This is a very fertile area for recordings.  I think there are many
excellent versions:

Modern instruments:

Vegh - Auvidis Valois
Emerson - DG
Melos - DG
Tokyo - RCA
Budapest - Sony/Bridge
Alban Berg - EMI
Quartetto Italiano - Philips
Lindsay - ASV
Medici - Nimbus (only for the early quartets)

Period Instruments:

Mosaiques - Auvidis Astree (1 disc)
Turner - Harmonia Mundi (early quartets)
Smithson - DHM (early quartets)

Although I have not heard any super budget recordings, the Kodaly on
Naxos and the Alexander on Arte Nova have received some fine reviews.

If pressed, I'd go with the Lindsays, Alban Berg, Melos, Medici, and
Mosaiques.  I'd hate to be pressed on this - so many rewarding groups.
And, I didn't list them all by any means.  One superb single disc has the
Emersons performing op. 95 and Schubert's "Death & the Maiden; the opus 95
is the best I've heard - packs quite a wallop with very endearing lyrical
moments.

Overall, I think someone new to the Beethoven quartets needs to hear some
different versions and decide what direction(s) to take.  Unfortunately for
my budget, the only direction I don't care for is the "fully romantic" one.

Don Satz
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