Your best recorded album?

Posted by: Javi A. on 18 June 2016

Hi to all!

I just like to know what do you think it is the best recorded/mixed/mastered album in terms of definition and clarity? Do you use it for your testing porpuses?

Thanks for your oppinions :-)

Posted on: 19 June 2016 by joerand

Your avatar is an obvious frontrunner. Familiar, well recorded/mastered music is safe for testing gear but lately I'm thinking that some poorer recordings shouldn't be ruled out in a listening demo. Tracks that are very musically engaging with a great performance yet lack something sonically. If the test gear can find something in those then you're onto something grand. While you can't put lipstick on a pig, quality gear should not render marginal SQ recordings you enjoy unlistenable.

Posted on: 19 June 2016 by AndyP19

Oh Javi A great question. Here's a few from me:-

Cowboy Junkies - Trinity Sessions

Talk Talk - Colour of Spring

Shelby Lynne - Just a little Lovin'

David Sylvian - Secrets of the Beehive

I always think the recording and mastering engineer never get the credit they deserve compared with the producer.

Posted on: 19 June 2016 by Simon-in-Suffolk

I tend to agree with Joerand, I use very familiar tracks across a variety of genres, and eras and varying mastering and recording techniques. For me a good system has got make the sound come alive.. and you do get accustomed to greater clarity and insight and take it for granted.

For example, alas my Hugo has had to be rturned to Chord for repair under warranty.. so I have been using my NDX DAC out instead. Good though the NDX is, I find it lacking in the insight, clarity and analogue naturalness no matter what the quality of the recording.. the result is a sound that feels false and relatively uninspiring. Yes there is the PRaT, nice tonal balance  and stereo imaging, but these are Hifi things.. It doesn't communicate to me in the way I have become accustomed to with familiar tracks and so they sound artificial and false by this standard ... so I am not that bothered in immersive listening from any of my digital sources until the DAC is repaired.

I have been quite suprised by the extent this has affected my listening.

Simon

 

 

Posted on: 19 June 2016 by Chris Dolan
joerand posted:

Your avatar is an obvious frontrunner. Familiar, well recorded/mastered music is safe for testing gear but lately I'm thinking that some poorer recordings shouldn't be ruled out in a listening demo. Tracks that are very musically engaging with a great performance yet lack something sonically. If the test gear can find something in those then you're onto something grand. While you can't put lipstick on a pig, quality gear should not render marginal SQ recordings you enjoy unlistenable.

I agree. Although I also use an unfamiliar track to avoid preconceptions and to try to prevent existing preferences influence the decision. 

Posted on: 19 June 2016 by Kevin-W

The SQ of some of the pop and jazz records coming out of the studios of Columbia/CBS and RCA in the 1950s and 1960s was staggering. These are three of the best-recorded records I possess:

Posted on: 19 June 2016 by Harry Bennett

Simon, what was the issue with your Hugo? I am expecting mine back from Chord this week after 2 months (I am in Australia). Unit would not turn on even when connected to mains, returned to interstate retailer who returned to importer and then back to UK. Am yet to be advised of root cause of problem.

 

Apologies Javi for hijacking your post.

 

Harry

 

Posted on: 19 June 2016 by Coolzero

Posted on: 19 June 2016 by Kevin-W

This might be the best-recorded album I possess (and have ever heard):

Posted on: 19 June 2016 by CariocaJeff

Stevie Ray Vaughan -The Sky is Crying -  pressed on 200g vinyl at 45rpm - excellent combination make this sound tremendous to me. Heard a band play Little Wing at a party a weeks ago, really good but could have done without the bit of swing they added, but mostly missed Stevies humming amp, so evident on the above recording. 

Posted on: 19 June 2016 by tom539

Get this one and forget anything else:

The last track - "Fly" by Reed Foehl - is a DSDPure recording - that is what our black an olive boxes are made for

Like Eminem told us in 8mile: "Lose yourself in the music..."

Posted on: 19 June 2016 by AndyL

Posted on: 19 June 2016 by Stevee_S

   

Or some of the Steely Dan albums, notably Aja, Katy Lied, Gaucho and Two against nature

Posted on: 19 June 2016 by Javi A.

I am completely agree with "Amused to Death"... in fact its dynamic range is huge. I used to consume all my music on CD but now with tydal am I discovering the loudness was and diferences between several remastered versions.

