Recordings of symphonies?

[stenb]

I agree that the master recording is of the outmost importance, not least for SACD versions. What I do find strange though is that on all my hybrid SACDs the ordinary CD layer sounds better than than the SACD layer. Several HiFi shops I have dealt with support this oppinion. My only explanation is that the SACD layer is badly manufactured (rather unlikely) or the CD layer is upsampled to 24/192 and therfore gains som quality in the re-clocking procedure on a modern Blu ray player for instance. Upsampling, like upscaling the picture, is technically a rather "cheap" and "vulgar" way of possibly gaining certain aspects of the sound reproduction though. Therefore, symphonic music is certainly worth the 24/192 technology in pure 2 channel reproduction (convincing 5.1 or 7.1 I have found very difficult to succeed with). Some Mozart operas on Blu Ray do have an impressive 2-channel reproduction on 24/96 and 24/192 which could serve as a guidline for classical recordings in general.