AudioCircle
Audio/Video Gear and Systems => The Vinyl Circle => Topic started by: jimdgoulding on 26 Oct 2014, 02:03 pm
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of all types of music to you. For choral music the best sounding album I have is Volume One (Mark Levinson Acoustic Recording Series). Yep, that's the name of it and it is positively sublime on every account that you (I dare say) and I can imagine. One whole side is organ, however, and I have nothing to compare that to but I implicitly trust the recording engineer.
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Dead Can Dance - Spiritchaser
Dead Can Dance - In Concert
XTC - Nonsuch
Ric Ocaesk - Beautitude, This side of Paradise
Thomas Dolby - The aliens ate my Buick, Astronauts and Heretics
Depeche Mode - Black Celebration, Violator
Camel - Moonmadness, Nude, I can see my house from here
Fleetfoxes - Fleetfoxes
Genesis - Foxtrot, Selling England by the Pound
Pink Floyd - Division Bell
Tears for Fears - Seeds of Love
Yes - The Yes Album
Andreas Vollenweider - White Winds, Caverna Magica (well, all of his)
Pat Matheny - As Wichita Falls, So falls Wichita
Yes - Talk
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Steely Dan "Aja" 30th anniversary 180g all analog LP.
Fleetwood Mac "Rumours" 45 rpm version.
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Lorna Hunt: All in One Day
+1 on the Dead Can Dance
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Steely Dan "Aja" 30th anniversary 180g all analog LP.
Fleetwood Mac "Rumours" 45 rpm version.
These two plus
Neil Young Live at Massey Hall
Beatles in Mono box set
Bob Dylan, Blonde on Blonde MoFi 45 RPM
Chicago Transit Authority--Rhino reissue
The Doors 45 RPM reissues
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Classical: Beethoven Violin Concerto in D, Joseph Sztegti violin, Mercury Living Presence
Jazz: Dave Brubeck, Time Out, Columbia 2 Eye
Rock: Rolling Stones, Beggars Banquette, London FFRR
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All of the remastered Frank Zappa have been really good to date.
Jefferson Airplane catalog on Sundazed is pretty good.
Remastered Let It Bleed by the Stones is really good.
25th Anniversary DSOTM by Pink Floyd is quite good.
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Lorna Hunt: All in One Day
+1 on the Dead Can Dance
I'm pretty sure that John Z from The Houston Audio Society brought the Laura Hunt over for me to hear and the sound is very vivid and spacious if I remember right.
Recently-
Live at Montreux- Darol Anger/Barbara Higbie Quintet (Windham Hill) for fine imaging and on stage realism;
Symphonie Fantastique- The Utah Symphony (Reference Recordings 45rpm recorded by Keith Johnson) for orchestra demo;
Peter Gabriel- Security, uh, LOUD for kicking yer ya-ya's out. Must include The Who's Quadrophenia for same.
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Eric Clapton – Unplugged
Talking Heads – Stop Making Sense
10,000 Maniacs – In My Tribe
Sting – Nothing but the Sun
And not the best sounding album in my collection, but what I’m listening to now – Paul McCartney, Red Rose Speedway
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Telarc!
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Picked up an Agnes Obel double vinyl from Amazon after hearing a cut on Radio Paradise. Female vocal over piano. I think it sounds pretty darn good. And not outrageously expensive.
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Deep Purple who do you think we are.
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Mel Torme and Friends
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(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06p1zc2fjUc) Big Band Moog, a album put out by Realistic to premote 4 channel sound about 1972...Mark Korda
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Beck - Seachange MOFI
BJORK - Greatest Hits on Indian records DMM 200gram import
Dandy Warhols - Welcome To the Monkeyhouse
Thievery Corporation - Cosmic Game
Kenny Barron Minor Blues (Japanese Press)
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Tea for the Tillerman, Cat Stevens.
I have the LH dead wax Len Hulko dark brown label A&M and also the
Quality pressing, both are very good. I also have the 1970's MFSL which is
nearly as good.
It's a great record all around.
Paul
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The Yes Album is fantastic also but I don't have anything other than the original American release.
I bought the Friday Music version and it was terrible, I actually had to ask for my American release back
from my daughter (I'm heartless when it comes to that disk). Few moments in music are more emotional
for me than Howe ping-pong guitar soloing at the end of Starship Trooper. (maybe the end of Abbey Road and
Shine on You Crazy Diamond guitar solo...)
So, what is the best release of this record?
Paul
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Alice In Chains Unplugged is my go-to album now, incredible.
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My copy of Robin Trower's "Bridge of Sighs" sounds tremendous. Other good sounding LPs in my collection include Bad Company's first three or four albums, the first Chickenfoot album, The Knack's first album, and most anything by the Alan Parsons Project. There are several others but these are my favorites.
It's a funny thing, the more we spend on our audio equipment the more we realize just now piss-poor most recordings sound.
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Deep Purple, Who do we think we are is a good sounding LP
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Zubin Mehta, Holst's The Planets, L.A. Philharmonic, London CS 6734 (one of HP's faves)
Yello, One Second, Mercury 422-832675-1
John Lee Hooker, The Healer
Rob Wasserman, Duets, MCA Records 7674-22131-1
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Oh and +1 to Talking Heads Stop Making Sense. Hadn't listened to it in years and it's really good.
Edit: Just finishing the second side and I take it back. Music is decent, record is quiet, but it is definitely giving me a headache! Guessing it is an early digital recording?
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Walton's Façade on Victrola, Casino Royale on Colgems, Manhattan Jazz Quintet "My Funny Valentine" on King all come quickly to mind.
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Alan Parsons Project - Pyramid. Great recording, great music.
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One of them: Morton Gould, Gould Ballet Music ("Fall River Legend", "Interplay", two movements from his "Latin-American Symphonette"), RCA Living Stereo LSC-2532. Produced by Joseph Habig, engineered by Lewis Layton, 1961.
(http://jimtranr.com/Fall_River_Legend.JPG)
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Rock
Bridge of Sighs original was good, but the Friday Music re-release is better.
Alan Parsons - I Robot, Edgar Allen Poe, Turn of a Friendly Card
Cat Stevens - all of them + the re-releases
Stevie Ray Vaughn - Couldn't Stand the Weather
Dire Straits - all of them
Ambrosia - 1st 2 albums
Moody Blues - everything up to Every Good Boy Deserves Favor
Santana - Abraxas, Moonflower (reissue)
Traffic - most of them
Van Morrison - Moondance
CSNY - So Far, CSN,
Simon & Garfunkel - all of them
Steely Dan - all of them
James Taylor - all of them
Robert Plant - Raising Sand
Pink Floyd - all of them
The Who - Who's Next
Joni Mitchell - all the early & mid-period ones
Jazz - there seems to be more consistently fine recordings in this category, almost all jazz from the 50's - 60's will sound damn good, just pick your guy and go with it
Oregon - all of them (Damn near everything on the ECM label sounds awesome)
Andreas Vollenweider - all of them
Eberhard Weber - all of them
Pat Metheny - all of them
Acoustic Alchemy - most of them
Count Basie - most of them, but especially 88 Basie Street
Oscar Peterson - anything on the Pablo label (most Pablo recordings are awesome)
Ray Charles - Ray Sings Basie Swings
The Rippingtons - consistently good "studio" sound
David Benoit - all of them
Lee Ritenour - all of them
Dave Gruisin - all of them (anything on the GRP label is good)
Getz/Gilberto - s/t
Chet Baker - most of them
Jimmy Smith - most of them
Blues
hell, they all seem to sound good
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sweet ,keep it coming :thumb:
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This is off the top of my head. I am sure there are many more.
