Dire Straits "Borthers in Arm" Stan Ricker half-speed master. Elegant sounding. |
An ORIGINAL Dave Grusin "Discovered Again" on Sheffield.
I say orgininal because it has been reissued a few time, but not up the standards of the original pressing. The reissued are OK. |
Here are several excellent classical recordings that top my list...
Stravinsky's Firebird/Dorati, Classic Records 45 rpm Mercury reissue - stunning dynamics. The 33rpm reissue is very good, the 45rpm is astounding.
Stravinsky's Petrouchka, Danon/RPO, Chesky reissue CR42. Everyone I play this for finds this recording amazing; perhaps the best LP Chesky ever issued.
Allegri's Miserere, Tallis Scholars CFP 40339 - incredible depth of soundstage shows up in the antiphonal voice choirs. Gorgeous music.
Kodaly's Hary Janos Suite, Kertesz/LSO, Speakers Corner reissue of Decca SXL 6136.
Rachmaninoff's Sym 2, Slatkin/StLouisSO, Reference Recordings RM 1002, a reissue of the Aubort/Nickrenz engineered Vox recording
Ravel's Pavane pour une Infante Defunte, Skrowaczewski/MinnO, Reference Recordings RM 1001, a reissue of the Aubort/Nickrenz engineered Vox recording
Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, Slatkin/StLouisSO, Siegel -pf, Reference Recordings RM 1003, a reissue of the Aubort/Nickrenz engineered Vox recording
. |
I have found many on Tom Port's dccblowout.com site. |
Well for you rock fans, the Japanese pressing of Pink FLoyd's the Wall.
I owned one and loved it then was lucky enough to find a second copy, but this this was back in the early 90's when I really got hardcore into vinyl. |
Ricky Lee Jones "Pop Pop" |
IMHO, my best sounding record is Bill Berry's album entitled For Duke by M&K recordings, which is recorded direct to disc. The first song, Take the A Train is a knockout. Definitely worth checking out. Also, the Harry James album The King James Version by Sheffield Labs is another awesome direct-to-disc recording worth listening to. |
Dave Grusin's GRP All-Stars "Mountain Dance"
Al Stewart "Year Of The Cat" Mo-Fi
Telarc "1812 Overture" - better have a GREAT tracking cartridge when those cannons go off
Poco "Legend" Mo-Fi
Dan Fogelberg/Tim Weisberg "Twin Sons of Different Mothers"
Tim Weisberg "Tip of the Weisberg"
Grateful Dead "Terrapin Station" and "American Beauty"
-RW- |
One of the best-sounding LP's I have heard is the Weather Report LP, the one with the red letters on a blue background. Fantastic dynamic range, especially in the bass, and a gigantic soundstage. |
Buckingham and Nicks is a very good LP that is well recorded and excellent sound stage. Dark Side of the Moon from Floyd, Dr John Night Tripper, Dan Fogelberg/Tim Weisberg--Twin Sons of different mothers, and the list could go on and on. Great thread |
The Zombies -- Odessey & Oracle (original UK CBS, 1967)
Caedmon -- Caedmon (UK private press 1978)
Mellow Candle -- Swaddling Songs (UK Decca 1973) |
How about Frank Sinatra Live at the Sands with Count Basie arranged and conducted by Quincy Jones 1966. |
Miles Davis- Arrest This. Excellent recording.
Rolling Stones- Let it Bleed.
Blood, Sweat and Tears.
Dr. John- Gumbo. |
Flora Purim/Airto/Joe Farrell "Three way mirror" Reference Recordings, this is one of my fav's for music and sound.
Steely Dan-AJA MFSL ... has anyone picked up the NEW AJA 180 gram pressing??? better than MoFi???
Bruce Cockburn - Dancing in the Dragons Jaw - Really great recording.. get the True North Canadian import.
Joan Baez "Diamonds and Rust" Nautilus half speed
Larry Carlton "Alone but never alone" MGM KM virgin vinyl
Michael Hedges "Aerial Boundries" Wyndam Hill virgin vinyl half speed
Daryl Anger's Montreux "Chiaroscuro" Wyndam Hill " really great sound
Gino Vanelli "Brother to Brother" Nautilus "
Supertramp "Crisis what Crisis" A&M half speed
Weather Report "Heavy Weather" CBS half speed
Santana "Welcome" can you say Lush Life? Japanese or Holland pressing.
Holst "The Planets" MFSL killer.
Alan Parsons "Tales of Mystery and Imagination" MFSL
Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington on MFSL I love this record!!