It will be a good idea to realease albums also in "no loudness" version for audiophiles, i.e. "pub version" and "home version" :-)

...Javi

Posted on: 19 June 2016 by ewemon
Kevin-W posted:

The SQ of some of the pop and jazz records coming out of the studios of Columbia/CBS and RCA in the 1950s and 1960s was staggering. These are three of the best-recorded records I possess:

The best version of Blues in Orbit I have heard is the MFSL disc (luckily I have 2 copies). Band in the living room experience.

I would also highly recommend the MFSL Isaac Hayes Hot Buttered Soul. I suppose if I sat down and thought about making up a list then there would be a lot of recommendations but those two spring to mind.

Posted on: 19 June 2016 by fatcat

Pushed to pick one album, Nightfly would get my vote.

Pushed to choose an artist Deep Purple.

I wouldn't need pushing to choose an engineer, Martin Birch. (Until I just looked at his list of credits, I didn't realise he engineered Argus, one of my goto, test albums.)

Fleetwood Mac

Deep Purple

Wishbone Ash

Rainbow

Whitesnake

Black Sabbath

Blue Öyster Cult

Iron Maiden

Other artists

Posted on: 19 June 2016 by tonym

Yello "Baby". On thin vinyl.

Posted on: 19 June 2016 by dayjay

Nerina Pallot - Fires

Shaun Mullins - Souls Core

Posted on: 19 June 2016 by Kevin-W
ewemon posted:
Kevin-W posted:

The SQ of some of the pop and jazz records coming out of the studios of Columbia/CBS and RCA in the 1950s and 1960s was staggering. These are three of the best-recorded records I possess:

 

 

The best version of Blues in Orbit I have heard is the MFSL disc (luckily I have 2 copies). Band in the living room experience.

I would also highly recommend the MFSL Isaac Hayes Hot Buttered Soul. I suppose if I sat down and thought about making up a list then there would be a lot of recommendations but those two spring to mind.

The Analog Productions Blues In Orbit vinyl is even better IMO (I've heard the SACD is very good as well). It's a fantastically well-recorded session - even the bog standard Columbia CD (with extra tracks) is excellent.

Posted on: 19 June 2016 by ewemon
Kevin-W posted:
ewemon posted:
Kevin-W posted:

The SQ of some of the pop and jazz records coming out of the studios of Columbia/CBS and RCA in the 1950s and 1960s was staggering. These are three of the best-recorded records I possess:

 

 

The best version of Blues in Orbit I have heard is the MFSL disc (luckily I have 2 copies). Band in the living room experience.

I would also highly recommend the MFSL Isaac Hayes Hot Buttered Soul. I suppose if I sat down and thought about making up a list then there would be a lot of recommendations but those two spring to mind.

The Analog Productions Blues In Orbit vinyl is even better IMO (I've heard the SACD is very good as well). It's a fantastically well-recorded session - even the bog standard Columbia CD (with extra tracks) is excellent.

Never heard the Analogue Productions vinyl set Kevin.

Posted on: 19 June 2016 by TOBYJUG

Silky soul. Gritty field recording. Sublime rhythm sections. Valved vocals. Atmosphere.temperature . Saturations.. Emotions ......

Posted on: 19 June 2016 by MDS
Kevin-W posted:

This might be the best-recorded album I possess (and have ever heard):

Yes, Kevin, that's an excellent one. Holographic sound-staging  

Posted on: 19 June 2016 by MDS

I'm going to suggest this album. Apart from the fabulous music, the reproduction quality is stunning.

Mike 

Posted on: 19 June 2016 by hungryhalibut

Best recorded? Probably this. 

Posted on: 19 June 2016 by AndyL
Stevee_S posted:

 

Or some of the Steely Dan albums, notably Aja, Katy Lied, Gaucho and Two against nature

sadly I couldn't agree with Katy Lied - due to the infamous cockup on the master tape post-recording  - great album though 

Posted on: 19 June 2016 by Bart
Kevin-W posted:
ewemon posted:
Kevin-W posted:

The SQ of some of the pop and jazz records coming out of the studios of Columbia/CBS and RCA in the 1950s and 1960s was staggering. These are three of the best-recorded records I possess:

 

 

The best version of Blues in Orbit I have heard is the MFSL disc (luckily I have 2 copies). Band in the living room experience.

I would also highly recommend the MFSL Isaac Hayes Hot Buttered Soul. I suppose if I sat down and thought about making up a list then there would be a lot of recommendations but those two spring to mind.

The Analog Productions Blues In Orbit vinyl is even better IMO (I've heard the SACD is very good as well). It's a fantastically well-recorded session - even the bog standard Columbia CD (with extra tracks) is excellent.

I have a rip of the SACD and indeed it's very good. But I have no comparison.  The MFSL cd is very expensive, used