Thread: Multi-channel SACDs from Exton

Posts: 7

Post by Luukas November 26, 2015 (1 of 7)
Hi, everybody!
Do you have any experiences about the multi-channel SACDs from the catalogue of Exton? How about the surround sound? Is it realistic (the rears and so on)? After I read the reviews from the hraudio.net - http://www.hraudio.net/showmusic.php?title=5261 (Mahler: Symphony No. 10, Sieghart), http://www.hraudio.net/showmusic.php?title=4613 (Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde, Sieghart), http://www.hraudio.net/showmusic.php?title=4934 (Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 6 & 7, Ashkenazy) & http://www.hraudio.net/showmusic.php?title=3607 (Respighi: Church Windows etc., Ashkenazy) - I decided to order some albums. But before that I want to hear your comments about the surround sound.

Post by windhoek November 26, 2015 (2 of 7)
I've got both of the Exton Mahler SACDs (Sieghart's 10 and Das Lied.) and if I recall correctly, the surround mix is within the usual parameters for classical music i.e quite conservative. I'll give each a brief spin later and let you know for sure. Fwiw, I'm listening to Bjork just now, so don't want to be rude and interrupt her while she's spreading joy :)

Post by windhoek November 26, 2015 (3 of 7)
Both Sieghart SACDs are typically ambient/passive with regard to surround channels and seem to only output a much quieter version of what comes from the front channels as opposed to being discrete and different - I muted the amp that powers the front channels to compare - so if you want to try/buy them, the surround mix shouldn't be the reason for doing so; instead, it's down to the music and whether you like what you hear. Hope that helps Luukas :)

Post by Luukas November 26, 2015 (4 of 7)
Thanks, Derek! I have listened the sound samples from the internet with my headphones and the acoustics of the concert hall - Mahler's Tenth - was quite dry. I guess that on surround the rears will not give more ambience for me. Or, what do you think?

Post by windhoek November 26, 2015 (5 of 7)
Luukas said:

Thanks, Derek! I have listened the sound samples from the internet with my headphones and the acoustics of the concert hall - Mahler's Tenth - was quite dry. I guess that on surround the rears will not give more ambience for me. Or, what do you think?

There are times when the rears come slightly more to the fore, but even then, it still seems like they just replicate what comes from the front channels. I've heard some classical multichannel releases offer less from the rears, but regardless, rear channel output shouldn't be the main reason for purchase because if it is, you might well be disappointed. If you like the music and performance however, then it's a winer :)

Post by Fitzcaraldo215 November 27, 2015 (6 of 7)
windhoek said:

There are times when the rears come slightly more to the fore, but even then, it still seems like they just replicate what comes from the front channels. I've heard some classical multichannel releases offer less from the rears, but regardless, rear channel output shouldn't be the main reason for purchase because if it is, you might well be disappointed. If you like the music and performance however, then it's a winer :)

I agree. But for what ever reason, the Mch Extons I have are mediocre sounding, but passable. Musically, I was not as excited by many releases as I expected to be, either. I stopped buying them a number of years ago for those reasons.

Post by wehecht November 27, 2015 (7 of 7)
Fitzcaraldo215 said:

passable

"Passable" is the perfect description. In my experience the best of a pretty mediocre lot are the Macal CPO Dvorak discs, probably because the highly reverberant Rudolfinum tends to offset Exton's typical very dry mc approach. It's a shame that their Pittsburgh recordings are stereo only since I believe those we're engineered by Sound Mirror.

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