Prog-rock:
Genesis - The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (Japanese pressing)
King Crimson - Islands, Lark's Tongue in Aspic (Japanese)
Banco - Io Sono Nato Libero (original Italian release)
Universe Zero - Ceux Du Dehors
FM - Head Room (also known as 'Direct to Disc'. Canadian prog-rock trio recorded this direct-to-disc live in the studio)
Jazz:
Return to Forever - Romantic Warrior (Japanese pressing. Great dynamics!)
Weather Report - Heavy Weather (half speed master)
Art Ensemble of Chicago - Nice Guys (ECM)
Azymuth with Ralph Towner (ECM)
Ralph Towner - Old Friends, New Friends (ECM)
Oh hell... almost anything on ECM.
John Coltrane - A Love Supreme (180 gram reissue)
Iceberg - Arc-En-Ciel (amazing fusion from Spain)
Classical:
Excerpts from Romeo and Juliet - Prokofiev
Direct-to-disc on Sheffield Labs, the LA Phil with Eric Liensdorf conducting. Recordings don't get much better. Dynamics, transparency, imaging, detail...
Pictures at an Exhibition - Mussorgsky/Ravel
Analog Productions reissue of the RCA 'Shaded Dog'. Fritz Reiner and the Chicago Symphony. Can't wait to get the Bartok!
In the mid 70's, budget label Nonesuch released quite a few LPs of contemporary and avant-garde classical chamber music by the likes of Stefan Wolpe, Joseph Schwantner, Druckman, Rochberg, etc.
I'm not going to list them all, but the entire series is universally great, musically and recording quality. Especially if you want to to test imaging. Musically they are kind of 'thorny' and most are atonal, so YMMV.
Stravinsky conducts Stravinsky - L'histoire du soldat (The Soldiers Tale)
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That RL Led Zeppelin II is stunning. Deserving of its rep. Other faves are the QRP Tea for the Tillerman, and 45 RPM QRP Love Supreme. 45 RPM Mingus is also stunning, as is Out to Lunch.
Albums that may not be the absolute best sounding but which are useful for evaluation purposes include James Blake's first LP, Fleet Foxes S/T, and Radiohead Hail to the Thief.
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Rock
Moody Blues - everything up to Every Good Boy Deserves Favor
I was unhappy with Days of Future Passed until I found an old MoFi. I'd bet the British releases best the US stuff...
Paul
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Prog-rock:
FM - Head Room (also known as 'Direct to Disc'. Canadian prog-rock trio recorded this direct-to-disc live in the studio)
I'll second the FM album. It is one of my all time favourites.
and I'll add.
Rough Trade Live! Direct to Disc
Thelma Houston & Pressure Cooker – I've Got The Music In Me (direct to disc)
Rob McConnell And The Boss Brass – Big Band Jazz (direct to disc)
At the time this was one of the best live recordings.
The Tubes - What Do You Want from Live
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There are also the standard audiophile show stand-by's
Belefonte at Carnegie Hall
Friday Night in San Francisco - McLaughlin, DeLucia, DeMeola
any female singer in the last 10 years, like Dianne Krall, Patricia Barber
etc., you know, the stuff that you hear once, buy and never listen to again at home
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I was unhappy with Days of Future Passed until I found an old MoFi. I'd bet the British releases best the US stuff...
Paul
You didn't like the Duram DSS version? (SML 707)
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Alice In Chains Unplugged is my go-to album now, incredible.
+1 ...that is a great disc.
Currently listening to "One Second" by Yello. :o
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Alan parsons group
Dan hill
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This is a great thread. I will make it a sticky.
Stevie Ray Vaughan-Texas Hurricane 45 RPM Box Set is really good.
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oops - my reco wasn't even vinyl - do cds / digital sources count or is that going to be another thread?
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oops - my reco wasn't even vinyl - do cds / digital sources count or is that going to be another thread?
Vinyl for sure. Different mastering for digital, you know. You can start the best sounding digital recording thread on another circle. 8)
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Currently listening to "One Second" by Yello. :o
[/quote]
Great album, great recording. Have One Second, Flag and another one I can't remember, all on vinyl.
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Well, here's a few more from a memo to my local audio society sent yesterday:
"I've had a few of you over and to my modest listening room- tho recent changes abide- and never knew just what to play. As my guest you may have rummaged thru my collection of analog and CD sides and ask me to play this and that and that's cool, but I have painstakingly zeroed in on some music to showcase what I have to advantage and would like to share. Five sides . .
For tonal purity and richness you may listen to a hard-to-find recording of music by The Carter Chamber Ensemble (harp, flute and viola) on the Sound Storage Recording Company label playing Debussy's Sonata no. 2. For female vocal and very clean solo piano accompaniment, Fairytales from the Norwegian label ODIN (in English) by Radka Toneff. A jazz trio outing from Mark Levinson on his label, Jazz at Long Wharf for transparency and spaciousness, and a live in the club standby that's about as live in the club as it gets, ye olde Jazz at the Pawnshop, again on a Scandanavian label, Proprius. Some of you may have heard or even own that one as it was famous for good sound years back. Lastly, Tchaikovsky's Francesca de Rimini on a Chesky re-master of Munch conducting the Royal Philharmonic. And whatever you might care to bring should you visit one day.
And wouldn't I be remiss to not have at least one R&R album included, ok then, one my daughter bought me, Lungs - Florence + The Machine.
Consider yourself invited most anytime, but please make it during the colder months so we don't have to listen around that damned air conditioning.
Oh, I'd like to visit you, too, btw."
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I'll second the FM album. It is one of my all time favourites.
and I'll add.
Rough Trade Live! Direct to Disc
Thelma Houston & Pressure Cooker – I've Got The Music In Me (direct to disc)
Rob McConnell And The Boss Brass – Big Band Jazz (direct to disc)
At the time this was one of the best live recordings.
The Tubes - What Do You Want from Live
I have a DTD Rough Trade one, too :thumb:
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WGH- Hi,
I'll see your Mehta "The Planets" and raise you Previn conducting same with the LSO on EMI (least I think I have that right cause it's misfiled so that's from memory);
Rendezvous- Richard Beirach, piano, and George Mraz, bass, on the IPI label. This duo and sound are to die for and I'm so glad to have it;
Howard Hanson's Sym no. 2 and Lament for Beowolf with the composer conducting the Eastman-Rochester Orchestra and Chorus (Mercury)*;
If Only I Could Remember My Name- David Crosby with members of Quicksilver Messenger Service, the Dead and Jefferson Airplane and Joni Mitchell for great sound and end of the 60's sentimentality;
Jazz at Longwharf- Mark Levinson on bass with brother Doug on piano in a trio on ML's label;
Tailspinnin (Columbia)- Early Weather Report and unsurpassed.
