What are your top 5 RB CDs For SQ - Rock Music


Hello, I am always on the lookout for excellent sounding Rock albums in Red Book format and over the last 3 years have gathered a fairly nice collection of my own. Unfortunately, I am begining to run out of ideas though.

After much debate and stress I have chosen the 5 Albums below as my top 5 in no particular order. This of course would have made this decision even harder then it already was:

Supertramp - Crime of the century
Led Zeppelin - II
Fleetwood Mack - Rumors
AC/DC - High Voltage
The Clash - London Calling

I would appreciate hearing about the best ones from your collections so we can all reap the benefits of our combined experiences...Thanks
eniac26
Good picks. Even in the Quietest Moments is also good if you don't have it already.
Counting crows "August and Everything after" sounds great and is a great album.
Most Tom Petty, "Wildflowers, Mojo"
Alice in Chains "unplugged"
Brain freeze, more to come but these are not favs just random picks.
I will second "High Voltage" and "Rumors", they are always in my pile that never gets put away. My other three are Depeche Mode "Violator", Pink Floyd "Momentary Lapse of Reason", and Foreigner "Four".
Ryan Adams - 29
Beck - Mutations
Ani Difranco - Up Up Up Up Up
Radiohead - In Rainbows
XTC - Oranges And Lemons
Might've included Counting Crows if Chadnliz had not beat me to it.
Ah yes, another chance to reveal my age

Stills-Young Band: Long May You Run
Jethro Tull - Aqualung (40th Anniversary Release)
King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson KIng (40th Anniversary Release)
Blood, Sweat & Tears - Greatest Hits
Stevie Ray Vaughn - Couldn't Stand the Weather (Legacy Edition)

Rich
Mine are different as follows:

Megan Slankard- A Token of the wreckage
Megan Slankard- Freaky Little Story
Paul Wood- Pirate Radio
John Lee Hooker- The Healer
(and my all time favorite) The Tubes- Remote Control
Drumhead4: Good point I thought about including this info after my initial post as that is a key piece of data. I will see if I can find the sleeves and post that information.

Russ69: I am not familiar with the title you listed "Even in the quietest moments". Which band has that album?

GShepardbuster: I also have Depeche Mode "Violator" but forgot I had it. I will rip that one today since it's been a long time and do remember it sounded good

Thanks for the replies and let's keep the list going
As previously mentioned I have added the Album info about each of my favorite discs...And Then Some for those interested

Supertramp - Crime of the century (Label A&M Records 493 346-2) Remastered By Sterling Sound 2002
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Analyzed: ? / ?
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DR Peak RMS Duration Track
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DR8 -0.01 dB -12.43 dB 5:34 ?-01 School
DR10 -0.01 dB -12.38 dB 4:31 ?-02 Bloody Well Right
DR8 -0.01 dB -11.28 dB 6:48 ?-03 Hide In Your Shell
DR8 0.00 dB -12.61 dB 6:44 ?-04 Asylum
DR9 -0.01 dB -13.53 dB 3:32 ?-05 Dreamer
DR10 -0.01 dB -14.33 dB 7:20 ?-06 Rudy
DR10 -0.01 dB -14.66 dB 4:05 ?-07 If Everyone Was Listening
DR9 -0.01 dB -12.52 dB 5:37 ?-08 Crime Of The Century
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Number of tracks: 8
Official DR value: DR9

Samplerate: 44100 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 16
Bitrate: 1411 kbps
Codec: PCM
================================================================================

Led Zeppelin - II (Label Atlantic 82633-2)
Remastered by Sterling Sound & Jimmy Page
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Analyzed: Led Zeppelin / Led Zeppelin II
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DR Peak RMS Duration Track
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DR12 0.00 dB -14.48 dB 5:34 01-Whole Lotta Love
DR12 0.00 dB -15.89 dB 4:46 02-What Is and What Should Never Be
DR12 0.00 dB -14.24 dB 6:20 03-The Lemon Song
DR13 0.00 dB -17.38 dB 4:50 04-Thank You
DR10 0.00 dB -12.04 dB 4:14 05-Heartbreaker
DR10 0.00 dB -11.13 dB 2:39 06-Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman)
DR11 0.00 dB -14.47 dB 4:24 07-Ramble On
DR12 0.00 dB -15.13 dB 4:21 08-Moby Dick
DR11 0.00 dB -13.24 dB 4:21 09-Bring It on Home
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Number of tracks: 9
Official DR value: DR11

Samplerate: 44100 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 16
Bitrate: 739 kbps
Codec: FLAC
================================================================================

Fleetwood Mack - Rumors (Label Warner Bros 3010-2)
NOT Remastered, Original Mastering done at K-Disc
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Analyzed: Fleetwood Mac / Rumours
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DR Peak RMS Duration Track
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DR13 0.00 dB -15.94 dB 2:54 01-Second Hand News
DR15 0.00 dB -17.50 dB 4:18 02-Dreams
DR14 0.00 dB -17.11 dB 2:15 03-Never Going Back Again
DR13 0.00 dB -14.41 dB 3:14 04-Don't Stop
DR12 0.00 dB -13.98 dB 3:40 05-Go Your Own Way
DR14 -2.85 dB -22.39 dB 3:23 06-Songbird
DR14 0.00 dB -18.11 dB 4:31 07-The Chain
DR13 0.00 dB -16.42 dB 3:33 08-You Make Loving Fun
DR15 0.00 dB -17.15 dB 3:15 09-I Don't Want to Know
DR17 0.00 dB -20.26 dB 3:58 10-Oh Daddy
DR14 0.00 dB -16.49 dB 5:02 11-Gold Dust Woman
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Number of tracks: 11
Official DR value: DR14

