My results: Roger Waters- Amused to Death and Is This the Life We Really Want?
Thomas Dolby - Golden Age of Wireless( I am still shocked by how good this 8$ 40 year old LP sounds )
Modern re/re : Bowie, Pink Floyd, Beatles Parlaphone! Particularly scrumptious are Diamond Dogs, Aladdin Sane, Animals, and Revolver.
The massively beautiful DGM re/re of Everything King Crimson on 200g- particularly the 40th and 50th anniversary editions.
There are many others of no interest to anyone but myself, for clarity all the above refer to LP's.
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My test tracks. Interesting music, fantastic sound.
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Fuzztone, thanks for the Octive Radio, my kind of streaming...my favorite is RadioParadise, 4 channels of curated variety in up to FLAK 16/44.1.
Arcam88, +1 for SS's Flamenco A Go Go has some fine, fun guitar work, good sound
Sound check albums: Diana Krall, "Girl In The Other Room" SACD surround or 2ch
Ricky Lee Jones, "Traffic from Paradise" SACD
Norah Jones, "Come Away With Me" SACD
Lucinda Williams "Car Wheels On A Gravel Road" HDCD
TRENTEMOLLER "The Last Resort" CD
Dire Straits '96 remaster of first album
Chesky downloads: Noah Wall, Amber Rubarth, Funky Buffalos (Audiophile Society)
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Digital or Vinyl? Your question doesn’t have an easy answer.
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@lonemountain, + 1 on Al Schmidt. "Just A Little Lovin'" by Shelby Lynne (primarily Dusty Springfield covers) is a well - known recording among audiophiles. It was produced by Phil Ramone and mixed by Al Schmidt.
As my audio system has gotten better, I find myself relegating many of my poorer quality recordings for listening in the car only.
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In an optimal room/system acoustics, everything sound better because it is better perceived...I listen great musician badly recorded too ...
I am interested by the acoustic translation from the recording , good or bad... If i love some music , the sound bad sound recording does not matter anymore especially in a good system ...
it is more difficult to appreciate good music badly recorded in a bad ausio room/system than on a top audio room/system ...
Now what i said is meaningful for classical... In pop/ rock bad recordings are more than often simply put aside because of the poorness of the musical content and /or the easy availability of alternatives pop/rock albums more well recorded with a better musical content ...
In classical, nothing will replace Sofronitsky interpretation of Scriabin or of Swzeryngk Bach less well recorded than other versions ... And sometimes even a very bad recording will be valuable because of a unique interpretation and a deep musical content ...
I need a good audio system especially to be able to hear better bad recordingsb with deep musical content ...I listen music not my system ...
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From mapman
“It’s never a good sign when a music lovers conclusion is most music is not recorded very well. Time to learn to appreciate recorded music better or maybe find another hobby.
on the other hand it’s common for an audiophile to make that claim because most music fails to meet their standard for good sound for either objective and/or more subjective reasons. A better hifi cannot make music that is poorly done sound the way they wish it would.
It’s all a losing proposition
Better for all to accept each recording for what it is: a unique work of art. Each will sound somewhat different. The rational goal is to be able to hear whatever is there that the artist and producers intended then either like it or not.
There is no rule that says all works of art must be technically perfect Where would impressionist artists like Monet be if that were the case?”
EXACTLY!
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Steve Stevens
"Flamingo.A.Go.Go"
One of my go to's!
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Hard to beat Donald Fagen
"Morph the Cat"😎
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I think its always tough in these " whats a great sounding record" hreads as it hard to tell with a poster if its the music that makes it a great album or whom mixed (or mastered it). I tend to follow the mix engineer, as these are the folks most closely deciding what the album sounds like. Engineers often work with the same mastering engineer over and over. Mastering is not remixing it so its not massive changes at the mastering level..
So follow the great engineers and that's a good palce to start. Al Schmidt- now passed- was a great engineer. Ed Cherney, Elliot Scheiner, Bill Schnee. to name only a few, Follow engineers and you are more likely to find a good sounding record.
Brad
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@larsman - thanks for the suggestion. I spent the evening going through my Miles Davis collection, playing several LPs including the one I mentioned. I’m not enamored of that one LP as much as I was in the past. While the song “All Blues” is still a long-time favorite (going back to a party I went to in high school around 1975), most of the rest of it, despite stellar performances by Coltrane, Adderly, Evans, et al., I really wouldn’t want to blow nearly $200 for a single LP.