Old Time Feeling- Sheila Jordan/Harvie Swartz Duo (PAI). You just wouldn't believe two people could make this much music. Terrific sound, too.
*a brooding massive work for chorus and orchestra
.
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My best sounding records are my small collection of RCA "Shaded Dogs" that I spent peanuts on when my local NPR station switched to CDs. Alas, I almost never play them, unless I want to show off my system. I'm not that much of a Classical music fan.
Doc
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Rock
Bridge of Sighs original was good, but the Friday Music re-release is better.
Alan Parsons - I Robot, Edgar Allen Poe, Turn of a Friendly Card
Cat Stevens - all of them + the re-releases
Stevie Ray Vaughn - Couldn't Stand the Weather
Dire Straits - all of them
Ambrosia - 1st 2 albums
Moody Blues - everything up to Every Good Boy Deserves Favor
Santana - Abraxas, Moonflower (reissue)
Traffic - most of them
Van Morrison - Moondance
CSNY - So Far, CSN,
Simon & Garfunkel - all of them
Steely Dan - all of them
James Taylor - all of them
Robert Plant - Raising Sand
Pink Floyd - all of them
The Who - Who's Next
Joni Mitchell - all the early & mid-period ones
Jazz - there seems to be more consistently fine recordings in this category, almost all jazz from the 50's - 60's will sound damn good, just pick your guy and go with it
Oregon - all of them (Damn near everything on the ECM label sounds awesome)
Andreas Vollenweider - all of them
Eberhard Weber - all of them
Pat Metheny - all of them
Acoustic Alchemy - most of them
Count Basie - most of them, but especially 88 Basie Street
Oscar Peterson - anything on the Pablo label (most Pablo recordings are awesome)
Ray Charles - Ray Sings Basie Swings
The Rippingtons - consistently good "studio" sound
David Benoit - all of them
Lee Ritenour - all of them
Dave Gruisin - all of them (anything on the GRP label is good)
Getz/Gilberto - s/t
Chet Baker - most of them
Jimmy Smith - most of them
Blues
hell, they all seem to sound good
Maestro . . I share your enthusiasm for the ECM catalog. Love what the Europeans and Scandinavians were playing during this time period, the 80's.
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(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=116403)
Fleetwood Mac Rumors 2LP 45 Speed
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For pure live recording and what dynamics entails especially to demo your vinyl playback and make it sound as good as it can get, it has to be the "Flamenco Fever" but it is USD500 a pop :o
Quite rare Japanese Drum Session from Philip especially the 45 rpm is also great at a more earthly cost but always love Way Out West's Cowhand track from Sonny Rollins !
Garbage in Garbage out and this is a great thread to share this wonderful hobby.
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Eric Clapton – Unplugged
Talking Heads – Stop Making Sense
10,000 Maniacs – In My Tribe
Sting – Nothing but the Sun
And not the best sounding album in my collection, but what I’m listening to now – Paul McCartney, Red Rose Speedway
+1 for Nothing Like The Sun!
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Some of my favorites...
Dire Straits: Brothers in Arms (2 LP 33 RPM reissue), Love Over Gold (WEA reissue)
Supertramp: Brother Where you Bound
Heart: Dreamboat Annie (Nautilus half speed mastered), Dog & Butterfly
Kansas: Leftoverture
Jeff Beck: Blow by Blow
Alan Parsons: Eye in the Sky
Beatles: Love
Christine McVie: s/t
John Cougar: American Fool
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Joni Mitchell - Court & Spark - White Label Promo - Flawless!
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=123433)
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David Crosby-If I Could Only Remember My Name-Probably one of the best recorded albums of the time period and genre.http://ecx.images-
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=124579)
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Jazz: Joe Sample/Ray Brown/Shelly Manne - The Three. This one puts the trio in your listening room, really exceptional.
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=125488)
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This is the best hifi I've heard.
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=125499)
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Santana ........"Amigos"
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:thumb:
Joni Mitchell - Court & Spark - White Label Promo - Flawless!
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=123433)
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Jazz: Joe Sample/Ray Brown/Shelly Manne - The Three. This one puts the trio in your listening room, really exceptional.
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=125488)
+1 > Highly recommended if you can find a clean copy!!!
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an original pressing of "Bookends" by Simon and Garfunkel. :thumb:
(http://i568.photobucket.com/albums/ss123/gene9p/IMG_20140906_121714_613.jpg) (http://s568.photobucket.com/user/gene9p/media/IMG_20140906_121714_613.jpg.html)
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Though it is not my favorite album of all time, Michael Jackson's Thriller, original pressing, sounds amazing.
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My copy of Robin Trower's "Bridge of Sighs" sounds tremendous.
Robin Trower records are a good example of vinyl vs CD w/ vinyl winning. I'm not sure what's up (deteriorated master tapes?) but my old Trower vinyl sounds much better, and more hi-res than the CD releases.
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Allman Brothers Band Live at the Fillmore East.
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ECM seems to consistently get most recordings right (some of the Tord Gustavsen and Dino Saluzzi recordings are particularly beautiful), as does Blue Coast (I especially love their Keith Greeninger stuff); Nonesuch is usually excellent as well (most Brad Mehldau recordings are very good, as is the recent Chris Thile / Edgar Meyer album Bass & Mandolin).
In jazz, Boom Jackie Boom Chick (Japanese pressing) by Paul Gonsalves is wonderful, as are the 45 rpm releases of Dear John C. (Elvin Jones) and Sachmo plays King Oliver (Armstrong). Another more recent discovery that I've been loving is a simple duet album by Houston Person and Ron Carter called Just Between Friends. Exquisite performance, wonderfully recorded.
In vocals, anything by Norah Jones, Lizz Wright, or Jack Johnson is generally pretty well done;
In rock, surprisingly, Nirvana Unplugged is quite well recorded;
In classical, one of my favorites is a Chandos recording of Vaughan Williams' Symphony #5, which also includes The Lark Ascending....beautiful piece, wonderfully recorded. Another great one is the recent Hybrid SACD recording of Beethoven's Cantata on the Death of Emperor Joseph II by the San Francisco Symphony.
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I have over 400 ECMs so too many favorites to list, however:
Miroslav Vitous Emergence for the best bass album ever.
John Surnam - Private City
Steve Tibbetts - Northern Song, Big Map Idea
Eberhard Weber - all of them
Arvo Part - absolutely all of them, but especially Fur Alina https://youtu.be/4NiRh3lUjcY
Midnight Sugar - Yamamoto Trio
Harry James - Still Harry After All These Years, Coming From a Good Place, King James Version - Sheffield
Four Seasons - Academy of St Martin In The Fields - Sir Neville Marriner - London 1970
LA 4 - Just Friends - Direct to Disk - Concord
Fairfield Four - These Bones - Standing in the Safety Zone - Wreckin' Down the House
Nils Lofgren - Acoustic Live
14,000 albums so many more, but since this is my first post, I'll keep it short.
