Music that sounds great on your system

Everything sounds as it should on my system...

Don't know why I bother. That's me gone from this forum

I kind of agree, waiting for the occasional good thread is it worth it?

Why take the time to post something like this?

I usually take one of my Jack Johnson CD's or now I also take a USB drive with various artists.

Derry's response seemed eminently sensible to me. All the music that I play on my system sounds engaging, which includes even the earliest recordings that I have: Bruno Walter's 1938 Vienna Mahler Ninth is unbelievably moving.

Hint: it's about the music, not the sound, that the system produces!

That's difficult question though Floyd - I have a hi-fi test record that can sound amazing on most systems, but exceptional on the best. It is not one of the test tone things, it has real music on it. Some is music I like and a couple of tracks bore me to tears. 

The two outstanding items on it are 10CC's Don't Hang Up and Peter Skellern's Love Is The Sweetest Thing. I also have another BBC vinyl pressing of Peter Skellern's BBC comedy-drama called Happy Endings (why don't they repeat this work of genius). 

Of course all the regular candidates apply and Eldorado (SHM version), Sandy (Vinyl), Shirley and Dolly Collins Harvest Years (CD) sound fantastic. 

However, if you don't like the same kind of music as me then you may not think so. For example, I don't like the first track you mention, so no matter how well recorded it is unlikely to feature in my list. Doesn't mean to say there is anything wrong with it, just not my kind of music. 

I mean some people of this forum don't like the Captain - unbelievable I know

And one member doesn't think John Fogerty is beyond reproach 

So my off-the-top-o'-me-head recommendations would be

• Tanz Der Lemmings by Amon Duul II (original vinyl edition)
• Babes in the Wood by Mary Black
• Sheet Music by 10CC (original vinyl edition)
• Abbey Road by the Beatles (original vinyl edition)
• SF Sorrow by The Pretty Things (original vinyl edition)
• 5000 Spirits by Incredible String Band (original vinyl edition)
• London's Calling by The Clash (original vinyl edition)
• Sandy by Sandy Denny (180g re-master vinyl edition) 
• Sandy Denny (CD Box set)
• Come On Come On - Mary Chapin Carpenter
• The Harvest Years by Shirley & Dolly Collins - (re-master on CD containing Anthems In Eden)
• Within Sound - Dame Shirley Collins (CD Box set)
• Eldorado by Electric Light Orchestra (SHM edition on CD)
• Anthem of the Sun by The Grateful Dead (HDCD) - the original vinyl edition is poor by comparison, the HDCD is remixed 
• Uncle Meat by Frank Zappa and the Mothers (original vinyl edition)
• Machine Head by Deep Purple (180g re-master vinyl edition)
• Just Another Diamond Day by Vashti (180g re-master vinyl edition) 
• First 4 ELP record (180g re-master vinyl edition) 
• First 5 ELP albums  (SHM edition on CD)
• Return of the Manticore by Emerson, Lake and Palmer (DC Box set)
• Emerson plays Emerson by Sir Keith Emerson (CD)
• Village Green by the Kinks (Earmark 180g vinyl box set edition)
• Martha and the Muffins by This Is The Ice Age (recent CD re-master or original vinyl edition)
• Blackmore's Night entire catalogue are superb both fidelity and musicianship
• Green River by Creedence Clearwater Revival (SACD)
• As Safe As Milk by Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band (180g White Vinyl Edition) 
• Hype by Robert Calvert (CD)

of course there are more and Karine Polwart's entire catalogue contains beautiful songs with superb recordings.

The HMHB catalogue sounds honest - never reaches audiophile, but the songs are just so brilliant the fidelity takes second place. I'm not sure if there have been many geniuses in popular music, but if there was then it is Nigel Blackwell: a songsmith so good he could be the best since since that stalwart of many centuries past: Anon E Mouse. 

