Your favorite excellent quality/sounding LPs


I am pretty new to vinyl. Am already addicted. Maybe great digital has great detail and great qualities, but nothing, except reel to reel, has the organic, “real” sound of vinyl! Especially during these times, I listen for hours and “enjoy the music”. As we know, there are only some few great recordings. Seems most of the 180 gram LPs, even if old recordings, have, at least, lovely mid range. I am not a rock or electronic guy. All analog instrument, mostly unprocessed are my favorite. Singer/songwriter, Pop or Jazz, small scale Classical. Stuff that does well with my SET-like taste. Hard to describe what is an enjoyable recording but when an LP is well made and “musical” they seem to really stand out.
mglik
I have found the following labels to have provided excellent sounding classical recordings on LP with a high degree of consistency, although unfortunately a number of them no longer exist or no longer produce LPs.

Accent
Astrée
Audiofon
Chesky
Dorian
Harmonia Mundi France
Harmonia Mundi USA
Hyperion
Lyrinx
M&K Realtime
North Star
Pierre Verany
Proprius
Reference Recordings
Sheffield Labs
Syrinx
Valois
Wilson Audio

For small scale classical music I would particularly single out pretty much anything on the Harmonia Mundi labels (also recommended above by @bdp24 ), and (if you can find them, perhaps on eBay) the Astrée LPs released during the 1970s and 1980s featuring Paul Badura-Skoda performing on an early 19th century fortepiano. The latter are simply amazing.

Regards,
-- Al
If you want to listen to RECORDINGS, there are a lot of good to excellent recommendations being presented here. If you want to listen to really good MUSIC, recorded well, then start exploring the world of mono LPs recorded prior to the age of stereo. Granted, not all mono recordings sound great, but the great ones surely do. 

With stereo, you are there. With mono, they are here.

Try the Dave Brubeck Quartet's "Jazz Impressions of The U.S.A" for starters. 

Frank

- Any and all direct-to-disk LP’s (Sheffield labs, M & K, Crystal Clear, etc).

- Water Lily Records (start with A Meeting On The River with Ry Cooder).

- Audioquest Records (lots of Blues and Singer/Songwriter).

- Lots of albums on the labels Rounder and Sugar Hill (Bluegrass, Folk, Roots).

- Harmonia Mundi, both France and U.S.A. (Early Music, Baroque, Classical).

Analogue production quality pressing direct to disc records flawless, some titles are now on sale for $10 or for that matter most d2d Lp's.
For great sounding jazz LP's give the CTI label a try.  Creed Taylor's CTI recordings from the late 60's through the 70's offer great sound, indeed.
If jazz/ fusion moves you try these.
Super sq and not costing the earth to buy in mint condition.
My copies rival mfsl issues imho.

School Days by Stanley Clarke.
High Crime by Al Jarreau.

Have fun.
All my Japanese record pressings!

 The Japanese don’t mess around with music.

best sounding vinyls are my Japan presses!

 Thick and always cut to,perfection.
For modern Jazz: Weather Report's first S/T, I Sing The Body Electric, Sweet Nighter and Heavy Weather! Superb compositions and playing by virtuoso musicians!
Here are some suggestions from my current rotation, the focus is more on enjoyable music and good on vinyl then perfect pressing and mastering in some cases.

Arleta - 2
Very intimate recording, hard to find a perfect copy but once you clean it and play it the music is great.

Paul Simon - The Ultimate Collection
Great pressing, as good as I have heard any of these songs before.

Karen Dalton - In My Own Time
Great folk record and good pressing as well.

Julia Holter - In The Same Room
Live studio recording, good pressing with great dynamics.

Space Echo - Space Echo - The Mystery Behind The Cosmic Sound Of Cabo Verde Finally Revealed!
One of my favorite records, it’s just fun! Great pressing as well.

Dessa - Castor, The Twin
Usually not my type of music but this is a great record and great pressing as well.

Anouar Brahem - Blue Maqams
Good quality good music

Buena Vista Social Club - Buena Vista Social Club
Superb album, and the pressing is flawless as well.

Sibelius / Heifetz / Hendl / Chicago Symphony ‎– Violin Concerto In D Minor, Op. 47
Stellar recording

Vlatko Stefanovski + Miroslav Tadić - Krushevo
Great guitar record, also pressing is amazing

Nima Ben David - Résonance
Excellent gamba recording, same goes for pressing

Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin, Paco De Lucia - Friday Night In San Francisco
Another guitar record, just wow!

Gregorio Paniagua - Atrium Musicae De Madrid - La Spagna, Music From The XV, XVI, And XVII Centuries
Not sure what to say about this, it’s relaxing and interesting music.

Anything from MA Recordings
A longtime favorite of mine is the first LP by Kate Bush. Either the US or British pressing will do. A magical recording! The Kick Inside!
An easy recommendation are the Haydn "named" symphonies by Neville Marriner & The Academy Of St.Martins on Philips. All analog from the '70s on European pressings! Can be found on Discogs.