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Pulse: Works for Percussion and Strings, esp. Cage's Third Construction.
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=144502)
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Santana mofi 45 rpm lp unbelievable sound.
Robert Cray 4 nights of 40 years very nice sound
Norah Jones Come away with me a classic.
The Beatles Abbey Road
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(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=154222)
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I have over 400 ECMs so too many favorites to list, however:
Miroslav Vitous Emergence for the best bass album ever.
John Surnam - Private City
Steve Tibbetts - Northern Song, Big Map Idea
Eberhard Weber - all of them
Arvo Part - absolutely all of them, but especially Fur Alina https://youtu.be/4NiRh3lUjcY
ECM is a great label. Thanks to Manfred Eicher.
From my modest collection (about 120 vinyl) it's Dead can Dance: Into the Labyrinthe (Reissue from 4AD), Pat Metheny: What's it all about (Nonesuch) and the Doors: Weird Scenes Inside The Gold Mine (Rhino release for Record Store Day)
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I may have missed some, but here is a few of my 'best sounding LP's' in my collection 8)......'Welcome to the Pleasure Dome'- FGTH (Canadian pressing), 'Nightclubbing'- Grace Jones (new vinyl- Back to Black)), 'Inside Story'- Grace Jones (Oz pressing), Duran Duran- self titled (Maxicut Oz Pressing), 'Rio' - Duran Duran (Japanese pressing), 'Brother Where You Bound'- Supertramp (Oz pressing), 'The Prelude Implicit'- Kansas (new release, Inside Out), 'Once Upon A Time'- Simple Minds (Canadian pressing), 'Nothing Like the Sun'- Sting (German pressing), Hardcore Devo Live (new release, MVD Audio), 'So'- Peter Gabriel (new half speed 45rpm issue), 'The Man Machine'- Kraftwerk (Oz pressing), 'Radioactivity'- Kraftwerk (US pressing) and 'Wishbone Ash 40th Anniversary Live in London'- Wishbone Ash (newish release, ZYX). Cheers... :thumb:
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The new MFSL Santana Abraxas is amazing.
Paul
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(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=154222)
I can't find this on vinyl! Only CD.....what the? :?
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There's US and Italy releases
https://www.discogs.com/Annie-Lennox-Nostalgia/master/750052
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I can't find this on vinyl! Only CD.....what the? :?
Available here in the states via Amazon. No Amazon in Oz?
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My copy is a reissue of an earlier Decca, but the performance and recording on this London lp is wonderfully natural.
(https://trytoneclassical.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/FullSizeRender-262.jpg)
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(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=51504)
Joni Mitchell Court and Spark
Believe it or not, this is the best sounding album in my collection. :scratch:
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(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=51504)
Joni Mitchell Court and Spark
Believe it or not, this is the best sounding album in my collection. :scratch:
Hi Decal,
Thanks for posting that. I believe it. The sound on this one is hair raising:
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=67908)
Joni has the guys from Weather Report as a back up band. Jaco Pastorius plays his fretless electric bass. Wayne Shorter on soprano sax isn't there just for show, they play Mingus tunes. When Joni slams a close miked power cord on her rhythm guitar, you might have a vision - a pork pie hat floating in the sky.
A word of caution though, you will be tempted to turn it up to 11, but each tune is preceded by a bit of live tape from a Mingus birthday party. This will come on too strong if you leave the volume up, and be the equivalent of having it set at eleventee seven.
neo
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Joni Mitchell Court and Spark
Believe it or not, this is the best sounding album in my collection. :scratch:
I can believe it, though I don't have that one. 8)
Hi Decal,
Thanks for posting that. I believe it. The sound on this one is hair raising:
Joni has the guys from Weather Report as a back up band. Jaco Pastorius plays his fretless electric bass. Wayne Shorter on soprano sax isn't there just for show, they play Mingus tunes. When Joni slams a close miked power cord on her rhythm guitar, you might have a vision - a pork pie hat floating in the sky.
A word of caution though, you will be tempted to turn it up to 11, but each tune is preceded by a bit of live tape from a Mingus birthday party. This will come on too strong if you leave the volume up, and be the equivalent of having it set at eleventee seven.
neo
In the same time span as your's neo (will have to pick that one up) these are 3 of the best sounding in my limited collection -
(https://img.discogs.com/hgqkrdJj1pg1kvy6SyXeoa3SZ7w=/fit-in/300x298/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-1455268-1229776310.jpeg.jpg)
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51mmfICylfL.jpg)
and a stunningly well recorded live show (imo) -
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41tkn717MCL.jpg)
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Joni Mitchell - Court & Spark - White Label Promo - Flawless!
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=123433)
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Hot stamper of "Wish You Were Here." Just stunning.
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Hello,
Here are a few that I like.
01. Air - Moon Safari
02. Ali Farka Toure/Ry Cooder - Talking Timbuktu
03. Depeche Mode - Violator
04. Randy Newman - Little Criminals
05. Jellyfish - Bellybutton and Spilt Milk
06. Steely Dan - Gaucho
07. John Hiatt - Bring The Family
08. Little Axe - The Wolf That House Built
09. Dead Can Dance - The Serpent's Egg
10. Grace Jones - Nightclubbing
And finally, a nod to Bob2 for a superb turntable.
Stuart
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Supertramp crime of the century half speed mastered mfsl fantastic,
Roy Orbison best of double album, amazing in the room sound.
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Alison Krauss - Windy City 2017
Alsion has gone with the traditional country favorites she likes, a much different album than her Union Station recordings so a surprise at first listen but her voice is still a wow!
What makes the sound so special is the album was recorded using the Requisite L7 directly coupled condenser microphone (http://requisiteaudio.com/l7-line-level-microphone/) with no preamp, no compression, no equalization, no de-essing. Alison's vocals have a very wide dynamic range with absolutely no sibilants. The 180 gram vinyl is very quiet.
Billboard interview: https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7694424/alison-krauss-interview-windy-city-album (https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7694424/alison-krauss-interview-windy-city-album)
(https://www.billboard.com/files/styles/article_main_image/public/media/Alison-Krauss-press-photo-cr-Randee-St.-Nicholas-2017-billboard-1548.jpg)
(http://requisiteaudio.com/img//l7-ac1.jpg)
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(https://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=182093)
(https://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=182095)
(https://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=182097)
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So many sound so good. For me i need wide sound stage, bad hearing and tinnitus, to really enjoy the experience. My list is of records that i play for others who have not heard a good system or to show my strengths.
Johnny Hodges, Billy Strayhorn and the Orchestra. Verve V6 8452. Sax and orchestra in big clear sound and old fashion music to die for.
Les Paul The New Sound Capitol T226. Mono that fills the front of my room with my stereo AT OC9 II. Big Big sound in front of me.
Sarita Heredia at the Matador Flamenco Fire World-Pacific 1427. She and her supporting cast are live here before me. Her son was a guitarist with The Left Bank.
