Chasing the Dragon II Audiophile Demonstration Master Quality Reel to Reel Tape

Chasing The Dragon II Copy Master Tape

Chasing the Dragon have become known as one of the leading producers of audiophile recordings. Following popular demand, they have released their original 'Chasing The Dragon II' recording as a copy master tape which contains 10 tracks of pure joy!

This selection of tracks will take you and your Hi-Fi system on an interesting journey.

Features:
- 1st Generation Reel to Reel Tape made from the Original Master Tape
- As close to the Original Master Reference Quality as possible
- 1/4" 15IPS CCIR
- Created from 30IPS 1/2" Running Masters at Air Studios
- CCIR/IEC Equalization
- Originally mastered at Air Studios London
- Created using ATR Magnetics Tape Stock
- Housed in a Heavy Duty Professional box
- Machines are connected with Zensati Seraphim Interconnect Cable for highest transfer quality
- Transferred and monitored by Chasing The Dragon Producer Mike Valentine

This audiophile demonstration recording samples classical compositions by Vivaldi, J.S. Bach and Corelli, alongside a drum solo improvisation, a choir performance, microphone comparison of male voice recording, and more.

The recording path has been made as simple as possible, and this will become clear when you play the album. The artists are performing right in front of you, between your loudspeakers.

"Our tapes are always recorded from the original copy master, to give you the closest approach to the original recording."
- Mike & Francoise Valentine

Tracklist

1. Drum Kit
Drum Solo Improvisation

The dynamic range of our drum recording should push your speakers to the limit! Producer and engineer Mike Valentine has used relatively few mics on Tim Horton's kit in an effort to present a more natural sound. Your system should sound pretty much as if you were standing in the studio on the day. Enjoy!

2. Lute
Anonymous Piece

Lynda Sayce is one of the UK's leading musical scholars. Here she performs an anonymous piece on the lute. The acoustics of the Temple Church add to the beauty of this instrument and again, just a simple pair of microphones were placed in front of her, in order to capture a natural reproduction of the performance.

3. Choir
"Nolo Mortem Peccatoris" - Darbourne Ensemble

Jonathan Darbourne is one of the UK's rising stars. He was a choral scholar at Magdalen College, Oxford, and has assembled a wonderful choir here to perform "Nolo Mortem Peccatoris" by Thomas Morley. Written in the 16th century, this piece sounds just as fresh today.

4. Church Organ
"Toccata and Fugue in D minor" - Bach

This great organ piece is probably one of the world's most loved. This Chasing The Dragon recording was made in Temple Church, London. A spaced pair of valve omnidirectional mics were used to capture the majesty of this performance and placed where you can see the white disc.

5. Interpreti Veneziani Chamber Orchestra
"Cello Concerto RV 419" - Vivaldi

This is the final movement from Chasing The Dragon's live recording of Vivaldi's Cello Concerto in A major. It is performed by the leading Venetian chamber orchestra, Interpreti Veneziani, in the wonderful San Vidal Church. The acoustics here are beautiful, perfectly reflecting Vivaldi's music.

6. Male Voice
Microphone Comparison

Mike Valentine thought it would be interesting to compare the sound of 2 microphones. Note the subtle differences between the 60-year-old valve-powered AKG C12, and the modern transistor design DPA 4006.

7. London Underground
"Mind The Gap!"

8. Theorbo
"Chaconne" - Robert de Visée

What an amazing instrument! This piece was composed over 300 years ago and performed at the court of Louis XIV. Lynda Sayce plays this evocative music beautifully. You might consider it one of the most interesting tracks on the album.

9. Cello
Rehearsal with Davide Amadio

A rehearsal recorded in San Videl, Venice.

10. Interpreti Veneziani Chamber Orchestra
"Concerto Grosso Op 6 No 4" - Corelli

Corelli's joyful piece is performed here "con brio", literally meaning "with spirit". It is one of the orchestra's favourite encore pieces and with good reason. Mike Valentine has recorded it here with a very simple microphone technique, which he hopes captures the "brio" of the evening.

Chasing The Dragon have become known as one of the leading producers of audiophile recordings. The UK label owned by Mike Valentine offers Direct Cut LPs. Audiophile LPs, CDs, and Master Tapes which will demonstrate the potential of your Hi-Fi system.

Chasing The Dragon's releases are so detailed, if you take the time to familiarise yourself with the subtleties of these reference-level recordings, the next time you make any changes, big or small, to your Hi-Fi system, the differences will be notable.