best recorded albums

Hi - Loads on this if you use the 'search' facility pz. G

Sheet Music is well recorded and a very good record - as is How Dare You? 

There are 24 bit records of the Beatles and McCartney catalogue that are very very good

Most of the Music on Vinyl catalogue sounds great. 

Lots of the regular audiophile favourites I don't actually like - you know the endless Dire music you hear at hi-fi shows ....  

"The Final Cut" by Pink Floyd.

"Amused to Death" by Roger Waters.

"Elvis is Back!" by Elvis Presley.

"Blues in Orbit" by Duke Ellington.

"Minimum-Maximum" by Kraftwerk.

"Technique" by New Order.

A lot of Grateful Dead and Beatles stuff.

Stuff recorded in CBS' famous 30th St studio in New York (Miles, Duke, Brubeck, etc)

Many albums by the likes of Dire Straits, Diane Schuur and 10CC are really, really well recorded.

But what is the point of having really well recorded shite? Are you listening to music, or recording quality?

On sliver. It sounds so good on my 5i kit.

Why is this so often always presented as an either / or outcome.  If it's well recorded/audiophile quality then the music must be or probably is shite or if it's poorly recorded so badly and beyond belief or not from the 1930's etc. then oh, what music shines through and directly from heaven too.  I'm not saying this isn't possible but just that overall this logic is beyond me, I'm sorry.

Get the recording quality right first (at least within an acceptable range).  All music is irrevocably connected to the quality of the sound we hear (one aspect of many anyway on a complicated topic).  For sixty some years, we have at least some evidence in this day and age that producing a top drawer recording is possible.  This is purely an objective endeavour in a way similar to whether your instrument is in tune or not.  The further away you are from your goal post the harder it is to defend.  

Whether the music/performance is shite or not is purely a subjective position.  It is your opinion or my opinion only.  I may like something that you don't but this does not mean I am right and you are wrong or vice versa.  

As consumers / individuals, the music/performance/style/ genre etc. should really be the only problem we (I) have in deciding to buy some music.  The recording quality or standard should be a given although our society holds much of the blame on this as the majority don't seem to care.  If the majority stood up and voted with their wallets and said we won't buy these substandard recordings then things could slowly change.  Unfortunately, I don't ever see this happening.  I could also talk about the pleasure one derives from true culinary fundamentals and lifestyle of eating well but this won't reduce the size of McDonald's or the fast food industry because most do not equate taste with pleasure.

We should all collectively care how something sounds (ie. is it acceptable or not).  Does it taste like a real apple just picked or a young carrot just pulled from your garden or is it highly processed and taste like a dead, lifeless piece of cardboard.  There is a difference.  We all have five senses that can tell the difference but if you've only ever been fed what tastes like inert, dressed up cardboard and are happy then you wouldn't care.  Some people choose the cardboard even given a choice.

As for the music itself, I think that is an individual decision with no right or wrong answer.

This is just my opinion.  No matter what though, I think it is just awesome when anyone gets so excited by music and they share that enthusiasm with friends and those around them.

So your music is ALL quality eh?  

You must have another collection that you don't post the covers of then? 

Yes but that is not what I said. I never said that all well-recorded music was crap.(Although a lot of lifeless crap is very well recorded).

What I will say, however, is that as far as I'm concerned there is no point in buying a record or CD for its recording quality alone. The only reason for buying a record, CD or download is for the quality of the music itself.  Of course, if great music is well recorded then even better.

But, IMO a good recording does not necessarily make for good listening.

Ho ho. Just got back from A&E, having my ribs fixed. All better now.

Of course ALL my music is bloody great, and anybody who thinks otherwise is either deaf, a Nazi or Mark Knopfler.

Kevin, yes, I think we agree.  I didn't intend to mean you were saying this or to put words in your mouth.  I was just on a general rant really.  

I'm generally lost in my euphoric, idealistic world where I want my cake and want to eat it to.  I only reason that in a perfect world who wouldn't want the finest (most realistic) sound AND the finest (out of a theoretical endless pool) of performances?  I know I do but yes, mainly, I want the records or music that I buy to move me musically but for myself, part of that is lost if it sounds horrible.  That a so called poor performance ended up with great recorded quality also shouldn't mean we should criticize it for sounding great.  That is one aspect that should be applauded in its own right.  And I agree, I wouldn't buy a recording based on sound alone. 

All these albums are well recorded, as are most of stockfisch/ glitterhouse CDs. Also IMO the content is excellent. .

By the way none of these CDs are cheap!

Graham.