Seeking recommendations for a demo LP

2gumby2 · « **on:** 7 Nov 2009, 10:08 am »

I'd like to have an LP that would be good to demonstrate to people how good vinyl can be and I'd like to get some recommendations from Audiocircle members. No Rap/Hip Hop, Country, or Jazz. Others genres are O.K. I thought Folk music might be a good choice. Any Demo LPs out there that have a variety of cuts?

orthobiz · « **Reply #1 on:** 7 Nov 2009, 11:03 am »

I had someone come over last month to tweak my system. He was freaking out about the Sheffield Labs copy of Dave Grusin "Discovered Again" that I still have from college. It's recorded direct to the cutting lathe and the sound is fantastic, I had forgotten how good it was.

I am not a jazz guy at all and this is a little jazzy but really pleasant and very musical.

Paul

Wayner · « **Reply #2 on:** 7 Nov 2009, 12:41 pm »

Here is a couple:

Andreas Vollenweider: Caverna Magica or White Winds.

Friedemann: Indian Summer

Depeche Mode: Violator

Dire Straights: Brothers in Arms

Neil Young: Prairie Winds

Alan Parsons: Eve

The Cars: Door to Door

Wayner aa

JackD201 · « **Reply #3 on:** 7 Nov 2009, 01:03 pm »

The Stockfisch Records Direct Metal Master Sampler LP comes to mind at the moment. There's some folksy stuff as well as tracks with deep bass. The cool part is that it also comes with a Hybrid CD/SACD with the same contents as the LP so you can A/B and even C three formats.

http://www.stockfisch-records.de/stckfish/sf_start.html

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #4 on:** 7 Nov 2009, 01:58 pm »

My pick.....

Excellent recording..... here's the link......

Quote

No Rap/Hip Hop, Country, or Jazz.

But this is good Jazz....

S Clark · « **Reply #5 on:** 7 Nov 2009, 04:23 pm »

Quote from: lonewolfny42 on 7 Nov 2009, 01:58 pm

My pick.....

Excellent recording..... here's the link......

Quote
No Rap/Hip Hop, Country, or Jazz.

But this is good Jazz....

+1
Also, from Sheffield Lab look at "Thelma Houston and the Pressure Cooker". Usually out there on Ebay, but not cheap. It may be the the best recording I own.

jsaliga · « **Reply #6 on:** 7 Nov 2009, 10:47 pm »

There aren't too many rock albums that I would consider to be a reference quality sound recording. Nearly all of the albums that I judge to have amazing sound are acoustic: jazz, classical, or folk. And in my opinion if you really want to dazzle someone then break out a great classical music album. I have a lot of friends who aren't particularly fond of classical music, but the albums in the picture below never fail to impress. Of course, even the greatest recordings won't do you a lot of good if you don't enjoy the music.

If you were going to get only one of these, then I would strongly recommend the Borodin Symphony No. 2 Living Stereo album featuring the London Syphony Orchestra.

If classical music isn't your bag then you might want to give these a try, though Van Morrison's Moondance might be a bit too jazzy for you.

--Jerome

Toni Rambold · « **Reply #7 on:** 8 Nov 2009, 01:46 pm »

Hi,

... the one and only "folk music Demo LP" I can remember is:

The Weavers Reunion at Carnegie Hall 1963
Vanguard VSD 2150
Black Label !

Happy Hunting

2gumby2 · « **Reply #8 on:** 9 Nov 2009, 10:32 am »

Thanks for all the great recommendations. I've ordered the Dire Straits recommended by WayneR and will probably get the Depeche Mode and Weavers next month. I heard that Weavers LP at a friend's house a couple of years ago and it is fantastic.

Wayner · « **Reply #9 on:** 9 Nov 2009, 12:35 pm »

Quote from: jsaliga on 7 Nov 2009, 10:47 pm

There aren't too many rock albums that I would consider to be a reference quality sound recording. --Jerome

What? There are all kinds of rock albums. Steele Dan-Aja sold many speakers. Thomas Dolby's Aliens Ate my Buick is another, along with the Wireless LP that have been used to demonstrate to friends how the system sounds. Roy Orbison, Crying or Mystery Girl are also excellent recordings. And who could forget Kansas, Leftoverture?

There are many, many rock recordings of equal caliber.

Wayner

Miney · « **Reply #10 on:** 9 Nov 2009, 03:54 pm »

Quote from: jsaliga on 7 Nov 2009, 10:47 pm

...even the greatest recordings won't do you a lot of good if you don't enjoy the music.
--Jerome

Well put there. I usually ask the audience what they'd like to hear. An old friend visited last weekend who wanted to understand what my buzz was all about. A real Led Zeppelin Fan. I played "Tangerine" first on CD, then LP. It's all he talked about for the rest of the day.

