Best sounding Beethoven symphony LPs

The Solti 9th, very deservedly recommended by Rushton above, was re-released by Mobile Fidelity in the 1980's, with excellent sonics. I suspect it isn't findable today, unless you get lucky purchasing a used copy, but it appears to have again been re-released, this time by Decca (for $65!):

http://store.acousticsounds.com/browse_detail.cfm?Title_ID=10274

It has been on TAS/HP's recommended recordings list, as an LP. Note the review comments by a purchaser about pressing and recording quality, though.

I strongly second Stan's recommendation of the Walter 6th. I have it on a 1980's Japanese import CBS/Sony remaster, probably not findable these days, but get it in any form you can!

Regards,
-- Al

I cannot say enough about the Gardiner recordings - top of the list. Alas, CD only ...

Next would be Claudio Abbado's second set (live) with Berlin, released on DVD. WOW! Alas, DVD only ...

Next would be Kleiber, then Szell.

The Kleiber 5/7 is absolutely fantastic - good luck finding it. (Has been reissued in SACD.) It is a "Desert Island" disc for most who own it.

The Szell ones are hit and miss on sonics. I have an anniversary boxed set that is quite good (Columbia 1970, I think). Some great interpretations, some decent sonics, some real "yawn" moments, too.

Frankly I am not a fan of Bernstein and Karajan. To each his own ...

Sorry ... I realized after I posted my less than humble opinion that:
A. I had not answered the question, and
B. The first response did!

Sorry for the extra wind! :)

Wow. Overlooked that the request was for LP's. You can ignore most of the stuff I recommended. Some would be hard to find, some impossible because it started life as a CD. Am I blind or what! :-(

The only consolation is that I wasn't the only one. :-)

The Kleiber recordings of the Beethoven 5th and 7th on DGG (2530516 and 2530706) do appear fairly regularly on eBay and with dealers. There are lots of them out there and, as many have noted, they are well worth the search. They should not be very expensive when found.

The Kleiber 5/7 is absolutely fantastic - good luck finding it.