Horrible digitalisation
As newer and newer Archiphon releases come out, the sound quality deteriorates.
A very long time ago, for example, they released Klemperer's early recordings made during the Weimar Republic, which have been exemplarily remastered. These were transcriptions of much older recordings of poorer sound quality, but they were still lovable and the sound engineers did an excellent job.
When they released Klemperer's Concertgebouw recordings on 22 SACDs 2 years ago, I was less enthusiastic but kept quiet. Many people wrote in high tones about the great digital reworking Mr Bolles had done on them. They were wrong, because they relativised it as a matter of taste and because we could not hear the original master tapes, it was impossible to tell what came from his digitisation and what came from the original recording. This is quite simply not true because anyone who can detect digital noise will not later be excused for bad work. That said, the end result was still mostly acceptable.
This latest, very expensive set is even worse, because it dives into a decidedly distracting digital cacophony. Sometimes acceptable, but often simply disgusting. For example, most of the time the strings sound like an annoying and frustrating digital vibrato that doesn't sound remotely like an instrument. Very disappointing, because I don't consider myself an audiophile, and in fact I particularly like archival recordings made between the two world wars.
It's a pity, Klemperer deserved better than this, although there are many very fine recordings in the box.
