Bob Stumpf ranked:

>1. Berlin Philharmonic
>2. Vienna Philharmonic
>3. Philadelphia Orchestra
>4. New York Philharmonic
>5. Chicago Symphony Orchestra
>6. Los Angeles Philharmonic
>7. London Symphony Orchestra
>8. Philharmonia Orchestra
>9. London Philharmonic Orchestra
>10. The Concertgebouw Orchestra (probably should be in top 10)

I would have placed the Concertgebouw closer to the top, rather than
at the bottom.  Certainly above the LAPO.  One orchestra that is sorely
missing from your list is Staatskapelle Dresden (as in Kempe's Strauss,
Jochum's Bruckner, and Blomstedt's magnificent-sounding recordings that
fall within that period - I believe this is even more true today).  Another
orchestra that might be ruled out if "great sound" is the sole criterion
for 15-20 years agois the Leningrad Philharmonic (now St. Petersburg).
However, anyone attending the orchestra's concerts during their on-going
U.S.  tour under Temirkanov will be left in no doubt that this orchestra
belongs among the best.  Certainly better than the current LAPO, which
would now be outranked, in my opinion, by the San Francisco Symphony.
Also, I think the Cleveland Orchestra would probably displace one of the
London orchestras (perhaps the LPO) in a current list.

Ramon Khalona
Carlsbad, California