Franklin Mint Record Society
- Thread starter ampegdan
- Start date
Sansui Louie
Curmudgeon
I remember seeing these advertised. They were handsome looking volumes, the dark red records were rather rich looking as well.
How about records from the Musical Heritage Society? Also a subscription service. I accidentally signed up for it by circling a reader service card number in the back of High Fidelity when I was 14 and I thought my parents were gonna kill me! It took my mom quite a bit to get out of what was apparently some sort of lifelong commitment.
A few years ago, I ran into a couple mint thrift copies of Mozart from the MHS, so I picked them up. I liked them so much that I sought out and found an enormous collection of them on an auction site. I bought about 200 records, the shipping was more than the auction. They're all minty fresh and sound great.:worthless
How about records from the Musical Heritage Society? Also a subscription service. I accidentally signed up for it by circling a reader service card number in the back of High Fidelity when I was 14 and I thought my parents were gonna kill me! It took my mom quite a bit to get out of what was apparently some sort of lifelong commitment.
A few years ago, I ran into a couple mint thrift copies of Mozart from the MHS, so I picked them up. I liked them so much that I sought out and found an enormous collection of them on an auction site. I bought about 200 records, the shipping was more than the auction. They're all minty fresh and sound great.:worthless
Sansui Louie
Curmudgeon
I wasn't really concerned with what they're worth. What do people think of the quality of the records, and performances?
thunderroad
Life begins at 140 mph.
I've got quite a few of the MHS LPs and they are pretty good quality pressings. As far as the sound quality and performance is concerned, they are like other brands of LPs, some good and some bad, or not as good anyway. Holt's Law applies, naturally! (the better the performance, the worse the recording) They are consistently better quality than the Nonesuch LPs I own, though. 
vinyl1
Super Member
They are usually licensed reissues, mostly from European labels.
The labels in Europe always sent them a copy of the working master tape, not the original. So no matter what they did, they could never have sound as good as the original pressings.
That is why, as good as they might be, serious collectors will always go for the original. They can be very good indeed, with fine performances. You'll certainly get a lot of great music for your money.
But somewhere in the world, some guy is lowering the stylus of his Koetsu Urishi onto a stone mint original French pressing from 1966.....
LarryYaremko
Member
I found this description during a Google search:
"'I've already assembled my set, so I can tip you off to the best deal in classical vinyl at eBay... Franklin Mint 100 Greatest Recordings of All Time. I know what you're thinking... anything with Franklin Mint's name on it has to be overpriced trash. But in this case, it's a terrific bargain.
Shortly before CDs came into vogue, Franklin Mint hired musicologist Irving Kolodin to assemble the greatest performances of core repetoire. They licensed masters from most of the major labels spanning the years 1910 to 1975, and hired top notch engineers to half speed master them to audiophile grade red vinyl. Each set came with two LPs in a heavyweight binder with a book about the composers, music and performers. There were 50 sets, and they originally sold for something like $40 apiece. That represented a hefty investment for people who subscribed to the whole set.
Now they turn up at ebay for as low as $2 a disk. That's a tenth of the original price! When you find these sets, they are almost always mint, because most people who bought these sets were AFRAID TO PLAY THEM!
I kid you not.
Many of the disks include the same program material as on high priced Living Stereo and Mercury Living Presence issues that Japanese collectors pounce on, but in even *better* pressings. Franklin Mint did other sets too... A comprehensive set of Toscanini that won a Grammy for best engineering, a set commemorating Ormandy's career, signed by the maestro himself, the greatest jazz recordings of all time, a big bands set, and a country music set. With a couple of very insignificant exceptions every single one of these sets sounds great and is packed with first rate performances."
guiller
Toscaninichus Australis
I've got the Toscanini Family Franklin Mint Edition (6 boxes) thrice: one complete LP set and two complete CrO2 cassette sets. The overall sound quality is among the best I've heard on Toscanini/NBC recordings. For example, the 2 tableaux from Petroushka have a much more lively sound than in the "complete" BMG Toscanini CD edition. I didn't find any remarkable difference between the tape and the LP editions. Definitely, one of the best items in my entire collection.
All the best
All the best
Mopic5
Super Member
Well, not really "usually" in their early stuff. MHS excelled in recording (their own) obscure chamber recordings - stuff that wouldn't have been recorded otherwise. While some of their later re-issues may be hit or miss, by and large, I think they did a fine job with sonics and performance.
