Show off

Pirate · « **on:** 31 Aug 2003, 04:15 pm »

What Cds do you use to show off your system when people come over. I have the Diana Krall - Live in Paris album. This is probably my best LIVE sounding album in which I get the most oohs and ahhs. I have lots of music I like but the quality of the recordings are just not that impressive. Any you can recommend would be appreciated.

bob82274 · « **Reply #1 on:** 31 Aug 2003, 05:08 pm »

Sadly I'm the only audio nut I know so I have to resort to less sophisticated tracks. The take-off of a SR-71 cranked all the way up has been my most poplular one. Without showing off though I have gotten some oohs and ahhs from Miles Davis though... They couldn't believe that the sound coming from the centre wasn't from a centre speaker. Sadly they didn't stick around to hear the more complex placement of the instruments but I was happy with that though.

Tonto Yoder · « **Reply #2 on:** 31 Aug 2003, 05:37 pm »

Since you mentioned the live CD of Diana Krall, it reminded me of the somewhat controversial "Jazz at the Pawnshop." If you just want to demo your stereo (in a fairly realistic manner, rather than a stereo-spectacular),
you might pick up one of the versions of JATP--double LP, CD (in a couple formats I believe), double SACD. Some people find it musically unrewarding however.

Demo discs I find that combine sonics and musical merit are those by Holly Cole--"Temptation" or "Happened One Night" especially.

eric the red · « **Reply #3 on:** 31 Aug 2003, 06:26 pm »

Jimmy Smith 'Organ Grinder Swing'
Bela Fleck and the Flecktones 'Three Flew Over The Cuckoo's nest'
Portishead 'Live NYC'
Steely Dan 'Gaucho' SACD
Dire Straits 'On Every Street'
Stevie Ray Vaughn's 'Tin Pan Alley' off of 'Couldn't Stand The Weather'
Miles Davis 'Kind Of Blue' SACD
Dave Brubeck "Time Out' SACD

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #4 on:** 31 Aug 2003, 06:35 pm »

Depends on who I'm demo'ing for. Some of my faves:

The Satch- Engines of Creation (CD)
Steely Dan- Two Against Nature/Everything Must Go (DVD-A)
Donald Fagan- The Nightfly (DVD-A)
Pink Floyd- Dark Side of the Moon (SACD)
Altan- Landmarks (CD)
Mark Knopfler- Golden Heart/ Sailing To Philepelphia (CD)
Beck- Sea Change (SACD)
Foreigner- 4 (DVD-A)
Nickle Creek- This Side (SACD)
Nora Jones- Come Away With Me (CD & SACD)

I have some classical demo faves, but not many people interested in listening to them. And one friend that always wants to hear Rush, another that always wants to hear Iron Maiden!

Pirate · « **Reply #5 on:** 31 Aug 2003, 11:27 pm »

WOW! Some of these are great. Looks like Daddys goin shopin

Are there any country albums to help persuade the wife Im not insane for upgrading? She likes country but I dont have anything that really stands out. Thanks!

mca · « **Reply #6 on:** 1 Sep 2003, 01:00 am »

I gotta second Holly Cole, after hearing so much about Dianna Krall and Norah Jones, I wondered why there was not much talk about her. Her favorite disk of mine is the 1993 release "Don't Smoke in Bed".

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #7 on:** 1 Sep 2003, 01:06 am »

I'd suggest "The Man Comes Around" by Johnny Cash; great album, and producer Rick Rubin did a brilliant job on the sound. Just fantastic all around, musically and sonically.

Beyond that I don't listen to country, but the reviews are good for the SACD of Willie Nelson's "Stardust", and supposedly the newest Faith Hill DVD-A is a standout (sonically- I know she's hot but I don't know her music at all, except the sond in "Pearl Harbour").

bob82274 · « **Reply #8 on:** 1 Sep 2003, 02:39 am »

Rob pointed out DSOTM on SACD... an excelent choice that I had breifly forgotten about. Even if you don't have a SACD player it is worth picking up as it is light years ahead of the original CD recording. If you have MC SACD then it is even more fun hearing people run around your room and such. I really hope that they do Wish You Were Here when its 25th comes around.

Tyson · « **Reply #9 on:** 1 Sep 2003, 02:42 am »

Mozart Piano Concerto's # 20 and 24 played by Brendel with Mackerras conducting on Philips CD. Among the best recorded piano and orchestral sound I've heard, and the music ain't too shabby either.

eric the red · « **Reply #10 on:** 1 Sep 2003, 03:48 am »

"Are there any country albums to help persuade the wife Im not insane for upgrading? She likes country but I dont have anything that really stands out."

Check out Billy Joe Shaver's 'Unshaven' if you want a Texas-style, shit-kicking great live country music cd.

SWG255 · « **Reply #11 on:** 2 Sep 2003, 12:13 am »

Hi,
I'd have to agree the Willie Nelson Stardust SACD is very good. It has the same smooth sound quality I remember from the old DCM recording of the early 80's. I'm not a real country fan either, but I have found that many commercial contry CDs sound better than rock CDs of comparable popularity. Those folks in Nashville really know how to produce a very particular and "polished" sound. If it's your cup of tea than you'll enjoy it. I often find the vocals too processed, too much aural excitement, but that's not a flaw in country productions alone. The vocals aside, the instrumentation is often very clear albeit compressed.

Thump553 · « **Reply #12 on:** 2 Sep 2003, 01:47 pm »

I was listening to Johnny Cash's "The Man Comes Around" yesterday morning about sunrise in the car while driving my daughter to college. That is one spooky tune-full scale fire & brimstone, sung & spoken by Cash in a preacher's voice. The rest of the album doesn't come up to this high water mater, but few things would.

Tonto Yoder · « **Reply #13 on:** 2 Sep 2003, 05:48 pm »

Quote from: Thump553

I was listening to Johnny Cash's "The Man Comes Around" yesterday morning about sunrise in the car while driving my daughter to college. That is one spooky tune-full scale fire & brimstone, sung & spoken by Cash in a preacher's voice. The rest of the album doesn't come up to this high water mater, but few things would.

I'll respectfully disagree: while I think there ARE some weak spots on the album, "Hurt" is the high water mark. I have the 2 LP set and will agree it's a good demo for your stereo as long as you believe in the realistic representation of music/vocals (rather than the merely spectacular).

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #14 on:** 2 Sep 2003, 07:35 pm »

I posted an enthusiastic "mini review" of the album, and I will agree with you that some of it is a little weak. But there are so many songs on it that even the half that I really like make the disc worthwhile. "Hurt" is a great song (I like it better than NIN's version), but I think "The Man Comes Around" is my favorite. "Danny Boy" is a standout, too.