Samplerate: 44100 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 16
Bitrate: 837 kbps
Codec: FLAC
================================================================================


AC/DC - High Voltage ( Label Epic EK 80201)
Remastered By Sterling Sound
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Analyzed: AC/DC / High Voltage
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DR Peak RMS Duration Track
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DR7 0.00 dB -8.54 dB 5:02 01-It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)
DR9 0.00 dB -10.02 dB 5:04 02-Rock 'n' Roll Singer
DR8 0.00 dB -9.42 dB 5:53 03-The Jack
DR7 0.00 dB -8.91 dB 5:50 04-Live Wire
DR8 0.00 dB -9.63 dB 3:35 05-T.N.T.
DR8 0.00 dB -9.53 dB 4:12 06-Can I Sit Next to You Girl
DR8 0.00 dB -9.45 dB 5:40 07-Little Lover
DR8 0.00 dB -9.54 dB 4:52 08-She's Got Balls
DR8 0.00 dB -9.49 dB 4:14 09-High Voltage
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Number of tracks: 9
Official DR value: DR8

Samplerate: 44100 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 16
Bitrate: 872 kbps
Codec: FLAC
================================================================================

The Clash - London Calling (Label Epic EK 63885) Remastered By Whitfield Street Studios
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Analyzed: Clash, The / London Calling
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DR Peak RMS Duration Track
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DR8 -0.10 dB -9.70 dB 3:20 01-London Calling
DR9 -0.10 dB -10.26 dB 2:08 02-Brand New Cadillac
DR10 -0.10 dB -11.66 dB 3:55 03-Jimmy Jazz
DR9 -0.10 dB -10.44 dB 2:44 04-Hateful
DR9 -0.10 dB -10.44 dB 3:29 05-Rudie Can't Fail
DR10 -0.10 dB -11.14 dB 3:19 06-Spanish Bombs
DR9 -0.10 dB -10.74 dB 3:55 07-The Right Profile
DR12 -0.10 dB -13.44 dB 3:47 08-Lost in the Supermarket
DR10 -0.10 dB -11.56 dB 3:49 09-Clampdown
DR11 -0.10 dB -12.12 dB 3:10 10-The Guns of Brixton
DR10 -0.10 dB -11.19 dB 3:11 11-Wrong 'Em Boyo
DR10 -0.10 dB -11.04 dB 3:55 12-Death or Glory
DR10 -0.10 dB -10.95 dB 1:48 13-Koka Kola
DR8 -0.10 dB -9.73 dB 3:50 14-The Card Cheat
DR12 -0.10 dB -13.87 dB 4:03 15-Lover's Rock
DR9 -0.10 dB -9.90 dB 2:56 16-Four Horsemen
DR10 -0.10 dB -10.71 dB 3:06 17-I'm Not Down
DR10 -0.10 dB -11.46 dB 5:33 18-Revolution Rock
DR10 -0.10 dB -12.29 dB 3:10 19-Train in Vain
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Number of tracks: 19
Official DR value: DR10

Samplerate: 44100 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 16
Bitrate: 1025 kbps
Codec: FLAC
================================================================================
I often mistake best music for best sound/recording. Best music usually fades recording quality.

1. Dread Zeppelin "Un-Lead-eD"
2. Talking Heads "The Name of This Band..." live DbLp
3. Nina Hagen "Revolution Ballroom"
4. Marillion "Misplaced Childhood"
5. Van Der Graaf Generator "Still Life"
Eniac26, here you go:

http://www.amazon.com/Even-Quietest-Moments-Supertramp/dp/B000068FXX
For rock I always go back to:
Lou Reed- Rock and Roll Animal- best version of sweet jane.
Yes- Yessongs- a top all time live album
David Bowie- Live in Philadelphia- Earl slick on guitar/David Sanborne on sax
The Cult- Love
Allman Bros.- Eat a Peach- Duane's slide is incredible
David Gilmore- Live at Gdansk- Pink FLoyd guitarist with a great back up band.
Hendrix- Electric Ladyland

I agree with the folks above about Steely Dan, Led Zep, supertramp, etc. These are just a few ideas for some rock and roll to crank and offend the wife/neighbors. Enjoy!
Thanks Russ69 I will have to pick that one up.

It seems Supertramp was uncompromising on their albums when it came to SQ. Like "Crime of the Century", "Breakfast In America" is also a very impressive one that if I didn't already know better, would swear was 24/96 sounding despite only being RB copies.

I can see from my choices that I must be a sucker for the "Sterling Sound" sound. Those guys definitely seem to have a talent for extracting every ounce of music out of a RB quality Rock album without chopping off the upper registers or killing it with over compression and loudness.
I wanted to add one more series of albums to my list just to provide some additional choices even though they may not be considered a part of the Rock genre.

For those who are big U2 fans like myself I have found that ALL of the latest remasters that were done and can be found for immediate download in .FLAC format off of their U2shop website sound very stellar.

I have analyzed all of these albums closely using Audacity and other tools and the files are beautifully done strictly from a numbers standpoint.