Rhapsody in Blue Freddic Fennel Eastman Kodak Orchestra Mercury Living Presence. Best of the bunch. my copy is rough so tell others
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To my very surprise a $4 copy from the used record store bin of Huey Lewis and The News' 'Sports'.
It bests every single other vinyl I own including very nice MoFi 45 RPM remasters and such. Can't explain it but it's what I put on to show skeptics how great vinyl can be. I just love the irony of it.
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Patricia Barber's albums
D Krall, Glad Rag Doll
Wagner's Ring/Solti Vienna Phil
many others
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Paul Simon - Graceland is a standout that I don't see above.
Rickie Lee Jones S/T
Widespread Panic - Wood
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Rhapsody in Blue Freddic Fennel Eastman Kodak Orchestra Mercury Living Presence. Best of the bunch. my copy is rough so tell others
Hello, Mr. Nitpik here. T’weren’t no such thing as the Eastman Kodak Orchestra. The above mention would have been the Eastman-Rochester "Pops" Orchestra* – Eastman, as in the Eastman School of Music and under the direction of Mr. Fennel, ESM faculty/alum and all-around good guy. However, there was a Kodak ‘band’ formed in 1980 or so, and consisted mostly of retirees who played pop and jazz standards for community audiences and, to the best of my knowledge, never recorded.
Cheers,
Lester
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Pink Floyd, Wish You Were Here
Supertramp, Crisis? What Crisis?
Supertramp, Crime Of The Century
Dire Straits, Love Over Gold
Led Zeppelin, II
Phil Collins, Face Value
Boz Scaggs, Silk Degrees
U2, Joshua Tree
Steely Dan, Aja
Rush, Rush
John Cougar, John Cougar
Eurythmics, Touch
Rod Stewart, Sing It Again
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anything pressed by Sheffield Labs
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The below list is for Vinyl, if standard pressings assume the earliest domestic or import pressings. I haven't updated this list in about 5 years when it was posted on another site. I probably have a 100 or more additions and some deletions in store. I also have to add Classical selections of which I have a least 200 with the sonics that are off the charts.
Jazz
Archie Shepp & Horace Parlan – Trouble in Mind, Alto
Johnny Hartman – Once in Every Life
Chico Freeman – Sprit Sensitive, 1st press
Johnny Hodges - Blues A Plenty, 45 rpm APO
Sonny Rollins – Way out West, 180g APO
Bruckner, Tate, Bishop - Giganti Del Jazz Vol. 13
Sphere – Filght Path
Illinois Jacquet - Swings' the Thing, 200g 45 rpm mono
Ray Brown – Soular Energy, (Concord Jazz) Super Analogue Jpn 180g
Ray Brown & Jimmy Rowles – Tasty!
Ella Fitzgerald - Clap Hands Here Comes Charlie!, 200g Classic Records
Bill Evans Trio - Waltz for Debby, 45 rpm APO
Rosemary Clooney - Sings Ballads, (Concord Jazz) Super Analogue, Jpn 180g
Charles Mingus - Ah Um, 45 rpm APO
Miles Davis - Someday my Prince will come, MFSL
Shelly Manne & Jack Marshall - Sounds Unheard Of!, Orig 1st press
Kenny Burrell - Midnight Blue, 45 rpm APO
Charlie Byrd – Guitar Artistry of Charlie Byrd, 45 rpm
Stan Getz, Joao Gilberto - Getz/Gilberto, MFSL
McCoy Tyner - New York Reunion, Chesky
Branford Marsalis – Trio Jeepy
Archie Shepp Quartet – True Ballads, Jpn
Count Basie - "88 Basie Street", Pablo 1st press
Louis Armstrong - Satchmo Plays King Oliver, 45 rpm 200g Classic Records
Hugh Masekela - Almost Like Being In Jazz, 180g Classic Records
Hugh Masekela - Hope, 45 rpm 180g
Tomas Orberg - Blue Five, Opus3
Tomas Orberg Buddy Bolden Stomp, Opus3
Peoria Jazz Band – Passport to jazz, Opus3
Arne Domnerus – Anitiphone Blues, ATR ½ spd
Isao Suzuki quartet + 1 - Blue City, Super Cut 180g
Isao Suzuki Trio - Black Orpheus, Super Cut 180g
Isao Suzuki - Blow Up, Super Cut 180g
Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio - Midnight Sugar, Super Cut 180g
Cannonball Adderley – Somethin' Else, 45 rpm APO
Oscar Peterson Trio – We get Requests, 45 rpm APO
Serendipity – Mike Garson, Reference Recordings
Rock/Pop/folk/Blues/Country
Elvis Presley - Stereo '57 Essesntial Elvis Vol 2, 45 rpm
Frank Sinatra - At the Sands, MFSL
Nat King Cole – Love is the thing, 45 rpm
Nat King Cole – After Midnight, 45 rpm
Nat king Cole - just one of those things, 45 rpm
Henry Mancini – More Music from Peter Gunn, 1S/1S
The Weavers - Travelling On With The Weavers, CISCO 180g
Doug MacLoed – Come to Find, APO reissue
Ted Hawkins - The Next Hundred years
Taj Mahal – Recycling the blues and other related stuff, US 1st press
Bobby King & Terry Evans – Live and Let Live, 1st press
Sonny Boy Williamson – Keepin’ It to Ourselves, APO reissue
Norman Blake/Jethro Burns/Sam Bush/Vassar Clements/David Holland/Butch Robins/Tut Taylor
Muddy Waters – Folk Singer, MFSL
Peter Case - Man with the Post Modern Blue Guitar
Victoria Williams - Swing That Statue
The King’s Singers – Lollipops, UK 1st press
Joe Jackson – Body and Soul
Merle Haggard – Songs for the Mama that tried
Sam Cooke - Night Beat, 45 rpm APO
Rickie Lee Jones – Pop Pop, ORG 180g
Lou Reed, John Cale – Songs for Drella, US 1st press
Bruce Spingsteen – The Ghost Of Tom Joad
Talking Heads – Stop making Sense, 1st press
Dr. John – In a Sentimental mood
The Pentangle – eponymous, UK 1st press
Pete Townsend and Ronnie Lane – Rough Mix, Uk 1st press or Classic reissue
Robbie Robertson – eponymous, Quiex II promo
Bonnie Raitt – The lost Broadcast Philadelphia 1972
Mighty Sam McClain – Give it up to Love, 200g APO
Mary Black – No Frontiers, 180g reissue
Paul Simon – Hearts and Bones, Quiex II promo