"Collector value" seems to be something that's important to you. But even there, 25 cents is off the mark. I gotten a lot more for clean, well organized MHS collections.
- Mario
Willischulz
Willischulz
There are a bunch of the Franklin Mint recordings on E-bay right now! Just type in "Franklin Mint records"
vinyl1
Super Member
Well, what the collectors want is usually the right stuff. In classical, anyway, I have great respect for the wisdom of the crowd, although there is some faddishness here and there.
When I was a young guy starting out, I had inexpensive equipment and bought cheap reissues. If you chose carefully, you'lll get nice results. A Musical Heritage reissue of an EMI, the HNH version of a Lyrita, the Unicorn reissued on Nonesuch, some London STS.....all very nice.
But through some strange process that no one understand very well, I got intrested in audio and started to upgrade equipment. I also started picking up the odd original, a black-and-wihte postage stamp EMI, a blue-and-silver Unicorn, a narrowband Decca. Some of these are not that expensive, you can pick one up for under ten bucks.
That is the road some chose to travel. You may stop at any point, and enjoy what you have, or you may continue on the journey.
When I was a young guy starting out, I had inexpensive equipment and bought cheap reissues. If you chose carefully, you'lll get nice results. A Musical Heritage reissue of an EMI, the HNH version of a Lyrita, the Unicorn reissued on Nonesuch, some London STS.....all very nice.
But through some strange process that no one understand very well, I got intrested in audio and started to upgrade equipment. I also started picking up the odd original, a black-and-wihte postage stamp EMI, a blue-and-silver Unicorn, a narrowband Decca. Some of these are not that expensive, you can pick one up for under ten bucks.
That is the road some chose to travel. You may stop at any point, and enjoy what you have, or you may continue on the journey.
Mopic5
Super Member
Well, maybe – maybe not. While “the right stuff” may be good sounding as part of the criteria for a “collector”, it’s more often rarity that pushes that market. The unsaid, other side of this coin is the wrong assumption that because something’s prolific, it can’t be much good or just a fad.
Here’s an example using the “everyday” Franklin Mint records that started this thread and comparing them to the early pressings of the same performances. Anybody can try this experiment at home provided you have the original recording and the Franklin Mint re-issue. The Soria RCA Requiem and the London Solti/Mahler were picked as the best and earliest representatives among three copies each and are both in near mint shape. The Franklin Mint re-issues were sealed.
The Verdi Requiem (1961) would be considered an historic recording (Mid-range a little wanting – but still amazingly good for a 47-year-old recording). The master tape, no doubt, limited both recordings. Still there is a difference. The Franklin is clearer and brighter than the early pressed Soria edition.
In Mahler’s 8th (Solti – 1971), the Franklin Mint beats the pants off of the London recording and handily. To be fair, this London probably isn’t a first pressing (although it’s the heaviest edition vinyl of the three that I have). Nevertheless, I would suspect that the cutter head saturation of a half-speed re-mastering would blow that one away, as well.
The sonics were truly that jaw-dropping.
Retail Price of the leather spined Soria Edition Shaded Dog Requiem in NM condition… $15 to $25.
Retail price of the Solti/Mahler 8th in NM condition… $5 to $7.
Retail price of Franklin Mint re-issues of each in NM or Sealed $2 to $4.
So for me, it makes perfect sense to sell off these early edition original pressings to collectors on their journeys and just sit back and listen to these superior re-issues. I also like how they compliment my Lenco.
- Mario
Sansui Louie
Curmudgeon
Does anyone have the jazz sets? I'd be interested in them if they're not re-pressings of scratchy old tin can-and-string recordings.
Mopic5
Super Member
If the Jazz 56 LP jazz collection is mastered anything like the classical collection, I’d be in the hunt too. Seems like a few recordings, like Joplin, Handy and Bessie Smith might come from the 78 era, but the vast majority of artists/arrangers look to be from the LP, if not the stereo age. Other artists include: Armstrong, Goodman, Waters, Waller, Tatum, Hines, Wilson, Hawkins, Young, Carter, Hodges, Morton Oliver Bechet, Ellington, Davis, Mingus, Monk, Reinhardt, Grapelli, Benson, Montgomery, Venuti, Redman, Strayhorse, Lewis, Hancock, Goodman, Hampton, Gillespie, Parker, Beiderbecke, Berigan, Teagarden, Russell, Hackett, Gardiner, Powell, and Peterson.
