Depends on music you listen to.
Need your LP purchase assistance
I will very shortly be adding analog to my existing system. While I have over 1000 cds, I have no vinyl. I'm hoping that you analog guys can steer me to a soldi 50-75 LPs to start off as the backbone of my LP collection.
I'm looking for your top 3-5 that are jaw-dropping lps in terms of sound reproduction as well as content. I have a highly resolving system and am counting on your response to give me a reason to keep my analog gear as well as digital.
Thanks for your assistance. :-)
I'm looking for your top 3-5 that are jaw-dropping lps in terms of sound reproduction as well as content. I have a highly resolving system and am counting on your response to give me a reason to keep my analog gear as well as digital.
Thanks for your assistance. :-)
31 responses Add your response
Rickie Lee Jones - Self Titled - 45rpm or Steve Hoffman 33rpm reissue Gary Karr - Adagio D' Albinoni - Cisco/King Analog Blood, Sweat & Tears - Self Titled 45rpm Neil Young - Live At Massey Hall Tie for 5th: Fleetwood Mac - Rumours 45rpm reissue Lightning Hopkins - Goin Away 45rpm reissue Yeah, those damn 45s are so pricey, but many are the ones you always want to play! Cheers, Spencer |
I'm more partial to original pressings than re-do's, though it's on a case-by-case basis. That said, the 45 rpm SRV set that Chad did has some very impressive tracks, Tin Pan Alley (Dark Side of Town) among them. Agree re Live at Massey Hall- also wonderful. Frankly, the RLJ album is good even as a standard issue Warner pressing from back in the day. (I published a shoot-out of multiple pressings, including various remasters, a month or so ago). I don't listen just for sonics, but they are important. If you are going to buy older records, Warner Green labels are almost consistently good, and some are fabulous sounding- many are things you can find in a used bin for almost nothing. I'm just scratching the surface here, and obviously, it depends on your taste- Hoodoo Man Blues 45rpm by chad is excellent, given the difficulty and cost of finding a minty first pressing. I've collected a considerable number of old Vertigo Swirls and Island pink labels- most are gems, sonically and musically, though some of the music is dated or less accessible unless you are into that period (UK/psych/prog). |
Acoustic Sounds have a top 50 list of their most sold albums, that would be a good place to start. Acoustic Sounds Top Sellers What are you planning to procure Analog system wise ? Good Listening Peter |
Thanks Whart Peter: System-wise I am looking at a VPI Classic Signature turntable with a 10" JWM classic 3-D printed arm; Ortofon Windfeld MC Phono cartridge, and an Allnic H3000LCR tube phono stage. Cabling will be by High Fidelity. I know its not the best in the world, but should prove to be a very nice-sounding place to start. There are already mostly purchased - just awaiting delivery. |
As mentioned the genre is a good place to start because the best Jazz pressing and recording can mean nothing if you're into Polka. But in Rock I suggest: Mobile Fidelity(MF)-- Release of "Little Feat-Waiting for Columbus" Friday Music(FM)-- any Yes re-release has been very good but Close to the Edge is a favorite StarFaith Records--Santana-Shape Shifter MF--Dire Straits-Brothers in Arms MF--Bob Dylan-Desire Sundazed--Stevie Ray Vaughn-Couldn't Stand the Weather and the list goes on and on...... enjoy your new dimension of music appreciation |
Theo - thanks Zd543 - because there is not enough of me to go around. I also don't have years and years within which to make these choices. I of course will make the ultimate choice of what I purchase. I believe that by vastly shrinking my purchasing universe based upon my fellow audiophiles' favorites, I will come across many, many more high quality albums than I ever could on my own. |
Agree with PBN's suggestion. Also check Elusive Disc. http://www.elusivedisc.com/default.asp On the home page look at the left hand column under Browse. Click on "Elusive Disc Picks". That will open to music recommended by various sources. Click on any of the names and it will open to give you a choice of formats, including vinyl. Have fun. |
That's a very tall order with no hint of your musical tastes. I took a look at the Acoustic Sounds list to see if my favorites were there. Two out of three isn't bad. My choices would be "Tea for the Tillerman" (Cat Stevens); "Court and Spark" (Joni Mitchell); and "John Wesley Harding" (Bob Dylan). Your choices may vary but you won't go wrong with these titles. |
Thank you all very much so far. My musical tastes are pretty much all over the board, so I really appreciate all suggestions. A side benefit I hadn't counted on is that I get to build another music collection with favorites that are not in my digital collection, as well as new music I was unaware of. Bringing back all sorts of great memories. |
