin.  As for SACD players,
there are some excellent universals out there, and I would bet that the
plain old CD playback would be better than any mass-produced $500 player
from 10 years ago just by default.

Ramiro Arguello wrote:

>>I will not buy another CD which is not SACD or DVD-A.

I haven't gone that far; I've been enjoying the Aho series on BIS,
unfortunately redbook only, but still enjoy it thoroughly.  I just want
to do what I can to reward the companies recording Classical in SACD,
and especially SACD surround.  No genre benefits more from discreet
surround than large-scale Classical music--the ear is tricked into
believing the orchestra is spread out 50ft X 50ft in the living room,
all for the small extra cost of rear speakers, one additional amp, (steal
it from your kids), and an SACD player.  The center is not that important
IMHO, even though I use one.  Having just finished listening to Susskind's
Holst "Planets," in discreet surround, (recorded that way in '75), makes
it worth every penny to me.  The orchestra is unshackled, so to
speak--Jupiter has all the room to breathe it wants.  Nothing wrong with
2 channel either, as the Munch Daphnis is two channel.

Yes, I'm buying the standard rep all over again at the expense buying
stuff I haven't yet heard, (Naxos' Vol.  34 of the posthumous Solo
Recorder Sonatas attributed to Stamitz' 3rd cousin Wolfgang), but that's
(obviously) quite all right with me.  If you look at what's available
world-wide on SACD, the breadth of titles is not bad at all.  We have
more to chose from than the 1812 Overture.

John Smyth
Sac, CA