Ingrid Fliter - Chopin Preludes (Linn Records)

[thumb5]

Hello folks - I'm hoping someone else has a copy of Ingrid Fliter's Chopin Preludes on Linn Records and might like to help me out a little:



If so, I'd be interested to hear what you think of the sound quality, either on the 16/44 or higher-res versions.  (The performance is sublime, no question about that!)  To give a bit of focus, try No. 15, "Raindrop".

Feel free to put a note in the thread or PM me if you prefer - I'll be very grateful either way.

[brit]

Hello folks - I'm hoping someone else has a copy of Ingrid Fliter's Chopin Preludes on Linn Records and might like to help me out a little:



If so, I'd be interested to hear what you think of the sound quality, either on the 16/44 or higher-res versions.  (The performance is sublime, no question about that!)  To give a bit of focus, try No. 15, "Raindrop".

Feel free to put a note in the thread or PM me if you prefer - I'll be very grateful either way.

Hi Thumb5, I have the 192/24 version and can agree that the sound quality is extremely good - open and detailed, with some fine playing by Ingrid Fliter (I have not heard the 44/16 or 96/24 versions, so can not comment, or give any comparison). You are right about the No. 15, "Raindrop" (the only one of the Chopin Preludes to be named I believe) - it is one of my favourites, closely followed by the No. 8 in F Sharp. Whether you like the complete recording - it also includes 5 Mazurkas and 2 Nocturnes and The Ecossaises op 72 - depends on your view of solo piano pieces. I very much like the complete recording, both in terms of content, and sound quality, it is a frequent "go to" for evening listening when we are relaxing with a glass or two . 

David

[thumb5]

Thanks for replying, David.  I should "'fess up" as to why I asked about this: much as I love the performance, I have noticed something strange about the sound quality and was hoping to see whether anyone else hears the same thing.  From your reply it sounds like you have no qualms about it.

I have the CD, ripped to ALAC, which I normally play from Roon via AIR over Ethernet.  I can also play Roon via USB through an MC-3+ to AES/EBU, iTunes via AIR over Ethernet, or Sonos into an S/PDIF input.  In all those cases I can hear a very faint "buzzing" or "fizzing" sound on top of some of the piano notes - it's hard to describe, but maybe imagine a piece of paper is sitting on the piano strings.  (Actually it also sounds a bit like quantisation distortion but I'm sure it can't be that.  Or the sound you get when a speaker cone has been damaged, ditto.)  Also at the start of the Raindrop prelude in particular I can hear several faint bursts of "pitter-patter" noise in some places.

This has bothered me for a while and I've recently been trying to get to the bottom of it.    I have played samples of the CD-quality version of the album directly from Linn Records web site (via iTunes/AIR) and have half-convinced myself I hear the same thing, but they are so short it's hard to be sure.

I was beginning to wonder whether it's a problem in my system, but I don't hear this with other piano music, including other Fliter/Chopin recordings (from Qobuz).  The real nail in the coffin of that theory was that I still hear the problems when I play the same tracks on my Sonos Play:5, believe it or not.

So my conclusion is that this is either a problem with the recording itself (pretty unlikely) or my CD rip - but why it should affect just this album is beyond me.

Your vote of confidence in the recording is what I needed to get me to re-rip the CD, and/or download the 24/96 version of the album.  Thanks again!

[brit]

Thanks for replying, David.  I should "'fess up" as to why I asked about this: much as I love the performance, I have noticed something strange about the sound quality and was hoping to see whether anyone else hears the same thing.  From your reply it sounds like you have no qualms about it.

I have the CD, ripped to ALAC, which I normally play from Roon via AIR over Ethernet.  I can also play Roon via USB through an MC-3+ to AES/EBU, iTunes via AIR over Ethernet, or Sonos into an S/PDIF input.  In all those cases I can hear a very faint "buzzing" or "fizzing" sound on top of some of the piano notes - it's hard to describe, but maybe imagine a piece of paper is sitting on the piano strings.  (Actually it also sounds a bit like quantisation distortion but I'm sure it can't be that.  Or the sound you get when a speaker cone has been damaged, ditto.)  Also at the start of the Raindrop prelude in particular I can hear several faint bursts of "pitter-patter" noise in some places.

This has bothered me for a while and I've recently been trying to get to the bottom of it.    I have played samples of the CD-quality version of the album directly from Linn Records web site (via iTunes/AIR) and have half-convinced myself I hear the same thing, but they are so short it's hard to be sure.

I was beginning to wonder whether it's a problem in my system, but I don't hear this with other piano music, including other Fliter/Chopin recordings (from Qobuz).  The real nail in the coffin of that theory was that I still hear the problems when I play the same tracks on my Sonos Play:5, believe it or not.

So my conclusion is that this is either a problem with the recording itself (pretty unlikely) or my CD rip - but why it should affect just this album is beyond me.

Your vote of confidence in the recording is what I needed to get me to re-rip the CD, and/or download the 24/96 version of the album.  Thanks again!

Hi thumb5, having read about your issues with this recording, I went away and had another listen to selected tracks, including the "raindrop" just in case I had missed anything . I must admit that, thankfully, my version is clear and crisp without any obvious sign of the problems you are encountering.

My version was a direct download from the Linn music site. Download was direct to the HDD on my PC (I have separate folders for various downloads I make) and I can then "drag and drop" to various locations.

