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Title: Sonically Sabotaged Aida
Review: Yes, this is a great performance, and I'm not going to explore what most listeners have already found out for themselves. What amazes me is the plaudits this recording has received regarding its sound quality. On a high resolution system, this recording is a disaster. When the music is in its quieter moments, the fizz of distortion is startling; in the louder moments there is a dramatic and unpleasant volume increase, and even though in these louder parts clarity and tonal bloom improve somewhat, the haze of distortion around the singers does not. For a mid-price reissue, Opera D'Oro has not done its customers any service. The slipcase, artwork, and libretto cannot balance the unpleasant sound; nor can the fine performance, for that matter, which is a real shame. This is great singing utterly sabotaged by the sonics. Just what are the reviewers who have complimented the sound listening with or through?
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