One of my personal favorites is Ben Harper's "Fight For Your Mind."

jsaliga · « **Reply #11 on:** 9 Nov 2009, 04:06 pm »

Quote from: Wayner on 9 Nov 2009, 12:35 pm

Quote from: jsaliga on 7 Nov 2009, 10:47 pm
There aren't too many rock albums that I would consider to be a reference quality sound recording. --Jerome

What? There are all kinds of rock albums. Steele Dan-Aja sold many speakers. Thomas Dolby's Aliens Ate my Buick is another, along with the Wireless LP that have been used to demonstrate to friends how the system sounds. Roy Orbison, Crying or Mystery Girl are also excellent recordings. And who could forget Kansas, Leftoverture?

There are many, many rock recordings of equal caliber.

Wayner

Wayner, this is a matter of opinion and it seems to me as though you are treating it as a matter of fact. I agree that there are some great sounding rock recordings. Aja certainly ranks among them. But having said that, my idea of reference quality sound doesn't come from electric guitars and synthesizers. But that's just me. I also accept that not everyone here listens to a lot of classical and jazz music. Still, for every rock album that I might think is a great recording I can easily find 20 classical music or jazz albums in my collection that sound better to me. To each his own...

--Jerome

Wayner · « **Reply #12 on:** 9 Nov 2009, 04:50 pm »

Actually, your statement makes it sound like your opinion is king. Sonically, it's easy to have 4 guys play improvised jazz and not have too much to bitch about the recording. They are all recording artist and perhaps every genre has fine examples (and horrible ones too) of good or bad recordings. This blog isn't about reference recordings. It's about good sounding demo LPs that would sound good on a system. If I played jazz to my friends, they would look at me and say what the hell? You are the one that is excluding a genre of music, I am not. I am contributing what I think are good demo LPs and that's that. I didn't say jazz sucks, or classical sucks or opera sucks.

Wayner

BobM · « **Reply #13 on:** 9 Nov 2009, 05:09 pm »

Vinyl doesn't have to come from Reference Recordings to sound good. Any Cat Stevens disk in the $1 bin will show you that. Another great one is Michael Hedges - Aerial Boundaries

jsaliga · « **Reply #14 on:** 9 Nov 2009, 05:10 pm »

Quote from: Wayner on 9 Nov 2009, 04:50 pm

Actually, your statement makes it sound like your opinion is king.

No, it isn't any more or less valid than anyone else's, but it is my opinion. I don't recall where I told someone else they were wrong for making any of the suggestions that they did, but feel free to point that out if you must.

Quote

It's about good sounding demo LPs that would sound good on a system. If I played jazz to my friends, they would look at me and say what the hell? You are the one that is excluding a genre of music, I am not. I am contributing what I think are good demo LPs and that's that. I didn't say jazz sucks, or classical sucks or opera sucks.

I really don't get your reaction at all. I am fairly certain I said earlier that even the best recordings in the world (however you care to choose to define them) don't mean much if you don't enjoy the music. Let's put the shoe on the other foot and suppose for a second that I really don't like rock. That doesn't make Aja any less of a great recording, but I am certain that I wouldn't buy it...no matter how good...if I didn't enjoy the music. I would honestly like to know why you seem to be going out of your way to pick a fight. Does it matter so much to you that I think classical and jazz recordings sound better than most rock recordings? Did I say you were wrong for recommending or enjoying the recordings that are special to you? Relax. Life is just way too short get upset or take personal offense because someone doesn't share your priorities or value system.

--Jerome

Wayner · « **Reply #15 on:** 9 Nov 2009, 05:22 pm »

Nevermind.

jsaliga · « **Reply #16 on:** 9 Nov 2009, 05:26 pm »

Quote from: Miney on 9 Nov 2009, 03:54 pm

One of my personal favorites is Ben Harper's "Fight For Your Mind."

Thanks for bringing this one up. I am in the process of working up an Acoustic Sounds order and added it to my shopping cart.

--Jerome

Hank · « **Reply #17 on:** 9 Nov 2009, 06:32 pm »

Quote

I would honestly like to know why you seem to be going out of your way to pick a fight. Does it matter so much to you that I think classical and jazz recordings sound better than most rock recordings? Did I say you were wrong for recommending or enjoying the recordings that are special to you? Relax. Life is just way too short get upset or take personal offense because someone doesn't share your priorities or value system.

+1

2gumby2 · « **Reply #18 on:** 11 Nov 2009, 10:53 am »

Well, as expected my LP collection is on the rise as a result of this thread. I ordered Depeche Mode yesterday and I'll probably give the Ben Harper album a try as well. Thanks for all the great recommendations!

thunderbrick · « **Reply #19 on:** 11 Nov 2009, 01:18 pm »

Quote from: Hank on 9 Nov 2009, 06:32 pm

Quote
I would honestly like to know why you seem to be going out of your way to pick a fight. Does it matter so much to you that I think classical and jazz recordings sound better than most rock recordings? Did I say you were wrong for recommending or enjoying the recordings that are special to you? Relax. Life is just way too short get upset or take personal offense because someone doesn't share your priorities or value system.
+1

+2