I think I’ll just buy 6 or more LPs from other artists, maybe fill a hole or two in my Miles collection and wait a bit longer.
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Back in the 70’s, the label Nonesuch released a series of contemporary classical music, many are under the title, Spectrum New American music.
The surprising thing is, this was a budget label.
But universally, the quality of these is pretty amazing. They are dynamic, and their soundstage is incredibly natural sounding, with very good image specificity within the soundstage.
It extends beyond the outer edges of my speakers, and is very deep. It is very easy to imagine you could get off your listening seat, and step into the soundstage and walk among the musicians.
Now, musically speaking, they are quite atonal, dissonant, overall, ’thorny’ sounding, and somewhat challenging. So, YMMV.
But if you want to evaluate a speaker’s imaging and soundstage, these are great.
The covers all tend to look somewhat like this.
About 5 years ago, I was at a LA/OC Audio Society event, where some new Wilson's were being demoed. Peter McGrath was there, and after his talk on the speaker, I approached him about these recordings. His eyes lit up. Turns out, one of the main recording engineers for these was a mentor to Peter. He also agreed with the quality of these recordings, and made a statement something like, "the quality of these recordings, made on a budget, was a real indictment on the modern recording process".
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@normb - I've got the Steely Dan 'Aja' UHQR, and yes, if it's an album you're a fan of and you want to hear it the best you will be able to outside of a reel-to-reel, and you don't mind paying $150 to do so, I and many others would say 'Yes, it's worth it'. But I'd also recommend double-45's that are not UHQR with fancy packaging and cost about half as much...
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I used Terje Wing "organism" organ music album recorded in astounding good way to test my 150 bucks active and modified speakers...This is a top audiophile recording from 2L company ... ...
I can assure you that in spite of the limitations (4 inches woofer) my speakers modifications worked so well , i fly high in sonic joy ...
it is not perfect as a 20,000 bucks speakers could be for sure, hell no, but it is balanced with beautiful timbre and the holographic soundstage encompass the listener position in my room with 50 hertz bass and no boominess at all ...( nearfield listening) ..At 150 bucks i will laugh if someone urge me to upgrade...😁😊
I am one of the few who dare to say such things in an audiophile forum where upgrading rule over creativity and low cost best S.Q./low price ratio ...😊
I must motivate people with not much money to be creative ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7Mo_NwiiE8
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to the OP (and anyone else): some recommended cds
I’m listening to two boxed sets of Mercury Living Presence classical (recorded by Robert Fine onto 35mm film between 1955-70) and all the RCA Living Stereo classical titles recorded by John Pfeiffer, Richard Mohr and Lewis Layton in the same period.
When I need something poppier, any 3-track stereo recordings by Frank Sinatra, Julie London, or Nat Cole on Capitol hit the spot.
I have as yet to find a crappy sounding Tony Bennett release on Columbia (mono OR stereo) from 1950-2000. Then there’s the 19 album Dave Brubeck Quartet box on Columbia, which is mostly in stereo.
Have you heard the Modern Jazz Quartet? They mostly recorded for Atlantic but they have some stray releases on Prestige, Apple and Pablo. And speaking of the Pablo label, I don’t think I’ve heard a crappy sounding album from their catalog, but I admit owning less than 50 titles.
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Does anyone have any direct experience with a UHQR limited edition of Miles Davis’ “Kind of Blue”?
Always a fan of Miles’ work, I’ve probably played that LP more than any others of his except maybe “Workin’” or “Birth of the Cool,” but I’m seeing it was released in 33-1/3 and 45 RPM (2 LP) versions.
I own several 45 RPM LP’s from other artists and have compared a few of them to the 33-1/3 LP’s and to my ears they’re pretty much identical so that’s not the question.
More of, “UHQR - is it really worth paying 6+ times as much for a single LP?”
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Obviously, if one sticks to audiophile labels, the recordings will tend to be of superior quality,
But there are also plenty of labels that are not specifically considered audiophile labels that have very good sound quality.
The jazz label, ECM is one of those. A very high percentage of their releases from the 70's up through to the present are excellent. And the music is always interesting, Even though it is mostly jazz, it has a certain chamber music sort of quality to it. Maybe that is because a high percentage of their roster is made up of European and Scandinavian musicians, that have a background in western classical music.
I've heard some minor complaints that they tend to accentuate percussion a bit, but it is recorded so cleanly, I have no problems with it.