I now primarily use ROCK, installed on an Intel NUC6i5SYH, as my main music source streamed over Ethernet, direct to my Devialet (music is stored on an internal 2Tb HDD fitted in the NUC). As an alternative (back-up) I can use my Wyred4Sound music server which is connected by USB to my Devialet, and Ethernet connected to my Network. The Wyred4Sound has an on board 1Tb SSD for music storage. The download in question has been "dragged & dropped" to both the NUC storage drive, and the Wyred4Sound SSD. I have again tried both sources - ROCK, over Ethernet, and Wyred4Sound, over USB, and both sound fine to me.

Maybe your CD needs a clean before ripping - only a thought, or is it somehow damaged? Hope that you can resolve the problem as it is too good a recording to have spoilt in any way . Let us know how you get on.


David

[brit]

Thanks for replying, David.  I should "'fess up" as to why I asked about this: much as I love the performance, I have noticed something strange about the sound quality and was hoping to see whether anyone else hears the same thing.  From your reply it sounds like you have no qualms about it.

I have the CD, ripped to ALAC, which I normally play from Roon via AIR over Ethernet.  I can also play Roon via USB through an MC-3+ to AES/EBU, iTunes via AIR over Ethernet, or Sonos into an S/PDIF input.  In all those cases I can hear a very faint "buzzing" or "fizzing" sound on top of some of the piano notes - it's hard to describe, but maybe imagine a piece of paper is sitting on the piano strings.  (Actually it also sounds a bit like quantisation distortion but I'm sure it can't be that.  Or the sound you get when a speaker cone has been damaged, ditto.)  Also at the start of the Raindrop prelude in particular I can hear several faint bursts of "pitter-patter" noise in some places.

This has bothered me for a while and I've recently been trying to get to the bottom of it.    I have played samples of the CD-quality version of the album directly from Linn Records web site (via iTunes/AIR) and have half-convinced myself I hear the same thing, but they are so short it's hard to be sure.

I was beginning to wonder whether it's a problem in my system, but I don't hear this with other piano music, including other Fliter/Chopin recordings (from Qobuz).  The real nail in the coffin of that theory was that I still hear the problems when I play the same tracks on my Sonos Play:5, believe it or not.

So my conclusion is that this is either a problem with the recording itself (pretty unlikely) or my CD rip - but why it should affect just this album is beyond me.

Your vote of confidence in the recording is what I needed to get me to re-rip the CD, and/or download the 24/96 version of the album.  Thanks again!

Hi thumb5, having read about your issues with this recording, I went away and had another listen to selected tracks, including the "raindrop" just in case I had missed anything . I must admit that, thankfully, my version is clear and crisp without any obvious sign of the problems you are encountering.

My version was a direct download from the Linn music site. Download was direct to the HDD on my PC (I have separate folders for various downloads I make) and I can then "drag and drop" to various locations.

I now primarily use ROCK, installed on an Intel NUC6i5SYH, as my main music source streamed over Ethernet, direct to my Devialet (music is stored on an internal 2Tb HDD fitted in the NUC). As an alternative (back-up) I can use my Wyred4Sound music server which is connected by USB to my Devialet, and Ethernet connected to my Network. The Wyred4Sound has an on board 1Tb SSD for music storage. The download in question has been "dragged & dropped" to both the NUC storage drive, and the Wyred4Sound SSD. I have again tried both sources - ROCK, over Ethernet, and Wyred4Sound, over USB, and both sound fine to me.

Maybe your CD needs a clean before ripping - only a thought, or is it somehow damaged? Hope that you can resolve the problem as it is too good a recording to have spoilt in any way . Let us know how you get on.


David

[thumb5]

Well, I've re-ripped the CD using two different decoders (Max and XLD) and still hear the same artefacts. XLD reported no read errors during the rip, and 100% confidence of a good rip.

I'm going to take a punt on the 24/96 download and see how that compares...

[thumb5]

...it sounds exactly the same. Very strange.

Interestingly, it's only the 24 Preludes on this album that seem to be affected: the Mazurkas, Nocturnes, and Ecossaises sound absolutely spot on.

In desperation, I might have a chat with Linn Records' customer support to see whether they have any thoughts about it.

[thumb5]

A small step forward: the "pitter-patter" sound was interference from the wi-fi interface searching for the access point (argh! should have recognised that sooner), and it's gone away now I've disabled wi-fi. The other puzzling sounds in the preludes are still there.

[brit]

A small step forward: the "pitter-patter" sound was interference from the wi-fi interface searching for the access point (argh! should have recognised that sooner), and it's gone away now I've disabled wi-fi.  The other puzzling sounds in the preludes are still there.

Hi Ian, You have piqued my interest in this recording . I again spent last evening both re listening to it, and searching out reviews of this particular recording. As you are probably aware it has been extensively and, in the main, extremely well reviewed - a Gramophone recording of the month as well!

I then came across this single 1 star review on Amazon!!:

https://www.amazon.com/product-reviews/B...geNumber=1

Now this is the only really negative review I found, but look at what it is highlighting!! Personally I can not hear any problems - and, from the many other +ve reviews, nor can many others - perhaps your ears are more sensitive than mine (I must admit that age is taking its toll on the old auditory system) . I would be interested to hear any outcome from any approach to Linn you might make.


David

ps glad you found the "pitter-patter"

[thumb5]

David, thanks for pointing out that review; it describes exactly what I'm hearing, although it perhaps puts it more strongly than I would. Also I hear the "buzzing" when listening at rather low volumes (cf comments to the review).

I had realised that the CD had been (almost!) universally well-reviewed for sound quality as well as performance, so I was really beginning to doubt my sanity.

The most troubling thing is that once you hear something like this it's easy for it to become an obsession, with analysis and critical listening taking over from pure enjoyment of the music. I do hope I haven't inadvertently pushed you over that cliff!