My New Reference CD - Whats Yours?

AudioStone · « **on:** 13 Nov 2005, 06:42 am »

Hey Music Lovers!

We just got a new CD called "A Timeless Thing" by Amanda McBroom and I wanted to RAVE about hit here. This is Classic Cabaret/Jazz and if this style of music is your cup of tea - You will be amazed at how the CD really sounds!! This is going to be my new vocal reference CD for sure.

With all the talk about SACD and surround formats this CD really does prove that plain old 2 channel can still make the spine tingle.

Whats your current reference CD ? The one you'll play whenever your gear changes or needs a tweak or two?

Enjoy!
AudioStone

BTW We got it here at CDBaby specialhttp://cdbaby.com/cd/mcbroom/ on special

gongos · « **Reply #1 on:** 13 Nov 2005, 07:54 am »

Gorillaz - Demon Days
Depeche Mode - Playing the Angel
John Cale - Paris 1919
David Bowie - Scary Monsters

DTB300 · « **Reply #2 on:** 13 Nov 2005, 02:01 pm »

Quote from: AudioStone

We just got a new CD called "A Timeless Thing" by Amanda McBroom and I wanted to RAVE about hit here. This is Classic Cabaret/Jazz and if this style of music is your cup of tea - You will be amazed at how the CD really sounds!! This is going to be my new vocal reference CD for sure.

Make sure to also get her LIVE CD - "Live from Rainbow and Stars"

Dan

PhilNYC · « **Reply #3 on:** 13 Nov 2005, 02:06 pm »

Jazz at the Pawnshop
Diana Krall - Love Scenes
Norah Jones - Come Away With Me

PhilNYC · « **Reply #4 on:** 13 Nov 2005, 02:06 pm »

Just kidding....

AudioStone · « **Reply #5 on:** 13 Nov 2005, 02:59 pm »

DTB300

I am not that keen on LIVE recordings generally but I will give it a try. Thanks for the tip also!

Regards

AudioStone · « **Reply #6 on:** 13 Nov 2005, 03:02 pm »

PhilNYC

I do like the references though! - Diana Krall - Love Scenes - I am still laughing at that one.

Go on give this album a go in your shop. Hardware is nothing without Software my man....

Regards

PhilNYC · « **Reply #7 on:** 13 Nov 2005, 03:18 pm »

Audiostone,

I can't tell you how many times I've heard all of these recordings when customers come to demo gear!

And I do actually own all of them (even paid the premium for the Jazz at the Pawnshop XRCD)...I just don't think they'd qualify as "new reference CDs"...

AudioStone · « **Reply #8 on:** 13 Nov 2005, 03:57 pm »

Dear PhilNYC

Ok I can understand your point

How about a challenge?

I have a 'nice' system myself - The worst amongst my Singapore friends - so if I am wrong then I'll send you whatever you pay for the disc and a thank you note you can hang on the wall. Plus I'll grovel on this board that I am wrong and you - are right! Deal?

Yours respectfully (and not showing mine)

Marbles · « **Reply #9 on:** 13 Nov 2005, 04:00 pm »

Jennifer Warnes - The Hunter Tracks 1,2, 8, & 9.

Would not classify as new either.....

_scotty_ · « **Reply #10 on:** 13 Nov 2005, 06:23 pm »

One of my favorites is Dance of the Infidel released in June of 2005 by Me'Shell NdegeOcello.
This CD asks your system to stand up and do something. It gives you a reason to own a full range loudspeaker and good sized poweramp.
Jazz with a definite Miles Davis influence. More information can be found on Amazon..com see link http://tinyurl.com/agdhy
Scotty

SWG255 · « **Reply #11 on:** 13 Nov 2005, 10:43 pm »

I just wanted to chime in here to say that Amanda has been making excellent music and excellent sounding recordings since the mid-70's. her two Sheffield direct-to-discs were favorites of mine back when I had a TT. I believe much of this music is available on an Amanda mcBroom XRCD One advantage of the CD over the vinyl is that it's easy to skip over the Lincoln Mayorga tracks.

PhilNYC · « **Reply #12 on:** 14 Nov 2005, 03:09 am »

Quote from: AudioStone

Dear PhilNYC

Ok I can understand your point

How about a challenge?

I have a 'nice' system myself - The worst amongst my Singapore friends - so if I am wrong then I'll send you whatever you pay for the disc and a thank you note you can hang on the wall. Plus I'll grovel on this board that I am wrong and you - are right! Deal?

Yours respectfully (and not showing mine)

I'm not exactly sure what you said here, but ok...you're on!

