This Neil Young album is very well recorded.

You will be hard pushed to find

 better sounding CDs than these two.

Stu

Ian Parker : Whilst the Wind: Live

If you like blues rock then give this a try.  Even though its live its really well done, smaller labels appear to do a better job and take more care.  He's one of the great  British artists ignored by the mainstream, but those in the know have enjoyed his music for years. 

What should one quote when recommending a CD for excellent sonic quality?

Which issue of (any given) CD are you quoting?

The year of issue?

It’s country of issue?

The CD disc manufacturer (and the actual CD factory where it was made) ?

The barcode number?

And this is before you get to re-master or originals...

We all know original usually sound far better sonically, but not absolutely always.

Recommendations on a cd that sounds good, bad or indifferent is often a case of fairly useless information without knowing exactly which very issue one is quoting.

Debs

+1

Original early Mary Black and Mary Chapin Carpenter (not the Calling) sound much better than Dire Straits (sorry not my cup of horlicks). MB and MCC are great though. I exclude The Calling not because it is a poor record, but because the CD is compressed to hell - it is an insult to one of America's very finest singer songwriters. 

However, Babes in the Wood by MB and Come On Come On by MCC sound fine on CD - assuming you like the music. 

Naim CDs are very well recorded

Debs,

The three CDs i posted speak for them selves .

The covers tell all.

Stu.

Four CDs I've been smitten by lately for their outstanding SQ.  Not sure if they fall into your genre.

The Mellencamp is HDCD, although there is no indication of it anywhere on the packaging or label.

If you like rock and blues...

I can well recommend any Ben Harper album on CD (Virgin Records America Inc.)

This maybe my favourite...

Ben Harper - Burn To Shine

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Burn-Shine-Ben-Harper/dp/B00001IVI6/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1335741440&sr=1-1

Although...

i also have an import [Australian version] of this album that looks very similar, a slightly pinkier version of the maroon coloured EU factory version and on close inspection the disc does not have the quality look as the EU version, and on play the made in Australia cd sounds more loud, but not terribly so.

The link above is on the better EU version.

Note: no offence to our Ausy friends, i'm sure there are loads of products that are very well made in Australia, and that can better what’s made in the EU ...but just not so in this particular jewel case : )

Debs

Debs

I'm based in NZ and when buying CD's I always order from Amazon for the very reasons you talk about.

J

To the OP

What sort of blues do you like?

John Lee Hooker "Serve You Right To Suffer" is a must have in my book.

James,

A lot of CD's that make there way into NZ stores are European manufactured, especially lower volume titles.  The balance are usually manufactured in Australia or NZ, depending on record company, what it actually is (might be an Australian artist) and expected volume sales. 

Personally I think the NZ manufactured stuff is of a very high standard and better than the Australian product.

Hey Chris

Mos-def. If it's a NZ artist, I always buy local as the product is top notch but anything with an international release, I usually use Amazon (unless it's definitely an EU/US made item).

It's probably a hangover from the bad old days of Sony Australia where their CD releases where horrid. And going further back, the NZ vinyl pressings were inferior to US/UK/Germany etc.

Old habits...

Understood.  Weirdly Sony in NZ still source their stock from Australia.  AFAIK they don't manufacture anything locally.

This one is a classic:

Try the new Cowboy Junkies 'Wilderness Years'.

Might float your boat, probably fits into the 'Bluesy/Rocky' category just about, and an excellent recording too.

bruce

You forgot this one Stu :-

Clare,

I would of loved to have seen him live,but sadly he died at a very young age before i had heard of him.

You can get Chris on vinyl but only on the Stockfisch sampler vinyl albums now.

Not cheap.

They are worth every pence though.

The German Stockfisch lable puts out some of the best produced/ sounding vinyl and CDs  on the planet imo.

Just google the stockfisch site.

Stu

Thanks for all the suggestions ,

I have ordered Chris Jones -Moonstruck, Roadhouses and Automobiles and Are we there yet  with Sara K . Ian Parker- Whilst  the wind also on order . These CDs are pretty expensive compared to the usual CDs you get at amazon/ HMV . I have heard a few of these tracks on spotify and they sound good.

Regards

Stu is right about Stockfisch. It is high sound quality. I especially like David Munyon and would recommend his album "Poet Wind". Sounds great.

+1 regrading David Munyon's Poet Wind Cd also his Cd ' Code Name : Jumper ' is excellent  with some  fantastic musicians, Warren Haynes (Allman Brothers), Matt Rollings (Lyle Lovett), Leland Sklar(Jackson Browne etc) Sneaky Pete (Flying Burriito Brothers) Anthony Crawford (Neil Young) & production.

Regards Graham

I have just  received moonstruck - ripped it  and  listened to it on the NDX/ SN. Totally blown away by the sound quaity.

Any suggestions for any for music with more electric guitar -  rock ? I like to listen to pink floyd, pearl jam, led zepplin, metallica, soundgarden etc. It is a shame that all music that is available is not recorded to this standard.

This is very good...

Deluxe Edition 2 x CD  [2004]

It's 'Original Recording Remastered'  but been done to purfection.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rumours-Fleetwood-Mac/dp/B00009RAJI/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1336121113&sr=1-2

The included alternative takes cd is fabulous too : )

Debs

APT,

Jimi Hendrix blues is a good one.

You can pick the CD and DVD set up well cheap used and new from amazon and sellers.

And this one if you don't already have it?

Stu.

Thanks Debs and Stu,

I have the fleetwood mac studio master version and David Gilmour's album . I will listen to the Hendrix album. The  Sara K and Chris Jones live album has arrived today . Will be listening to it over the Bank Holiday break.

Regards