I had owned the Karajan and thought it too dry, lacking in ambiance. It bothered me enough so that I was distracted from Karajan's interpretation. I haven't heard his analogue recording which I understand is quite good and promises to be a better recording for my tastes. Regarding the Mahler, as good as Shipway is with the 5th, I think there are better recordings: Chailly, Barbirolli and Karajan. I recently went through all my Mahler 5ths including Bernstein, Zander, Bertini, Shipway and the three mentioned above. I favor Chailly's with the Concertgebouw as the most satisfying, with Barbirolli as the most dramatic and detailed, and Karajan treats Mahler differently and almost sounds like a different kind of Mahler to me. It is very fine and unique. Shipway's on SACD certainly has the best sound and is a great recording, straightforward and solid. The other three however are exceptional. All the recordings I have have merit, so I hesitate to rid myself of any of them. Regards...Lee

Last edited by Captain4105; 01/17/13 06:04 AM.