James McMurtry – Too long in the Wasteland, Dutch press
Bozzio Levin Stevens - Black Light Syndrome, RSD 2-LP
Various - The Lost Note Books of Hank Williams
Johnny Cash - Unchained: American recordings I - V
Alice In Chains - MTV Unplugged
Friend N Fellow - Covered
Little Feat – Waiting For Columbus, MFSL
Doc Watson – Southbound APO
Doc Watson – Home Again! APO
Doc and Merle Watson – Pickin’ the Blues
Joan Armatrading – Show Some Emotion, UK 1st press
Harry Belafonte – Belafonte Sings The Blues, 200g Classic records
Cowboy junkies - Whites off Earth Now!, MFSL
Jayhawks – Tomorrow the green grass
Whiskeytown – Pneumonia
Wilco – Being There
Daniel Lanois – Acadie, Quiex II promo
Alison Krauss - Paper Airplane
Loreena McKennith - The Wind that shakes the Barley
Harry Belafonte - Returns to Carnegie Hall, 200g
Rickie Lee Jones - Eponymous, MFSL 45 rpm
Di Meola, McLaughlin & de Lucia - Friday Night in SF, 45rpm
Holly Cole - Temptation, Classic 200g
Ry Cooder - Jazz, MFSL
Rob Wasserman – Duets
Hans Theessink – Call Me
Neil Young – Harvest, Nautilus 1/2 spd
Neil Young – Live at Massy hall, Classic Records
Jimi Hendrix – In the West
Creedence Clearwater Revival – Cosmos Factory, APO
CCR – Best Songs from Bayou Country, 45 rpm
CCR – Best Songs from Willy and the Poor boys, 45 rpm
Cat Stevens – Tea for the Tillerman, 180g APO
Crosby & Nash - Another Stoney Evening, 180g
Dire Straits – Love over Gold, 180g reissue
Pink Floyd – The Wall, US 1st press, TML
Pink Floyd - Wish you were here, CBS Mastersound 1/2 spd
Sarah McLachlan – Surfacing, 200g Classic Records
Stevie Ray Vaughan – Couldn’t Stand the weather, APO
Phoebe Snow – Eponymous, 45 rpm 200g
Janis Siegel – At Home
The Doors – live in New York 2-lp, Rhino 180g
Nick Drake – Pink Moon, 180g reissue
Aaron Neville – Warm your heart, 45 rpm ORG
Bruce Springsteen – Tunnel of Love, US 1st press
Supertramp – Crime of the century, 180g Speakers Corner
Amanda McBroom – Dreaming, APO 180g
Gordon Lightfoot – Sundown, MFSL
Ray LaMontagne – God Willin’ & The Creek Don’t Rise, 180g
Janis Ian – Breaking Silence, APO 200g
Blood Sweat and Tears – Eponymous, ORG 45 rpm
Bruce Katz Band - Crescent Crawl, Audioquest
Shelby Lynne – Just a Little Lovin’, APO 200g
Amos Lee - Eponymous, Classic 200g
Willie Nelson – Stardust, CBS 1/2 Spd
Rod Stewart – Every Picture Tells a story, MFSL
The Doors – L.A. Woman, 45 rpm APO
Guy Van Duser & Billy Novick – Get yourself a new Broom
Merle Haggard – It's all in the game, 1st press
Lightnin Hopkins – Goin Away, 180g APO
Norah Jones – Come Away With Me, 200g APO
Genesis – Selling England by the pound, Classic 200g
Livingston Taylor – Good Friends, Chesky 180g
James Taylor – Sweet Baby James, Rhino 180g
John Lee Hooker – Boom Boom, UK
Donald Fagen – Morph the Cat
Cassandra Wilson – New Moon Daughter
Andreas Vollenweider - Caverna Magica, Jpn
Mickey Hart - Dafos, RR
Linda Ronstadt – Whats New, MFSL
Enya – Watermark
Chris Whitley - Dirt Floor, 45 rpm Classic Records
Steely Dan – Aja, Cisco 180g
Direct-to-disc
Nikil Banerjee – Master of the Sitar
Ray Brown & Laurindo Almeida – Moonlight Serenade
Stefan Grossman/John Rebourn – Acoustic Guitar
Charly Antolini - knock out
Cal Tjader - Huracan
Cadillac and Mac - The Detroit Four
La Pocha y Su Grupo de Flamenco - Ole'
Dave Grusin - Discovered Again, Sheffield
Amanda McBroom- Growing up in Hollywood Town
Harry James – King James - Sheffield
Harry James - Comin' from a Good Place, Sheffield
Earl "Fatha" Hines plays Hits He Missed, MK
Bill Berry and the Ellington all-Stars - For Duke, MK
LA Four – Going Home
LA Four - Pavane Pour Un Infante Defunte
LA Four - Just Friends
Sample, Brown, Manne - The Three
The Great Jazz Trio Direct from LA
John Klemmer – Straight from the heart
Ikuyo Kamiya - Beethoven "Appassionata" 45 rpm
Kouichi Suiyama - Audio Symphony No. 1
Kouichi Suiyama - Audio Symphony No. 2
International/World
Ryusuke Seto - Miroku, Jpn
Michel Jonasz – Fabuleuse Historue De Mister Swing
Fabrizio De Andre – Anime Salve
Sera una Noche - 45 rpm EP, MA recordings
Al-Haji Papa Bunka Susso– Songs of Kings & Warriors, Water Lily
Ali Akbar Khan – Indian Architexure, Water Lily
Jose Neto – The Mountains and the Sea, Water lily
Dom Um Romao – Saudades, Water lily Acoustics
Buena Vista Social Club - Classic Records 200g
Munyungo Jackson - Munyungo, VTL/Vital
Ladysmith Black Mambazo – Shaka Zulu
Ry Cooder & V.M. Bhatt - A Meeting By The River
Soundtracks/TV/Documentary
Max Steiner - Casablanca: The Classic Film Scores for Humphrey Bogart, Charles Gerhard, NPO
Bernard Hermann - Citzen Kane: The Classic Film Scores, Charles Gerhard, NPO
Franz Waxman - Sunset Boulevard: The Classic Film Scores, Charles Gerhard, NPO
Erich Korngold - The Sea Hawk: The Classic Film Scores, Charles Gerhard, NPO
John Barry - Dances With Wolves, UK
James Horner - Glory, Classic reissue
James Horner - Willow
Jerry Goldsmith - Chinatown
John Williams – The Missouri Breaks
Alan Silvestri - Who Framed Roger Rabbit, white cover 1st press
Giorgio Moroder - Cat People
Hans Zimmer - Gladiator, 45 rpm ORG
Bill Bragg & Wilco – Mermaid Avenue Vol. I, 1st press or reissue
various - Dead man Walking, Classic reissue
various - The Hot Spot, 45-rpm APO
Pat Methany - The Falcon And The Snowman
Eric Clapton - Rush (1992) Korean press
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I’ll add a few:
Patricia Barber “Cafe Blue”
Dire Straits “ Brothers in Arms”
Steely Dan “Aji”
Rickie Lee Jones “ Rickie Lee Jones”
That is enough for now
Monty
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Basically anything Prince for me. But Purple Rain is what I use to test out any new gear.
