Styx, you're welcome, and glad to hear that you found a couple to order!
What readily available LP's should I consider
After many years of chasing "perfect" digital playback, I’ve ordered a new vinyl playback rig, and am dusting off my old vinyl, and am so to speak, going back to the future.
While I've found many posts, web sites etc., with vintage vinyl recommendations, finding a list of well-recorded, excellent-sounding new, or READILY available pressings, has not been so easy.
What highly prized, must have LP's, should I be looking for? As most of us, my musical tastes are quite varied, and with the exception of rap, hip-hop, and opera (quite a combination huh?), I'm open to your list of EASILY procurable, LP's to die for.
While I've found many posts, web sites etc., with vintage vinyl recommendations, finding a list of well-recorded, excellent-sounding new, or READILY available pressings, has not been so easy.
What highly prized, must have LP's, should I be looking for? As most of us, my musical tastes are quite varied, and with the exception of rap, hip-hop, and opera (quite a combination huh?), I'm open to your list of EASILY procurable, LP's to die for.
Showing 7 responses by rushton
OK, back with some specific recommendations... CLASSICAL Stravinsky's Firebird Ballet (Mercury) - 45rpm reissue from Classic Records (the best of the Classic Records Mercury reissues) This LP is no longer in print. Buy it now. Mendelssohn's Scottish Symphony (Decca), 45 rpm reissue from Speakers Corner (also in the list mentioned below.). This LP is no longer in print. Buy it now. The Mercury Classical Reissues from Speakers Corner - all of them. Choose based on your musical interests. As Mechanics notes, the Starker/Bach box set is superb. More coming... The best of the Speakers Corner Decca reissues from another thread. All of these fall among my top recommendations for sound quality and performance. Choose based on your musical preferences. JAZZ The 45 rpm Fantasy reissue series from Analogue Productions. As mentioned by Gmele, they are all outstanding. Choose based on your musical interests. BLUES Lightnin' Hopkins - Goin' Away Analogue Productions 45 rpm Lightnin' Hopkins - Last Night Blues with Sonny Terry Analogue Productions 45 rpm Wild Child Butler - Sho' 'Nuff Analogue Productions 45 rpm Memphis Slim & Willie Dixon - The Blues Every Which Way Speakers Corner Wild Child Butler - Wild Child Butler Analogue Productions direct-to-disc Eric Bibb - Spirit & the Blues Opus 3, 45 rpm FOLK Doc Watson - Southbound Cisco Reissue Soc Watson - Home Again Cisco Reissue Joan Baez - Farewell Angelina Cisco Reissue Hope this helps give you a start. . |
Mrmb, if you've never cleaned your LPs, do yourself a big favor and clean them with either the Disc Doctor (my preference) or Record Research cleaning fluids. Do the same with all the new vinyl you buy BEFORE playing for the first time. With the investment you're making in your TT setup, you'll find this cleaning step very rewarding both in how it keeps your records from developing pops, tick and crackles, and how much better it will make them sound. Good luck! |
Mrmb, there is a huge selection of readily available vinyl reissues available today, many of which have been superbly remastered. I may come back to offer some specific recommendations, but allow me to start this conversation with some more general observations... Look at Acoustic Sounds' Recommended list (www.acousticsounds.com/recommended.cfm), it is pretty reliable. LPs are clearly identified, and make up a substantial portion of their list. Use the LP search capabilities at Red Trumpet (www.redtrumpet.com) and Acoustic Sounds. At Red Trumpet, simply include an additional keyword of "LP" to any other keywords. For example: "speakers corner lp" (a seach on just "LP" brings back nearly 2,000 entries) I've found the following labels offering superbly remastered reissues, within the genres listed. If the music is something you enjoy, you won't go wrong buying this genre on this label. * Jazz * Speakers Corner (Verve reissues) Analogue Productions (esp. the Fantasy 45 rpm reissue series) Pure Audiophile * Classical * Speakers Corner (the Mercury reissues are incredibly good across the board, the Deccas reissues are excellent for the most part) 45 rpm reissues from Classic Records, the 33 rpm reissues are variable. Reference Recordings Mastercut series - oop, but some titles still available from Acoustic Sounds - Gershwin, Rachmaninoff, Ravel (do a vinyl search under "Label" "Reference Recordings", or tryy this link if it continues to work: Reference Recordings Mastercut series) * Blues * Analogue Productions (look at the APO recordings) Speakers Corner (Verve and RCA) * Folk * Cisco Another resource is a recurring thread here on Audiogon called "What's on your turntable tonight?". If you read through this you will find a number of recommendations of specific recordings that are currently available. . |