On the strength of what I heard last night, I went out and corralled the rest of the classical collection (well, almost – 49 out of 50 – two-LP sets). 40 are sealed and 9 sets are NM+ (played once, my guess). Thanks, Ampegdan, for starting this thread, it been a real eye & ear opener.
Some other, often overlooked collections by collectors because there are a million of them out there and they carry a “cheesy” label, are the early Reader’s Digest classical sets.
The fact is, these sound wonderful for 1960-62 early stereo recordings and are on par with U.S. pressed Mercury Living Presence and RCA Living Stereo of the same time. The first, “Festival of Light Classical Music” was a engineering collaboration between Charles Gerhardt and Kenneth Wilkinson. “Wilkie”, as he was sometimes known, was the stalwart recording engineer behind Decca/London for four decades. He was also instrumental in engineering the moving coil cutting lathe that catapulted recording sonics. If you like the London sound, this is the man responsible for it.
From left to right, Gerhardt, Malcolm Sargent, and Wilkinson at the console during “Festival”.
Once word got out about the sound of this first set, maestros flocked to Reader’s Digest for it’s second, and many say its most important contribution to recording history: “Treasury of Great Music”. Munch, Kempe, Reiner, Solti, Horenstein, Krips, Barbirolli, and Dorati, all at the top of their game contributed to this 12-record set (13 if you got the bonus album) which took nearly two years to produce. More than a few definitive performances sleep within these sleeves.
By the mid-60s the Reader’s Digest recordings were in the slow slide to schlock. But these early sets are hours upon hours of listening treats for the classical listener. All for a dollar or two.
- Mario
On the strength of what I heard last night, I went out and corralled the rest of the classical collection (well, almost – 49 out of 50 – two-LP sets). 40 are sealed and 9 sets are NM+ (played once, my guess). Thanks, Ampegdan, for starting this thread, it been a real eye & ear opener.
Some other, often overlooked collections by collectors because there are a million of them out there and they carry a “cheesy” label, are the early Reader’s Digest classical sets.
The fact is, these sound wonderful for 1960-62 early stereo recordings and are on par with U.S. pressed Mercury Living Presence and RCA Living Stereo of the same time. The first, “Festival of Light Classical Music” was a engineering collaboration between Charles Gerhardt and Kenneth Wilkinson. “Wilkie”, as he was sometimes known, was the stalwart recording engineer behind Decca/London for four decades. He was also instrumental in engineering the moving coil cutting lathe that catapulted recording sonics. If you like the London sound, this is the man responsible for it.
From left to right, Gerhardt, Malcolm Sargent, and Wilkinson at the console during “Festival”.
Once word got out about the sound of this first set, maestros flocked to Reader’s Digest for it’s second, and many say its most important contribution to recording history: “Treasury of Great Music”. Munch, Kempe, Reiner, Solti, Horenstein, Krips, Barbirolli, and Dorati, all at the top of their game contributed to this 12-record set (13 if you got the bonus album) which took nearly two years to produce. More than a few definitive performances sleep within these sleeves.
By the mid-60s the Reader’s Digest recordings were in the slow slide to schlock. But these early sets are hours upon hours of listening treats for the classical listener. All for a dollar or two.
- Mario
If the Jazz 56 LP jazz collection is mastered anything like the classical collection, I’d be in the hunt too. Seems like a few recordings, like Joplin, Handy and Bessie Smith might come from the 78 era, but the vast majority of artists/arrangers look to be from the LP, if not the stereo age. Other artists include: Armstrong, Goodman, Waters, Waller, Tatum, Hines, Wilson, Hawkins, Young, Carter, Hodges, Morton Oliver Bechet, Ellington, Davis, Mingus, Monk, Reinhardt, Grapelli, Benson, Montgomery, Venuti, Redman, Strayhorse, Lewis, Hancock, Goodman, Hampton, Gillespie, Parker, Beiderbecke, Berigan, Teagarden, Russell, Hackett, Gardiner, Powell, and Peterson.
On the strength of what I heard last night, I went out and corralled the rest of the classical collection (well, almost – 49 out of 50 – two-LP sets). 40 are sealed and 9 sets are NM+ (played once, my guess). Thanks, Ampegdan, for starting this thread, it been a real eye & ear opener.
Some other, often overlooked collections by collectors because there are a million of them out there and they carry a “cheesy” label, are the early Reader’s Digest classical sets.