Yeah the Classic records pressing of Armstrong is wonderful too...
and one more, Miles Davis "Kind of Blue" Classic Records 200 gram pressing. I've heard complaints here of Classic records's pressing quality but mine is PERFECT. |
Bernie Krauss "Citadels of Mystery", Ry Cooder "Jazz" |
Elton John, MADMAN ACROSS THE WATER on DCC [the MoFi Gold CD is a total sonic disaster and goes for big bucks as well]
Frankie Goes To Hollywood RELAX 3 song EP 12" 45 RPM Japanese pressing
The Cars HEARTBEAT CITY on Quiex 2
Oilmanmojo, Stevie Nicks looks rather delicious on that album jacket! |
michael rabin; the magic bow; capitol fds p8510
cut chemist/ dj shadow; brainfreeze |
Pink Floyds Pulse on vinyl. I also have a few of Tom Ports hot stampers. |
Best recording I've come across:
Kojak & Baretta, TV Screen Theme Music, RCA JRS-9522 Japanese press, track 4 : Hawaii 5-O, M. Stevens.
The dynamics and imaging on that track just shocks everyone who's heard it.
Honorable mention:
>Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte, LA4, 45rpm East Wind 455-5002.
>Isaac Stern plays Mozart Violin Concerto No3 & 5. Sony SX-74 SOCL 1059. The 2nd movement of the 3rd concerto is particularly haunting, time and space seems to stand still.
>Zukerman, Stern, Perlman, Mintz Israel PO, DG 2741026. 4 seasons, etc... The Double Concerto BWV 1043 performed by Stern and Mintz is special. |
Joni Mitchell Blue
Allison Kraus + Union Sration Live Mofi |
Herb Ellis, Joe Pass, Ray Brown, Jack... at Concord. Album title is Seven come Elleven. |
The Low LP has an incredibly deep and delicate soundstage. I really like just about anything by Waits and his recordings are really amazing. |
Try this again.. half my post was omitted.
I really like Low 'Trust' The Low LP has an incredibly deep and delicate soundstage.
And most anything by Tom Waits but if I had to pick one, it would be Mule Variations.
|
Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here Nimbus Super Cut.
Roger Waters Amused To Death Holland 2xLP
Roger Waters Pros and Cons of Hitchiking Japanese Mastersound Digitaly Mastered LP
A_L |
Steal Away - Larry Willlis on piano w/ Cecil McBee on bass and Gary Bartz on alto sax. Engineered by Pierre Sprey of Mapleshade for Audioquest. Great presence/ great lyrical jaz trio. |
Steely Dan "Aja" CBS
Alexander Gibson conducting "Witches Brew" Living Stereo
Donald Fagen "The Nightfly" and "Morph the Cat"
Dire Straits "Love Over Gold" and "On Every Street" and ofcourse "Brothers In Arms"
Willie Nelson "Stardust"
there is a few great ones, many more, too many to recall. |
Piedpiper, does Steal Away on vinyl have the same overload distortion as the CD? |
Louis Armstrong/Duke Ellington, Together Again For The First Time. Classic Reissue Lp, 33rpm.
the first track; 'Duke's Place' might have the best vibe of any piece of music i have ever heard. every time i play it it makes me feel wonderful.....that is what music is all about. a couple of history's best ever musicians at their peak.
i second Bikerduud's vote for 'For Duke'...and the first cut; take the 'A' Train. a standard of mine for sure.
UHQR MoFi of 'DSOTM'. i have many different versions on many formats...we all do. but this is the bomb. the most involving and dynamic way to hear this music.....
.....with the lights down and adult beverage (or whatever) of your choice, of course.
Rimsky-Korsakov, Scheherazade. Classic Records, 45rpm reissue. magnificent, beautiful, dynamic. i like disc 2 the best, Second Movement. a musical journey.....perfectly performed and recorded.
there are 100's more to list. i gotta go listen now. |
"Destination Moon" by the Ames Brothers. Recorded 1958 on RCA Victor living stereo.....I listen to this album at least 2 times a week...great recording and great music.
Never see anyone mention the Ames brothers but those guys could harmonize!
Out of all the high fidelity records I have heard the very best come from the 50's to mid 60's....mush better than todays audiophile recordings. IMO. |
I love knowing all the great sounding LPs out there but I'm especially interested to know the hard to find LPs out there that are audiophile to-die-for that should be bought the moment they are spotted so, if you could, when answering, make a note next to the difficult ones to find. I'm sure, for example, the UHQR MoFi DSOTM fits that bill as, perhaps, the Mosaic Plugged Nickel box set.
It does help to know, of course, the easily accessible LPs that sound amazing. ...but I just don't want to pass up an opportunity.
thanks! |
I'm very fond, and have a special place for my Mo-Fi Emerson Lake, and Palmer Tarkus, and Trilogy LPs. Great clarity. I guess it's the "ear" of the beholder. Mark |
Drubin,
occasional tape saturation from Pierre riding the level a bit hard. Live to 2 track with no mixer. |
The UK and US first releases of "Fragile" mastered by George Piros are stunning.