First all, Your beginner turntable set is killer đ.and welcome to analogue world! Caution.....once you hear what analogue can do,you will forgot all your CD đ collection!!! As mention above the most LP I got is from elusive disc,mostly jazz female. As my top 3 : Vanessa Fernandes,use me 45 rpm Jacintha,here to Ben 45rpm Anne bisson,blue mind |
The content question runs to taste, but.... Belafonte at Carnegie Hall always pops up on these lists - for good reason. Bill Berry "For Duke" is another regular on these lists. The Ellington "Queen Suite/Small Band" LP on Pablo is rarely mentioned, but should be, IMO. Muddy Waters "Folk Singer" and Ry Cooder "Jazz" are two more chalk choices. The Leonard Bernstein/NY Phil LP of Bartok's music for "Strings, Percussion & Celesta" is one of the better SQ recordings I own. I also like Allen Toussaint's The "Bright Mississippi" quite a lot. All of the early Rickie Lee Jones LPs (especially "Pirates") sound great, IMO. Etc. |
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Join us in the music section whats on your turntable tonight thread...,, the great advice i got when building an analog system apart apart from my reference digital system was donât duplicate- use analog as a growth opportunity.... also a dissenting opinion, 80% of my Analogue Productions pressings have significant defects..., and buy a good record cleaning machine.... |
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IMO the first LP anyone should buy is any olâ direct-to-disk. Not for the musical content (many of them are not good in that regard), but because of their INCREDIBLE sound quality! On the other hand, doing so will set the bar so high that most other LPâs will thereafter sound mediocre in comparison. As for good music in good sound, those two criteria are all-too-often mutually exclusive; a lot of my favorite music was unfortunately recorded indifferently or worse. But there are exceptions: A Meeting By The River on Water Lily Records (featuring the playing of guitarist Ry Cooder); Shoot Out The Lights by Richard & Linda Thompson; Whereâs The Money by Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks; The Band (aka the brown album) by, duh, The Band; My Life by Iris Dement. For Classical: Vivaldiâs The Four Seasons by The English Concert directed from the harpsichord by Trevor Pinnock (CRD 1025), or any of his harpsichord recordings on that same UK label; any LP on Harmonia Mundi USA. (lots of Baroque). Holstâs The Planets conducted by Sir Adrian Boult (E.M.I. ASD 2301); Richard Straussâ Also Sprach Zarathustra with Fritz Reiner conducting The Chicago Symphony Orchestra (RCA); any of the LPâs on the ARK label out of Minnesota, recorded by speaker designer Robert Fulton. |
 @viridian not aimed at you at all, just my opinion and unfortunate luck of the draw....Just yesterday I finally got a pristine AP / QRP Gregg Allman - Laid Back.....did a lil jig I was so happy to be WRONG !!!! you should join us in that thread, I for one would value your inputs. Sure there are some Champagne tastes and budgets but lots of celebration about the $1 ( or less ) bin diving / thrift shop scores... have fun, enjoy the music. I have Linda belting it out at 33 and a third....â Willin â |
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 @viridian I rolled my SOTA and vinyl collection to older brother in 1986, so he has custody of the OP of Laid Back my collection aka substance abuse is meager by Audiogon standards, so duplicate comparative pressings are as yet, rare for me - hence my heavy reliance here on experts with deeper collections ! discogs is like crack.... |
@tomic601, I have to warn you that though the ARK recordings are very special (the inner detail---you can distinctly hear each voice in the choir---and transparency captured by Fulton, along with the sound of the church pipe organs, is stunning), the music is local-to-Fulton Minnesota amateur church choirs singing hymns. The material and performances may not float your boat ;-) . @viridian, "Willin" is a great song. The first version I heard was in 1971 on the s/t Seatrain album (their second), and it remains my favorite. Cool choice by Steve of a song to cover! His live performance with The Del McCoury Band at The House Of Blues in Hollywood at the time of the release of their collaborative album is one of my all-time favorite shows. He and the band all stood around a single large-diaphragm mic, the player or singer being featured at any given moment stepping closer to the mic, then backing away when that moment had passed. 3- and 4-part harmonies, world-class Bluegrass musicians and songs! |