So many I could list:
Azimuth with Ralph Towner - Départ
Ralph Towner - Solo Concert
Michael Formenak - Small Places
Craig Taborn - Daylight Ghosts
Keith Jarrett - Koln Concerts
Eberhard Weber - Colours of Chloe
Chris Potter - The Dreamer is the Dream
So many more.
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The Steven Wilson remix of "Chicago II" is also excellent.
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Electronic: Kraftwerk 3 D catalog ot Remixes that came outin 2021. Accurate, dynamic, nuances, holographic. The masters.
Classical: I am far from an expert. I like Living Stereo with Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra "Rhapsodies" Powerful, clear, virtuoso performance. Dallas Wind Symphony Tricco is fantastic.
Rock: Peter Gabriel, several. Albums. Donald Fagen, traffic low spark and high heeled bous. King Krimson: the power to believe.
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Any Reference Recordings, Chesky Records, or Dorian Records, that you can get your hands on, you will be suprised at how great they sound.
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@mapman
Thank you for your kind words. If you are ever out in the Portland, Oregon area… give me a shout.
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I was both surprised and very impressed by the SHM versions (Japanese imports) of the early Steely Dan CD's ("Can't Buy a Thrill" thru "Gaucho").
+1 on the Steven Wilson remixes of "Fragile" (YES) and "Aqualung" (JETHRO TULL).
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@mapman
@lonemountain thanks for the kind words.
I found that artist on Qobuz but not that specific release?
I looked hard for the artist on Qobuz and couldn’t find him. Is that spelling correct?
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The 50th Anniversary hi-res remaster of The Rolling Stones "Beggars Banquet" is a standout. Almost anything by Steely Dan will be terrific with Aja & Gaucho being especially well mastered. Steven Wilson remasters of Yes & Jethro Tull are excellent too.
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If you are okay with CD or streaming, some of the best ever recordings IMO are the MTV Unplugged series. I have the following and they are terrific: Natalie Merchant MTV Unplugged, Eric Clapton MTV Unplugged, Nirvana MTV Unplugged, Alice In Chains MTV Unplugged, Stone Temple Pilots MTV Unplugged (UK recording), Pearl Jam MTV Unplugged, Oasis MTV Unplugged (No Liam, Noel took over vocals), Paul McCartney MTV Unplugged, Alicia Keys MTV Unplugged, Rod Stewart MTV Unplugged, and I'll throw Neil Young MTV Unplugged too (though it's phenomenal and horrible in the same set)
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@lonemountain thanks for the kind words.
I found that artist on Qobuz but not that specific release?
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@ghdprentice I have great respect for both your experience and demeanor. Thanks for sharing it with others here. If you are ever in Baltimore/DC central Maryland area would love to have you over for a visit and listening session sometime. Cheers!
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@mapman I must congratulate you on a very good take on music. This is the way people who make it (tracking/mixing/mastering) feel.
If you want to check out something very new and quite extraordinary, check out ACT 3, Ryan Ulyate. I attended his record release party this past week and it was an amazing recording. Nominated for a grammy already. One of the very few written in ATMOS and mixed by a master who grew up in the 60s and 70s. If you love Pink Floyd and the great bands of that era you will love this record. His most recent gig was mixing all Tom Petty's work for the last 15 years and he has now written his own music and drafted some incredible players to help him.
Brad
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It’s an interesting topic!
As a music lover my perspective is I have no control over how a recording is made. I do have Audacity software and know how to use it to make my own remaster (it happens) but I’d rather spend my time listening to whatever happens to have been served up.
I do have control of what I listen to things on and even some control on how those things sound in each of my rooms. So I am armed and dangerous there. Whatever the music industry might serve up, I am in a very good position to wean the most enjoyment possible out of it. That’s what makes me happy and content. Often there are multiple versions mastered differently available and if I care enough for a particular composition, I will seek out the one that tickles my fancy. Often but not always that may even be the technically best version available but you never know. Anything is possible!
My tolerance typically ends with cases where I can hear noise and/or fatiguing distortion but cases like that are very very very rare, in fact I can’t think of any off the cuff
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I too find myself seeking out well recorded music because it makes my system come alive in a way lesser recordings cannot.
that doesn’t mean I don’t listen to or enjoy those less well recorded music.
for instance, for all the hub-bub about Dark side of the Moon being this amazingly recorded album I don’t agree, while I love the album it pales in sound quality to the three albums that followed it. At least on my system that’s my impression! So do you want something sweet sounding with a lovely sultry female vocal try Karen Souza, I get lost in her mesmerizing vocals.