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amanda mc room - dreaming vinyl sounds very good
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Jazz
1. Lee Morgan Sidewinder Music Matters SRX
2. Cannonball Adderley Something' Else SRX
3. Any of the Tone Poet Bluenote Releases
Americana
1. Colter Wall S/T
2. Gillian Welch Harrow & the Harvest
3. Any of the Gillian Welch / David Rawlings Acony Pressings
4. Jason Isbell Southeastern
Indie
1. Wilco Schmilco
2. Radiohead (In Rainbows, Kid A, Amnesiac, King of Limbs, etc...all amazing)
3. Andrew Bird Are You Serious
Classic Rock
1. Beatles Abbey Road Giles Martin Remix
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Nora Jones - "Come Away With Me"
Notting Hillbillies - "Missing and Presumed Having a Good Time"
Mark Knofler and Chet Atkins - "Neck and Neck"
Blue Note 86 - "A New Generation of Jazz"
Sonny Rollins - "Way Out West"
Simply Red - "Holding Back the Years"
Jennifer Warnes - "Famous Blue Raincoat"
Chuck Mangione - "Feels So Good"
Dire Straits - "Dire Straits"
Sarah McLachlan - "Surfacing"
Chet Baker, Bill Evans - "Alone Together"
John Fogerty - "Blue Moon Swamp"
Diana Krall - Live in Paris
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Top 5 albums for sound, space, dynamics and just freaking awesome music
Alice In Chains - MTV Unplugged
Dave Brubeck - Take Five
Refused - The Shape Of Punk To Come
311 - Evolver
Glassjaw - Worship And Tribute
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One of the best in my collection is the album On the Boards by Taste. Incredible sonics.
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The old standby Dire Straits,Brothers in Arms sounds the best
Steps Ahead,Modern Times sounds great also
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Dire Straits Mofi - All Albums
Tragically Hip - Up to Here
The Cars - Shake It Up
Eric Clapton - Unplugged
Roger Waters - Amused to Death
Eagles - The Studio Albums 1972-1979
Various - The Wonderful Sounds of Female Vocals
Jack Johnson - In Between Dreams (this is my #1 best sounding album)
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I have to agree with anyone who has mentioned ECM. They are universally good, and many are great.
Some that standout to me:
Terje Rypdal - Whenever I Seem to Be Far Away
Ralph Towner - Solo Concert
Keith Jarrett - any of his orchestral works
Art Ensemble of Chicago - Nice Guys, and, Full Force
Dominique Pifarély Quartet - Tracé Provisoire (the best French jazz violinist you've never heard of)
Michael Formnek - Small Places. And with "Ensemble Kolosus", The Distance
I could go on for pages of great sounding ECM recordings.
Almost anything recorded on the German "Brain" label. Known for dead quiet vinyl, and excellent recording quality. Consistently as good as those other rock recordings with much better known reputations (including: Steely Dan, Dire Straights, SRV, etc).
Mostly progressive music recordings, like: prog rock, jazz rock, experimental electronic music, etc.
The Nonesuch label had a series of recording of "New American Music" in the 70's, that specialized in contemporary American classical composers (Carter, Rochberg, Schwantner, Wolpe, etc). They are universally very well recorded, especially with regards to imaging and soundstage. Musically they are also great, but they are modern classical (avant-garde and 'thorny'), so YMMV. I love post 50's classical, so, they are right up my alley. And they are cheap.
The covers tend to look similar to this, so they are easy to spot in the used record racks:
(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/l5IAAOSw1iNa8MqY/s-l300.jpg)
FM - Headroom (direct to disk)
Canadian prog rock trio recorded this direct-to-disk, in the studio. Extremely good sounding rock recording. Prog, with a bit of space rock, and fusion. Top notch musicianship, with world class violin.
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_AJcpmbP_Sow/RhzwJFxegzI/AAAAAAAAAAk/RFf_SXUTsDA/s320/FM2.jpg)
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Dominique Pifarély Quartet - Tracé Provisoire (the best French jazz violinist you've never heard of)
Michael Formnek - Small Places. And with "Ensemble Kolosus", The Distance
I am embarrassed to admit, but these recordings are fairly recent, and therefore, there are no vinyl versions. But the CD's sound very good. And musically, they are top notch ECM, so they are still worth getting.
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I don't have my collection at hand, so off the top of my head, here are some of my favorite non-classical:
Beatles "Abbey Road" (I have the original brit EMI/Apple, the old MoFi remaster, and the new Giles Martin remaster)
Pink Floyd DSOTM (original LP and MoFi)
Supertramp "Crime of the Century" MoFi
Cantate Domino
David Crosby "If I Could Only Remember My Name"
David Grisman Quintet (self-titled)
And classical (harder to recall without discs at hand):
Mahler 3rd, Horenstein and LSO on Unicorn
Beethoven 9th, Solti and Chicago Decca/London (recorded at the U of Illinois)
Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances, Johanos/Dallas on Vox/Turnabout
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The Tragically Hip - Day and Night
Half Speed Mastering - available at Amazon for a decent price. Get it before its all gone. Fantastic recording.
RK
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Led Zep - I - 45rpm single sided 4 vinyl box set
Santana - Abraxas - MFSL One-step
Beatles - Sgt Peppers - Nimbus supercut
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That would be the new Analog Productions UHQR pressing of Miles Davis, Kind of Blue
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Thorens 125th Aniv 3 Lp set, the best 'sampler collection' I have ever heard.
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Hi all. New to forum looking for recommendations and help. New to restoring vintage equipment. have been successful with some SS amps and a few speakers. Now have the bug to do more.
Led Zeppelin 4. PECO DUCK engineer
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Try Jen Warnes' Famous Blue rain Coat for starters
gary
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One of the best sounding albums I own (out of 10,000) is John Sebastian's Tarzana Kid. Of course "best sounding" might mean different things to different people. I know for some folks, that means soundstaging primarily, but for me, that term means that instruments sound real and tactile, that voices sound that way, too, and that every instrument and voice is balanced. If a record achieves that, then it goes to the top for me, and Tarzana Kid really does.
Jimi Hendrix Axis Bold as Love is another one that does that for me. And Sopwith Camel's first record is another.
These records all share one thing in common: they are from the late 60s and early 70s. For me, recording styles changed in the late 70s so that instruments and voices sound dead and dry and as a result unrealistic. The Steely Dan records, while certainly very clean and well balanced (and brilliantly written and arranged), don't sound real to me because of this. Then styles changed again in the 80s so that everything was gated and soaked in digital reverb (ouch!). And since then, one or another style of recording has been in the way, as far as I'm concerned. For me, the object should be to transmit the music and purely as possible, but records these days tend to throw the spotlight on the producer or involve so many artifical sounds that the actual music gets lost. But then I'm old--I'm practicing saying, "You kids get off of my lawn!"
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I've purchased so many records over the past few months (about 140 or so - many I have on CD already but some new to me) I haven't even listened to all of them yet but have listened to most of them and have them somewhat organized in order for quality of sound, soundstage and the music itself - and all 3 combined as to my favorites to listen to but weighted more towards sound. Although I have a few great sounding records which I don't listen to because I don't care for the music. Anyway, those at the top of the list are as follows, somewhat in order although are about even for various reasons - some better w/ recording and some better albums (meaning I like all the songs or most of them) and/or the music itself:
Symphonik - Thievery Corporation - I have 4 more TC albums to listen to which will probably be moved to the front but this one is my current favorite: "recorded with Prague’s FILMHarmonic Orchestra; engineering and co-production by Gianmaria Conti". Love it. :green: :green: :green:
DSOTM - The most recent one available, bought new from Acoustic sounds. Been listening to this since I was 2 yo (born in 1969 and dad had on vinyl and sadly threw away) and although I have some decent systems, I finally bought my End system and WOW. Except a bit too much surface noise so I ordered an earlier version on Discogs which was Harvest Q4 and is a 1973 Australia pressing. Haven't' received yet.