Perhaps the ultimate record for fidelity, but above all else sheer original music with stepping in to the avant-garde is the debut album by this young lady (may have mentioned her before, but cannot remember - another time, different forum)

All the best, Guy

PS - naturally I agree with those that say the music comes first

Lyle Lovett - Joshua Judges Ruth

At one point in my "hifi past" I started buying music that I knew was going to sound good on my hifi and avoiding stuff which I knew I liked but would disappoint me. That was because the system was not quite what I wanted. So the lesson is, not to be aware of what sounds good on your hifi, just play the music that you want to listen too....

When I have friends over I always ask them to bring their own music or choose what they want from my collection. 

So what music that your friends choose sounds best?

I think a good system should be musically informative, or provide 'insight' over a wide range of recordings - and should render less than ideal recordings engaging.  Like Julian, I had a system that made John Coltrane sound like he was playing a kazoo; I avoided playing Coltrane  - so that particular system had to go - not Coltrane.

Guy's post above illustrates what I'm trying to say; Uncle Meat and Safe As Milk are great records and great recordings in their own way - but hardly impressive in the sonic fireworks dept. (Anyone remember 'The Garage Door'?  Pointless).  At home I avoid 'demming the system' - unless friends want to hear something particular.  Many of our customers get together on a regular basis predominantly to exchange music - I know sometimes the systems hardly get noticed! - which when you think about it is as it should be.

In the shop I encourage people to listen to their own choice - they will hear more because they are familiar with their music.  Setting up a system I often revert to Dave Brubeck, Duke Ellington, Shostakovich and something like Donald Fagan - recordings I know very well that give me a quick overview of a system's musical attributes and capabilities; is it reaching my expectations? 

But don't give up posting Floid - sometimes threads don't go where you expect them to but end up somewhere equally interesting!  

Don't give up Floid, some replies might inspire you, and I have found this forum a great place to find new music, or even rediscover music I already knew.

Demo music, music to show off your system, or perhaps music that your system surprises you in how it reproduces it are all variations on a theme that are posted periodically.

Sometime I just want to give my system a 'work out', rather than play music to fit my specific mood (if that makes sense), and when that mood hits me one of the following may be played.

For clarity.

Talk Talk 'Laughing Stock', or 'Spirit of Eden'.

Brian Eno 'Drawn from Life', or 'Apollo'

David Sylvian 'Secrets of the Beehive', especially track 6 'When Poets Dreamed of Angels'

Porcupine Tree 'In Absentia', specifically track 2 'Trains'

For energy.

Tool 'Lateralus'

Orbital 'Middle of NoWhere'

For emotion.

Dead Can Dance 'The Serpents Egg', although just about anything by them will do.

Vaughan Williams 'Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis', 'Symphony No.5' or 'The Lark Ascending'.

Also:

Joni Mitchell 'Don Huan's Reckless Daughter' and Kraftwerk 'Expo 2000' or 'Tour de France Soundtracks', or even 'Maximum, Minimum', and 'The Mix' (they do make such a lot of excellent recordings).

A pleasant surprise for me was that my system was principally put together with a very aggressive sound, partly as I am a drummer, and also as I do not believe that music should always be pleasant, sometimes quite the opposite, yet it reproduces a great deal of classical and jazz music with such richness and emotion that some recordings really come to life, perhaps some Korngold pieces, espwcially his 1st sysmphony are a delight on it.

I do suspect that my system would be 'a bit of donkey' for listening to string quartets on though. Still it is more of racehorse than a dressage champion, and would not be averse to pulling a plough either.

Kraftwerk - Minimum/Maximum

Eleanor McEvoy - Yola

Thelonious Monk & John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall

Oh, and anything by The Clash - on anyone's system

Hi Floid

There are some albums that sound exquisite through my system and there are some that don't. It is all down to whether (imo) 1) the musician  or the recording studio can be bothered to spend that little bit more time getting the mix right, 2) whether the rec' studio have sufficient skills in producing a high quality recording. 3) time. Some of my favourite music has mediocre sound quality, flat, less 3 dimensional and squarely within the space between the speakers, it doesn't stop me from listening to them but it does p#ss me off. But when a good recording comes along, wow, it's that that makes it all worthwhile.

