Best sounding recordings you own?

[Progger58]

So, what are the best sounding recordings (CD's, LP's, etc.) you have in your collection? You know what I mean: great soundstage and dynamics, instrument separation, etc.

These are some I can recall at the moment:

- UAKTI - I Ching (this is the top recording I have; audiophile sounding)
- BÉLA FLECK & THE FLECKTONES – Outbound & Flight of the Cosmic Hippo
- BOZZIO LEVIN STEVENS – Black Light Syndrome
- BRIAN BROMBERG – Wood & Choices
- NIACIN – Niacin & Time Crunch
- METRO – Tree People
- GORDIAN KNOT – Emergent
- BRAND X – Manifest Destiny
- BRUFORD LEVIN – Upper Extremities
- TERJE RYPDAL – If Mountains Could Sing
- MIKE KENEALLY – The Universe Will Provide
- TREY GUNN – The Joy of Molybdenum & Raw Power
- DAVID TORN/MICK KARN/TERRY BOZZIO – Polytown
- VERTÚ – Vertú
- JEFF GOLUB – Do It Again
- JOHN McLAUGHLIN – The Heart of Things
- ERIK TRUFFAZ – The Walk of the Giant Turtle
- NILS PETTER MOLVAER – Khmer
- PEDER AF UGGLAS – Autumn Shuffle
- JAZZ MANDOLIN PROJECT – Jungle Tango
- HECTOR ZAZOU – Lights in the Dark, Sounds from the Cold Seas & Sahara Blue
- JAH WOBBLE & BILL LASWELL – Radioaxiom: A Dub Transmission
- DEAD CAN DANCE – Into the Labyrinth
- CARLA LOTHER – Ephemera
- THE BLUE NILE – Hats
- TALK TALK – The Spirit of Eden
- STEELY DAN – Two Against Nature
- CHRIS REA – The Road to Hell & Auberge
- PINK FLOYD – Dark Side of the Moon
- ISILDURS BANE – Mind Vol. 1 & 2
- PORCUPINE TREE – In Absentia, Signify & Fear of a Blank Planet
- OZRIC TENTACLES – Curious Corn, Hidden Step & Waterfall Cities

All them simply awesome and highly recommended. :up: :clap:

So, which other good sounding recordings you recommend?

Demetrio.

 

[Art Rock]

I usually don't pay too much attention to the recording quality (unless it is really bad) to be honest. I am much more interested in the music itself. For the same reason, my audio equipment is rather average quality even though music is my prime hobby.

 

[Progger58]

I usually don't pay too much attention to the recording quality (unless it is really bad) to be honest. I am much more interested in the music itself. For the same reason, my audio equipment is rather average quality even though music is my prime hobby.

The better the audio equipment you have, the most revealing it is. In other words, listening to a good-quality recording through a good stereo system is a very amazing experience, but, on the other hand, listening to a bad-quality recording through a good system can be a very disappointing experience as well, because it will reveal the downsides of such recording with a lot more evidence than an average stereo system.


That said, I didn't also used to pay too much attention to the recording quality of my discs until some time ago, when my stereo system was average quality only too, but from the moment I started doing some upgrades on my system I immediately started noticing the bad quality of several recordings I owned and, by natural consequence, I started becoming more exigent about this concern as well.

Cheers,
Demetrio.

 

[Andrew Roussak]

Yep, my 5 cents to the thread...
BTW, Progger58, d'ya see - I am logging in for the second time today!!

All right then -

TOTO - Mindfields. One can use this recording as a reference to choose the proper audio system. Quality is unbeatable.

More great sounding albums:

Spock's Beard - OCTANE ( though I don't really like the music ),
Porcupine Tree - Fear of a Blank Planet ( that's obvious )
ELP - Black Moon
Yes - Union, Big Generator, Talk
Almost all recordings of ABBA sound great too.





http://smiley.smileycentral.com/download/index.jhtml?partner=ZSzeb068_ZS

 

[ses]

Very nice list, I think you know this list?

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/recommendedvinyl.htm

In the 90’ I have a high-end set-up, it was a fantastic sounding system with only one fault. The music was not alive.
I bought a lot of audiophile records but only play them once or twice. Now I have a system where every record/cd sounds acceptable, good and very very good. So now I buy the music I like. From old monos from the 30' and from yesterday.

I am a big fan of Harmonia Mundi, they deliver fantastic sounds with great artists. The latest Jolivet violinconcerto with Isabelle Faust is a feast in every way. And try Pärt's Te Deum on ECM too.

 

[Progger58]

Very nice list, I think you know this list?

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/recommendedvinyl.htm

Thanks for the link. :tiphat:

In the 90’ I have a high-end set-up, it was a fantastic sounding system with only one fault. The music was not alive. I

bought a lot of audiophile records but only play them once or twice. Now I have a system where every record/cd sounds acceptable, good and very very good.

This is very very strange, because a high-end system should give you the best fidelity to your music. Maybe you are confusing "coloration" with "alive"?

Cheers,
Demetrio.

 

[ses]

I will later try to explain - my english is not perfect so I need time. In the meantime hear is a wonder CD

BIS 730 - Jon Leifs - Saga Symphony
If you have a strong heart play it loud , if not - don't buy it.

The music is great too and I think a prog listener could try this form of "classical"?.

One of the probs in high end is dynamics, real dynamics is not just LOUD - it is the difference between tones, attack start ans stop.

This CD is a good tester for real dynamics:grin:

 

[doctortornface]

I have a new recording on a new format for me.Junior Brown ...Down Home Chrome..on Hybrid Multichanel super audio SACD surround.Telarc.A smashing clear, but warm alternative country album The cd or the recording don,t know. It is excellent though.
The other favorite is an old recording of Steve Hill age from the album" L" .the whole album is right but his version of Hurdy Gurdy Man is tremendous.

 

[Progger58]

Thanks for all inputs. :tiphat:

And lets keep the contributions coming. :up:

Did I mention Steely Dan? The recordings from this band are usually top notch. :clap:

 

[Art Rock]

I will later try to explain - my english is not perfect so I need time. In the meantime hear is a wonder CD

BIS 730 - Jon Leifs - Saga Symphony
If you have a strong heart play it loud , if not - don't buy it.

The music is great too and I think a prog listener could try this form of "classical"?.

One of the probs in high end is dynamics, real dynamics is not just LOUD - it is the difference between tones, attack start ans stop.

This CD is a good tester for real dynamics:grin:

Well... well... well...

Someone else who likes Leifs!

On that note, this reminds me of another candidate from the classical music department:

Grofe- Garnd Canyon Suite on the alternative TELARC version, where real recorded thunderstorms are inserted.

 

[Andrew Roussak]

An absolute reference classical piano recording for me - Glenn Gould, The Goldberg Variations of J.S.Bach. Glenn Gould had recorded The Variations twice - the first time in the 60es, and the second recording dates 1982. He wanted to use the advantages of the digital recording equipment this time. And the quality is really amazing here - the big concert Steinway Grand sounds that transparent here as it were a MIDI . You can literally hear every note in every voice played. As usual, the engineers had failed to remove Glenn Gould's "singing" from the tracks - but it was never regarded as a disadvantage of his recordings, being rather an inalienable a feature of Gould's style.