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I did not feel any problem with any recording good or less good even with not so well recorded live of jazz ,classical or Indian and Persian music or fado or any traditional recording as africa music ...
What i like as an audiophile it not so much the recording quality but the faithfull way my system translate it the best possible way be it TOP or less and way less good one... You can say i did not listen only the music but the various acoustical takes from all recordings ...
I dislike manufactured recording of many pop rock music , but even saying this is over my head... I am not sure if i listened one hour of pop in all my life on my various systems ...
Then i spoke by youtube experience for short span of few seconds ...
I must be a musical "snob" ... I like the truth more than my appearance ...Then i speak it ...
For HIP recording ,as mahler member said it well, this did not matter as it once did, and this increased in quality a lot ... Even my Bach Hogwood brandenburg favorite version may suffer at some moment of squeaking sounds from ancient instruments ... Anyway Hogwood is a genius in my book and to this Bach i will add his stunning Mozart Requiem my favorite version by far so different than the Bohm version i like also ...
😊
My favorite audiophile album is Kurt Weil three penny opera with Lotte Lenya...
but i appreciated it more in my last acoustic room because the sound was surrounding me totally as if i was on the theater with the singers not in front of speakers at all but around me and even in my back ..
But my actual acoustic corner with way smaller speakers in nearfield listening cannot do this even if the soundstage is stunning out of the speakers plane .. I did not had a foldable screen now as a sound focussing lense and 100 Hemlhotz resonators in the room to do the job anymore ...
My actual soundfield compensate by more clarity of sound because my last big speakers were older ... And my main system is headphone ,which so good they are and they are, cannot beat a totally ccontrolled room like i had ...But they had an advantage : the timbre experience is natural in such a way it compensate and anyway the soundfield seems out of my head then ... 😁
My actual small low cost active speakers beat all headphones i ever own by a great margin save the AKG K340 because of his realistic timbre and more deep bass and out of the head soundfield impression in variable degree according to the recordings takes and trade-off ...
Many Classical, acoustic Jazz, Jazz vocal and Jazz fusion are well recorded, it’s within the popular music genre where most of the SQ issues occur.
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@ghdprentice +1
@mapman -1
IMO the goal of this hobby(lifestyle) is to enjoy music at the highest sonic level possible. The problem is we are all prisoners with recording quality issues. Many Classical, acoustic Jazz, Jazz vocal and Jazz fusion are well recorded, it's within the popular music genre where most of the SQ issues occur.
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Twittering Machines has new music loaded each Friday ... always interesting.
A new-old artist I recently found: Danielle Villareal. Awesome jazz grooves ...
His latest work, Lados B.
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You can listen to Octave recordings on their low bitrate IP radio station.
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One major determinant of how “well” recorded music sounds, is your system. A ruthlessly detailed system that accentuates details over the musical content will make most albums sound bad. A system that accentuates the music with good rhythm and pace and not accentuate tiny details… forgiving, will make most must sound great.
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It’s never a good sign when a music lovers conclusion is most music is not recorded very well. Time to learn to appreciate recorded music better or maybe find another hobby.
on the other hand it’s common for an audiophile to make that claim because most music fails to meet their standard for good sound for either objective and/or more subjective reasons. A better hifi cannot make music that is poorly done sound the way they wish it would.
It’s all a losing proposition
Better for all to accept each recording for what it is: a unique work of art. Each will sound somewhat different. The rational goal is to be able to hear whatever is there that the artist and producers intended then either like it or not.
There is no rule that says all works of art must be technically perfect Where would impressionist artists like Monet be if that were the case?
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For impeccable Digital in a wide variety of formats, try 2L The Nordic Sound…..
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Another great one to check out for vinyl is Vinyl Me Please - they have some really awesome exclusive content, like this big box set of Miles Davis-The Electric Years, a beautiful package which has remastered versions of his studio albums from 'In A Silent Way' through 'Get Up With It', and these sound superb - right up there with the MoFi Master Discs and many find them preferable to the MoFi. They're already sold out (made only 2000), but last time I looked there was a wait list for them.
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+1, @larsman Add NativeDSD to your list if you’re into downloads.
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Try audiophile websites like Elusive Disc or Acoustic Sounds; there are a number of these and they specialize in great sounding, well-mastered recordings.
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Here is a trifecta. Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man, Appalachian Spring Suite, and his 3rd Symphony. Apart from excellent performances, the acoustics are superb. Hell I'd buy this even if I didn't like Copland all that much. The Fanfare could be a lease breaker if your system is up to it. :-)
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