My fave recordings are;

Kraftwerk, Minimum/maximum.

Tool, 10,000 days.

Tom Waits, Blue Valentine.

Alice in chains, black gives way to blue.

Brian Eno, anything by him.

Cardiacs, all that glitters is a mares nest.

Dead can Dance, anything by them.

Flock of seagulls, can't remember the album name, oops.

Rammstein, Reis Reis.

This could go on and on. It is about the music, but I think most people will agree about the variation in recording quality does affect to a certain extent the way we listen to music. Put it this way, if you go from a £10,000 system to a £100 system, it's not going to stop you listening to the music but you will be aware of the fact that there is so much more detail there that you are missing, so Imo, it does matter.

I hope this all makes sense as I am at work and am writing this between jobs.

Keep on rocking Floid, ignore negativity, sooner or later it will all disappear.

To many to list.

Genesis Foxtrot has always gone to Demo's with me over the years.

This album on vinyl is getting a hell of a lot of play here since its release a few weeks ago.

It sounds wonderful on my system.

some...

CASSANDRA WILSON_Travelling Miles

DAVID SYLVIAN_ Secret of Behive ( not remastered please)

BEN HARPER _There will be a light 

HADEN/METHENy_Beyond the Missouri sky

COSTELLO_ North

JONI MITCHELL_Shine ( wow!!!!)

...all the K.Jarrett ( with the trio and alone)..ECM editions

Archiv collection of J.S.BACH ( Vynil) these are amazing.

Guy

The girl in the blue hat album, what is it called pse, who is she?  I do recall seeing it recommended to me a few years back.

Thanks

Hutch

Its Basia Bulat's first album.Oh My Darling.

This her second album is also very good, and you can get it on vinyl.

Max's Naim system is exposed to Musical likes regardless of good or bad recordings.  However, there can be times when I'll want to hear just how nice the system sounds, and in that case will reach for a recording that may have been recorded/produced, equally as great as the music.

Brief list of "Music that sounds Great" on my system.  Most are CD format except where noted.  (Also, apologies to all the great artists I have left off the list.)

Bob Dylan "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" (mono remastered)

Johnny Cash "American IV"

The Beatles "Abbey Road" (remastered)

Freddie King "My Feeling For the Blues" (remastered)

Duke Ellington "Such Sweet Thunder" (vinyl, early pressing)

Pat Meetheny "Beyond the Missouri Sky"

Andy Summers "Green Chimney's"

Elvis Costello "North"

"Buena Vista Social Club"

Oregon "In Moscow"

Muddy Waters "Hard Again"

There are many Blue Note label albums that sound excellent as well

Max

This BlueNote album always sounds great on my system.

Single CD or double CD editions both sound great.

The double vinyl always comes out on top  though

Stu.

Thanks Stu, I'll look to buy on vinyl

Hutch

Hi Hutch

Unfortunately, you can't get Basia's debut album on vinyl. 

It was never released on vinyl. 

The first album is extraordinary, the second is merely very good.

The first is CD or download only.

Go for the Canadian rather than British version as it has an extra track (In the Night).

I have the CD and vinyl copies of her second album and prefer the vinyl. 

(Just noticed it is under £10 in the Amazon - I paid far more for mine, oh well)

She also released a vinyl 7" of Touch the Hem which is not available on CD. 

All the best, Guy 

Take Away Show - Basia Bulat

Many thanks Guy, I'll get the Cd given it is not on vinyl.

Regards

Hutch

Her Heart Of My Own vinyl album comes with the  album download code.

I like her second album more than her first,but thats just me.

They are both very good.

Stu