A music thread for diehard analog guys that get great sound from cd

I remember discovering MapleShade CDs long ago. I was really impressed with the recordings... I bought them all. I told a friend, who bought a few and said that the music was terrible (on the ones he bought), he couldn't understand why I recommended them. Then I realized that I was so impressed with the recordings... I wasn’t listening to the music... he was right (on some of the albums anyway).

Townes Van Zandt "Abnormal"

....this is sounding really good 

I realized since starting this thread, I should have worded it differently. Was hoping for favorite silver discs that are of exceptional sound quality that long time vinyl spinners are totally satisfied with. I listened to my three Mapleshade CDs recently and all were wonderful....

Bad Influence "Live at the Bad Habits Cafe"

Drink Small "Electric Blues Doctor, Live!"

Big Joe Maher/Jeff Sarli "Mojo"

I've found tremendous bargains on CDs, SACDs and HDCDs at local thrift stores, usually less than $2 each. Some remastered, some original releases. 

I don't stream nor do I spin vinyl. My only source is an SACD/CD player that I enjoy very much.

I grade each of my 800 or so albums A+, A,B,C or D based on sound quality.

Parameters listened for are the usual stuff- clarity, timbres, soundstage, imaging, air, bloom, cohesiveness, dynamics.

Remastered almost always sounds significantly better than the original, especially if the engineer was Bob Ludwig. There are a others that are good too.

SACDs usually sound better than the standard "red book" versions, but not always.

Same thing for HDCDs.

Some artists do consistently class A sound, especially when remastered. Dire Straits, Depeche Mode, Supertramp, Pink Floyd, Enya, Steely Dan, Wang Chung, INXS, Bob Seger, ABC, Ozzy (yes, Ozzy!)...

For me, it's a lot easier to relax and enjoy the music when it's sound quality is classes A or A+. Class B is tolerable to listen to.

Classes C and D are mostly used to let a guest hear how bad they sound and then how much better classes B, A and A+ sound. Like hearing a different system, but it's not!

@slaw I recently picked up about 30 SACD titles for $5 each at one of the local audio stores, mostly jazz titles.  Most of them sound incredible!

My McIntosh MCD600 makes wonderful, beautiful, great sound.

I don't miss my turntables. Sold the last one back in the 90s.

^ just a record club edition, not a specialty label

Holly Cole "Don't Smoke In Bed"

 Saw Dave Alvin and JD Gilmore at Levon Helms a few years ago. Great show!

@slaw -

Agree about Dave Alvin! He was/is fabulous with The Blasters, and has put out two really good CD's with Jimmie Dale Gilmore.

Dave Alvin is such an underappreciated guitarist.