The fact is, these sound wonderful for 1960-62 early stereo recordings and are on par with U.S. pressed Mercury Living Presence and RCA Living Stereo of the same time. The first, “Festival of Light Classical Music” was a engineering collaboration between Charles Gerhardt and Kenneth Wilkinson. “Wilkie”, as he was sometimes known, was the stalwart recording engineer behind Decca/London for four decades. He was also instrumental in engineering the moving coil cutting lathe that catapulted recording sonics. If you like the London sound, this is the man responsible for it.
From left to right, Gerhardt, Malcolm Sargent, and Wilkinson at the console during “Festival”.
Once word got out about the sound of this first set, maestros flocked to Reader’s Digest for it’s second, and many say its most important contribution to recording history: “Treasury of Great Music”. Munch, Kempe, Reiner, Solti, Horenstein, Krips, Barbirolli, and Dorati, all at the top of their game contributed to this 12-record set (13 if you got the bonus album) which took nearly two years to produce. More than a few definitive performances sleep within these sleeves.
By the mid-60s the Reader’s Digest recordings were in the slow slide to schlock. But these early sets are hours upon hours of listening treats for the classical listener. All for a dollar or two.
- Mario
Oh man, I guess that I have been missing some treasures. Over 2 years, I have prolly seen 10 of each of those sets and never given them a second thought...
Time to look for them!
Also, weren't these pressed on the equipment used for the living stereo recordings and such?
And in the pic of the engineers, isn't that an Ampex tape deck? Looks like the hubs that I remember seeing on a 350...
j chauvin
Well-Known Member
Well that might explain how I came to find (and buy) 6 NOS sets from the "100 Greatest Recordings of All Time" at GW a few weeks ago ($2.99 each).
I found:
- 23/24
- 25/26
- 27/28
- 83/84
- 89/90
- 89/90 (yes, a second 89/90)
I haven't opened them, yet.
In fact, I couldn't find much information on them, myself. So, thanks for this thread!
I can provide pictures if you wish, but aside from the Franklin Mint introduction and authenticity note, there isn't much to see.
j
Mopic5
Super Member
Vinyldavid,
My understanding was that mastering was done in-house at Reader's and that RCA's role in pressing was a bit of a give and take between Chuck Gerhardt, who had previously worked for RCA as an engineer between 1951-55before jumping to Westminster and finally to RD. The badge on these early sets was "Cycloramic Stereo" which really doesn't say much of anything. (I think movie theatres were calling their curved screens Cyclorama at the time.)
The forte of this dynamic duo was their daring in the recording, mixing and mastering end of the production. Neither was a "purist". Ken Wilkinson, who intially worked under Arthur Haddy at Decca, cut his teeth on the "Decca Tree", which was a three mike placement and an outgrowth of Mercury's minimalist 3-mike placement in its early Living Presence recordings.
Once on his own, Wilkie placed additional microphones wherever he thought they were needed - but never to the point of overmiking. He had an ear.
Charles Gerhardt, a Julliard trained pianist and conductor, was in the role of recording producer. During the mixing process if he thought the tympani needed a little more definition, he'd hammer out a note on the piano to boost the mix. Purist? No. Fun, lively recordings? Yes.
Out of 2 million "Festivals" sent off in mail orders, more than half are mono - "M" on the sleeves.
- Mario
My understanding was that mastering was done in-house at Reader's and that RCA's role in pressing was a bit of a give and take between Chuck Gerhardt, who had previously worked for RCA as an engineer between 1951-55before jumping to Westminster and finally to RD. The badge on these early sets was "Cycloramic Stereo" which really doesn't say much of anything. (I think movie theatres were calling their curved screens Cyclorama at the time.)
The forte of this dynamic duo was their daring in the recording, mixing and mastering end of the production. Neither was a "purist". Ken Wilkinson, who intially worked under Arthur Haddy at Decca, cut his teeth on the "Decca Tree", which was a three mike placement and an outgrowth of Mercury's minimalist 3-mike placement in its early Living Presence recordings.
Once on his own, Wilkie placed additional microphones wherever he thought they were needed - but never to the point of overmiking. He had an ear.
Charles Gerhardt, a Julliard trained pianist and conductor, was in the role of recording producer. During the mixing process if he thought the tympani needed a little more definition, he'd hammer out a note on the piano to boost the mix. Purist? No. Fun, lively recordings? Yes.
Out of 2 million "Festivals" sent off in mail orders, more than half are mono - "M" on the sleeves.
- Mario
I now need to hear these recordings. Thanks! :thmbsp:
The micing technique is something that I am working on implementing at my school as a recording setup, completely on my own.....without knowing what a Decca Tree is....