Among recordings of Beethoven's string quartets there is an abundance of choice. Many of finest string quartet groups have recorded the full cycle. Having heard these quartets performed by the Alban Berg Quartet ("ABQ"), the Juilliard Quartet ("JQ"), the Cleveland Quartet ("CQ"), and the Kodaly Quartet ("KQ"), I would say that each of these groups is outstanding in its own way.In the end, I agree with Alan Lekan, who states in his 01/14/2005 review of the complete Beethoven cycle by the Quartetto Italiano, "competition is fierce and it really comes down to what stylistic nuances most appeal to you." In my own case, while I slightly prefer JQ's recording of Beethoven's String Quartet No. 13, I also greatly enjoy listening to the ABQ.The ABQ brings depth of feeling, sensitivity, and lyricism to the adagio movements in this string quartet, especially in its performance of the fifth movement (Cavatina. Adagio molto espressivo) evoking a heavenly, trance-like mood. The ABQ's tone in the adagio movements has a beautiful, melancholic, plaintive quality.In comparison, The JQ has all of the above qualities, but plays with even more seamless unity than the ABQ and more clear differentiation of the melodic lines of each instrument; also, their sound is somewhat richer than ABQ and has a mellow warmth that evokes the circle of light and the glowing dark brown hue of the photo of the group on the CD insert.On the ABQ recording, the sound of the violins is most prominent. On the JQ recording, the sound of the cello and viola, while not detracting from the sound of the violins, is nevertheless more clearly distinguished, giving a more balanced sound and contributing to the impression of warmth, fullness, and richness in their performance.The JQ CD has Beethoven's final quartet, No. 16, in addition to No. 13. It also has an excellent, well-written and informative essay on both quartets. In contrast, this ABQ CD offers only Quartet No. 13 and has a bare-bones insert with no information at all on the composition. Although I buy CDs for the music, not the inserts, I appreciate a well-written essay about the composer and the work.Lastly, the ABQ CD was recorded in 1983 on 20-bit digital, whereas the JQ CD was recorded in 1996 on 24-bit digital, which may help to account for the slightly fuller and richer sound.The ABQ CD has outstanding musicians giving a deeply felt performance. Nevertheless, I've given it four points (actually, four and a half) instead of five to reflect my preference for the JQ CD.