Various Artists Das Stereo Phono Festival Vol.3 Set (SACD+DVD)

When the STEREO Phono Festival was released in 2015, it hit listeners like a bomb in an environment of general and steadily growing enthusiasm for analogue music reproduction. To experience turntables of all price and performance classes, including many STEREO test devices, "virtually" via CD, SACD or high-bit files in the best sound quality via one's own system – that was as new as it was exciting and was well received. Each spinner presented itself with a musical highlight, with current productions standing next to central titles of hi-fi history that shaped it and were, for example, popular demonstration pieces at trade fairs. In this respect, the STEREO Phono Festivals also contribute to the preservation and promotion of audiophile culture.
Due to the great popularity, a second edition based on an identical concept followed, and with this double disc box the STEREO Phono-Festival Vol. III is now available. It delivers 15 digital recordings of turntables, ranging from the upscale entry-level lathe operator to the dream device. As usual, the music is available as a digital copy of the records of the highest quality as well as three formats. The hybrid SACD runs on every CD and SACD player, with the DSD data stream of the SACD getting closer to the high-resolution original PCM originals in the ultimate format of 24 bit/192 kilohertz. The latter is delivered by the Phono-Festival in the form of a DVD-R for reading via the computer. These are the native WAV files of the recordings, which are completely untreated except for a possible minor level adjustment. They can be streamed over the network or played directly from the computer and correspond to the original uncropped quality. For the CD, the high-bit files were scaled down to their format of 16 bit/44.1 kHz or converted to DSD format as a 2.8 megahertz bitstream for the SACD layer. The overplaying of the freshly washed discs was carried out with the utmost care. They were connected to the reference phono preamplifier Brinkmann Edison (right), which was optimally adapted to the respective pickup in terms of its input resistance and amplification factor. Only the best cables were used for the connections. This is also the case with the first-class digital recorder Nagra Seven (left), which we coupled directly to the balanced outputs of the Edison. He converted its analog streams into the high-bit format of 24 bits/192 kilohertz and buffered the data on his internal hard drive.
Thanks to these uncompromising components and the exhausted digital format, the sound quality of the turntables as well as their individual character are largely retained. The listening pleasure is complemented by the pleasure of the extensive booklet, which presents the musical and tonal as well as technical refinements of each turntable/LP combination. This is not primarily about sound comparisons. Rather, the listener finds an unconstrained access to the audiophile appeal and level of the analogue gems.

Selections:

Disk 1 of 2 (SACD)
1. Jerry Goldsmith: Star Trak - Main Theme
2. Michael Ruff: What Kind Of World Is This
3. Loreena McKennitt: A Hundred Wishes
4. Syd Lawrence: Begin The Beguine
5. Tokunbo: Innocence
6. Arne Domnerus: Anthiphone Blues
7. Anne Bisson: No Problem
8. Raoul de Souza: Sweet Lucy
9. Ed Partyka: The Great City
10. Kari Bremnes: Spor (2015 Version)
11. Linda Sharrock & The Chants Band: Besame Mucho
12. Blicher Hemmer Gadd: Like It Is
13. Trio Palabras: Tristezas
14. Chris Sara K. & Jones: Vincent
15. Pat Coil: Escape Clause
Disk 2 of 2 (DVD-ROM)
1. Jerry Goldsmith: Star Trek - Main Theme
2. Michael Ruff: What Kind Of World Is This
3. Loreena McKennitt: A Hundred Wishes
4. Syd Lawrence: Begin The Beguine
5. Tokunbo: Innocence
6. Arne Domnerus: Anthiphone Blues
7. Anne Bisson: No Problem
8. Raoul de Souza: Sweet Lucy
9. Ed Partyka: The Great City
10. Kari Bremnes: Spor (2015 Version)
11. Linda Sharrock & The Chants Band: Besame Mucho
12. Blicher Hemmer Gadd: Like It Is
13. Trio Palabras: Tristezas
14. Chris Sara K. & Jones: Vincent
15. Pat Coil: Escape Clause