AudioStone · « **Reply #13 on:** 14 Nov 2005, 01:06 pm »

Dear SWG255,

Quote from: SWG255

I just wanted to chime in here to say that Amanda has been making excellent music and excellent sounding recordings since the mid-70's. her two Sheffield direct-to-discs were favorites of mine back when I had a TT. I believe much of this music is available on an Amanda mcBroom XRCD One advantage of the CD over the vinyl is that it's easy to skip over the Lincoln Mayorga tracks.

The reason I bought the Finedisc CD was the review on the website. Let me quote it here:

*****
When I put on the disc and press play... wow !!!
Reviewer: T Leung (click for website)
When I put on the disc and press play... wow !!! So natural... the recording was so smooth and live-like... so Dimensional and musical. Previously all my disc were treated with Auric illuminator and JSMR CD upgrade, but this disc does not even need treatment to sound a million bucks. Very impressive recording. More natural than my Amanda XRCD24 FIM disc... this one is tonality correct the XRCD24 version wanted to sound analogue
*****

I would love to say he is right but I dont have the XRCD24 so Ill leave it up to the better collectors on this board!

Thanks for the reply
AudioStone

AudioStone · « **Reply #14 on:** 14 Nov 2005, 01:13 pm »

Dear philNYC

Hey soon to be good friend!

Quote

I'm not exactly sure what you said here, but ok...you're on!

OK. The deal is that you buy the CD and if I am wrong I pay you the 20 bucks or whatever.....get it here
http://cdbaby.com/cd/mcbroom/

Alternate deal is I send you my copy and you send me back a fresh one (i.e. you buy it) if you think its good enough to show off your gear. PM me your address if you want this deal.

BTW I love the sword fight

Very cool!

Kind Regards
AudioStone

DTB300 · « **Reply #15 on:** 14 Nov 2005, 01:52 pm »

Quote from: SWG255

I just wanted to chime in here to say that Amanda has been making excellent music and excellent sounding recordings since the mid-70's. her two Sheffield direct-to-discs were favorites of mine back when I had a TT.

Agreed that Amanda McBroom is excellent stuff - especially sonically....but you have to like her style of music. Just like Patricia Barber, Diana Krall, etc. while people rave about the sound, it does not matter if do not like the music.

Hey Phil....What is some of the other "Typical" music you see everyone bring into to audition gear? That one list was great

Dan

SWG255 · « **Reply #16 on:** 14 Nov 2005, 05:12 pm »

I just picked up this hybrid SACD from AmusicDirect. It's from Water Lily Acoustics, and it's a great reference recording and it's excellent music too. It's not the slam, bang, boom kind of disc, but it was excellent for resolving the differences between the Blue Circle BC-202 amplifier and my Carver ZR-1600. I'd recommend this disc to anyone who's interested in bluegrass music with a twist, an Eastern twist that is.

You'd better hurry, the disc is out of print and AMusicDirect has a few left for $14.99. See:

http://www.amusicdirect.com/products/detail.asp?sku=CWLSA47

PhilNYC · « **Reply #17 on:** 14 Nov 2005, 07:11 pm »

AudioStone...since you are in Singapore, it's not worth the trouble to send all this stuff back and forth. I'll pick up the CD...even if I don't like it, I'm sure that someone who comes to audition music will like it...!

DTB...I actually get to hear some pretty good tracks when customers come by. But beyond the three I listed, I don't get that many repeats. Maybe "Duende" from the Black Light Syndrome CD has come up a few times, but after that there have been surprisingly few repeats...

Carlman · « **Reply #18 on:** 14 Nov 2005, 08:39 pm »

Damien Rice '0' or 'O'.. not sure if it's a letter or number.
Specifically I use 'Volcano' and 'Blower's Daughter' to assess things in my system.
I also use The Garden State soundtrack for fun, pop stuff... especially 'Waiting Line'... cool, dreamy stuff like Morcheeba.. There's also a Nick Drake song on it that's one of his more popular songs.

New to me is a guy named 'Sun Ra' that will likely become a new fave for me.

Bob Schneider, Lonelyland is a good one... THere's so many more...

AudioStone · « **Reply #19 on:** 17 Nov 2005, 02:10 am »

Quote from: PhilNYC

AudioStone...since you are in Singapore, it's not worth the trouble to send all this stuff back and forth. I'll pick up the CD...even if I don't like it, I'm sure that someone who comes to audition music will like it...!

DTB...I actually get to hear some pretty good tracks when customers come by. But beyond the three I listed, I don't get that many repeats. Maybe "Duende" from the Black Light Syndrome CD has come up a few times, but after that there have been surprisingly few repeats...

Dear Phil,

That is very sensible and yes your customers will enjoy it I am sure. I think that hi end dealers and distributors would do well to consider this CD at least as a female vocal option. Please let me know when you have had a chance to play it for the first time.

Warm Regards
AudioStone