Time Out - one on many a list but for good reason.
Friday Night in San Franciso, IMPEX - this from a rec here on Audiocircle and also...... wow.
Morrison Hotel - Amazing, Waiting for the Sun is :o
Tea for the Tillerman - original pressing! I bought one of the newer ones and had to return it because of vocal semblance (if that is the correct spelling).
Tosca - Suzuki. All the sounds sound fantastic but my favorite is track 1 which is Suzuki. The stereo is fantastic as is the bass - all of it except I may buy another one because mine has a bit too much surface noise. This is one that I use to "show off my system" although any of these listed are.
Abbey Road - the most recent remaster.
Aqualung - 2014 Steve Wilson remaster.
Rush - 2112 180g. I need to listen to Moving Pictures with my new cart because I was really disappointed with the recording/mixing but 2112 is fantastic.
AIC unplugged - mentioned in this thread a few times. Sounds much better than Nirvana unplugged although I need to re-listen w/ my new cart.
Days of Future Past , MOFI w/ the London Festival Orchestra - Although it sounds great, I realize it isn't as clean and crisp as some of the others but still sounds great and one of the few "classical" recordings I have. A great mix of classical and rock.
Mad Season - the remix on 180g. I have one of the original pressings and of course the CD when it first came out. I haven't listened to the original yet but this "new" one is one of the favorites.
Gordon Lightfoot, Sundown, MOFI. I need to listen to more because I'm not too fond of a few of the tracks but will probably grow on me. A sentimental favorite my parents used to listen to a lot, along w/ PF, Moody Blues, Beatles, Guess Who, Who and Lynard Skynard) and the sound of the record itself is a 10/10.
Raising Hell / mofi. I also have the original from 1986 (I think that is right) and need to see the differences.
Lots more which are very close to these but these are my tops so far.
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The new UHQR Kind of Blue 45 sounds pretty good to my ears. :D
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Here's a few:
Dead Can Dance - Into the Labyrinth (4AD, Mobile Fidelity) ***
Sam Cooke - Night Beat (RCA Victor, Analogue Productions, 45rpm)
Willy Nelson - Stardust (Columbia, Classic Records, 45rpm, single-sided, translucent vinyl)
Frank Sinatra - Live at the Sands, with Count Basie Orchestra (Reprise, Mobile Fidelity)
Peter Gabriel - Passion (Real World Records, 45rpm)
Ry Cooder, V.M. Bhatt - A Meeting by the River (Water Lily Acoustics, Analogue Productions, 45rpm) ***
Rickie Lee Jones - It's Like This (Artemis Records, Analogue Productions, 45rpm)
Steely Dan - Aja (ABC Records, Cisco)
Al Di Meola John McLaughlin Paco De Lucia - Friday Night In San Francisco (Columbia, Impex)
Melody Gardot - My One and Only Thrill (Verve, ORG 45rpm)
Ella Fitzgerald / Louis Armstrong - Porgy & Bess (Verve)
Hans Zimmer / Lisa Gerrard - Gladiator Soundtrack (Decca, ORG, 45rpm)
Janos Starker - Bach / Suites For Unaccompanied Cello Complete (Mercury, Speakers Corner)
Ravel - Bolero, Charles Munch, BSO (RCA Victor)
Fritz Reiner Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade (RCA Victor, Analogue Productions, 45rpm)
Muddy Waters - Folk Singer (Chess, Analogue Productions, 45rpm) ***
*** : Outstanding
Cheers.
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George Michael, Faith
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Jazz at the Pawn Shop
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I have no more a vinyl collection but when I had one in the 1970s the best sound was Prelude and Deodato 2 both recorded by Rudy Van Gelder in analogue tape.
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Laurie Anderson---Mr. Heartbreak--US WB Quiex
David Sylvian---Gone to Earth--UK Virgin
Dire Straits---Debut UK Vertigo
Bruce Cockburn---Stealing Fire--US A&M Promo
Supertramp--Crime of The Century--UK A&M
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Supertramp - Crime of the Century : Speakers corner
Janis Ian - Breaking Silence : QRP 45 RPM
David Crosby - If only I could remember my name : Classic Records 4 disc 45 rpm
Tony Joe White - Home made Ice cream QRP 45 rpm
Jennifer Warnes - Blue Raincoat : German Pressing
Sade - Diamond Life : UK pressing
Cat Stevens - Teaser and the Firecat : AM Audiophile Series
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Not to be a ball buster but everything but compressed rock sounds great.
charles
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The best sounding album in my collection is actually only a specific track. I own a copy of Jimi’s “Electric Ladyland” from Quality Record Pressings and the track “Voodoo Chile” is easily the most engaging 18 minutes of audio bliss I’ve heard through my system. Despite the fact that my digital front end is much higher end than my analogue setup, I find myself playing this track on my record player for every new person who walks into my living room because the pressing is just that good. Jimi’s guitar is so raw and emotive and crowd noise in the recording really adds to the ambiance and the feeling of ‘being there’. Please pick up a copy of this record if you have the chance! Your mind may be blown.
Happy listening,
Sam
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(https://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=259626)
Stone Roses self-titled 2-LP 45rpm, limited-edition gatefold. I would describe the sound of these discs as shimmering, open, uncompressed, & organic. By far, the best format of possibly the best britpop/Madchester record ever made. I feel lucky to have found this brand-new in 1993.
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Came across a used mint copy of Simon and Garfunkel's PARSLEY,SAGE,ROSEMARY AND THYME.. sounds incredible
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That would be the new Analog Productions UHQR pressing of Miles Davis, Kind of Blue
Agreed. Better than the UHQR Coltrane, too.
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Fleetwood mac's rumors on 180g
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Found an unopened Clearly Classic pressing of The Rolling Stones Beggars Banquet in one of my crates… wow what an exceptional listen.
Some googling informed that all prior pressings actually play at a slower speed than was recorded, which this 2002 remaster corrected.
Hmmm… need to compare to my London version.
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Quincy Jones, “ The Dude
Bob Dylan , “ John Wesley Harding” 1968
Lots more but these are on top of my play list at the moment
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Just received "A Prayer for Andrew," a brand-new pressing from Newvelle, from trumpet player Ron Horton.
It's sonically stunning and a great recording for showing guests what vinyl can do.
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Two stand out:
Dire Straits Love Over Gold
John Mellencamp Lonesome Jubilee
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Flowers in the Dirt by Paul McCartney
Boomtown by David and David
Lost in Sound by Yusef Latif
Google
Stereophile Records to Die For
Absolute Sounds Holy Grail recordings.
If I Could Only Remember My Name by David Crosby made both lists.