Tremendous dynamics and clarity. |
Earl Klugh's "Fingerpaintings" on MFSL UHQR. |
For fans of 20th Century Classical look for Wilson Audiophile's "20th Century Masterpieces" for piano and cello. It puts the performances in your listening room. Simply amazing. |
Andreas Vollenweider - Dancing with the Lion
Thomas Dolby - Wireless
Moody Blues - Days of Future Passed |
New Jersey Percussion Ensemble - Percussion Music
Rhythm Devils - The Apocalypse Sessions |
Anyone interested in original Blue Notes? |
yes I would be interested. |
I can list very many Lp's from my collection, but the one that comes to mind is "String Band featuring Isao Suzuki" -with Hank Jones, Ron Carter, Roy Hanes and string quartet. Japanese Flying Disk/Direct Disk. Music and sonics are incredible. |
Most Holy Grail Blue Notes have been reissued on vinyl but I have yet to hear one as good as an orginal - it usually is not even close. Here is a partial list of originals that I consider to be holy grails:
1514 Jimmy Smith Vol 2 the Champ
1518 Horace Silver & Jazz Messengers
1521-22 Art Blakey Night at Birdland 1&2
1527 Magnificent Thad Jones
1577 John Coltrane Blue Train
1581 Sonny Rollins - Night at the Village Vanguard
1595 Cannonball Adderly- Somethin' Else
4011 Jimmy Smith the Sermon
4017 Horace Silver Blowin' the Blues Away
4031 Hank Mobley Soul Station
4058 Hank Mobley Roll Call
4106 Jackie McLean Let Freedom Ring
4117 Jimmy Smith Back at the Chicken Shack
4163 Eric Dolphy Out to Lunch
4175 Herbie Hancock Empyrean Isles
4185 Horace Silver Song for My Father
4195 Herbie Hancock Maiden Voyage |
First Phoebe Snow LP, especially the song "Poetry Man". |
Many to chose from. My current favourites are the following :
1. Antiphone Blues Arne Domnerus Proprius Label- the best saxophone music I have heard so far.Transport you into the scene
2. Chet Atkins Sails Columbia-1 of the best cheap LP
3. John Kaizan Neptune Bamboo - Toshiba EMI
4. Cat People OST- Giorgor Moroder. Listen to the theme track by David Bowie Putting out fire
5. Joan Baez - Diamonds and rust in the bull ring- Gold castle label
6. Ein Straussfest Telarc DG10098 (original)- listen to the canon shot
7. Le cid Louis Fremaux HMV Greensleeve label - 1 0f the cheaper classical LP which is really good
8. Doug Macleod Come to find Audioquest Label- great blues music and good recordings
9. Al Di Meola, John Mclaughlin, Paco De Lucia-Friday night in san francisco- MFSL - awesome interplay of acoustic guitars
10. Duke Ellington& Ray Brown- This one's for blanton- Pablo Records. This is 1 of my favourite jazz music
and many many more depending on the mood and time. Happy Listening and Merry Christmas |
Here are a few of my favorites. Not only is the sound wonderful, but the music is as well.
Class of 55 - I got this album at a garage sale for 50 cents and it is wonderful. The sound is probably the best I've ever heard recorded. It was recorded at Sun Studios, and is Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, and Johnny Cash performing the best I've ever heard them.
Music for Bang, Baaroom and Harp - Dick Schory..interesting and super sound
Cat People - from the motion picture. This is an absolute killer. It was on Absolute Sounds HP list and it certainly belongs there. David Bowie, and Georgio Morodor.
Barry Lyndon - sound track.. Wonderful music recorded at the top of the cutting edge
Almost anything by Andreas Vollenweider and/or Dead Can Dance
The Judds... REALLY recorded open, full and deep. I use this one to test if my system is working as it should. |
Absolute #1 of any genre, Prokofieff: Lt. Kije and Stravinsky: Song of the Nightingale, Reiner/Chicago.
The original RCA LSC-2150 is a gem and in my top ten along with some of those already mentioned, the Classic re-issue is top 5 but the Chesky re-issue is the best recorded sound I've ever heard. If only Layton and Mohr were still at it today!
The Holy Grail for certain.
If you'd like to hear this rarity you must bring me......
a Shrub. |
Miles Davis "Kind of Blue" 180 gram 45 RPM.......As sweet a recording as you will ever hear. |
James Newton Howard & Friends, Direct-to-Disc. Issued in 1983 (Sheffield Lab 23). If you happen across a copy pay ANYTHING to own it. This is the absolute pinnacle representation of the art of pre-digital recording. |
Cat Steven's "Tea for the Tillerman" has always been a favorite of mine. Also Dave Brubeck's "Take Five" LP. |
Just about any Frank Sinatra record on Reprise records. He always had the best of everything...musicians, engineers, etc. Those recordings were always pristine.
Same thing with Sammy Davis Jr. on Reprise. |
I have all the original first pressings:
Fire & Rain, James Taylor
Earth & Sun & Moon, Midnight Oil
This is Radio Clash, The Clash
Gossip, Paul Kelly
OK Computer, Radiohead |
