What are you listening to and WHY might anyone be interested? (Vol. XIII)
Posted by: Richard Dane on 01 January 2017
2017 has arrived today, so time to start this thread afresh.
Last year's thread can be found here;
Stevee_S posted:Drdavid posted:Stevee_S posted:On SHMCD
(1978 | 2008)
Interested to see that this is an SHMCD version - be interested to hear your views on the sound vs standard CD...
Hi David, I'm not going to be a great help to you as I no longer have the original red book CD for comparison (it was stolen along with the rest of my music some time ago), this was its replacement a few years ago. However, I remember thinking when I got the platinum SHM that it did sound better than I remembered my original. It's hard to recall with the intervening years so, after seeing your question I listened to a remastered version of the album (via Tidal) and then played my SHM on the CDP. No question to my ears that the platinum SHM is superior having more range and depth top to bottom.
Looking back at the notes this CD is a HR cutting from the DSD master which was newly flat transferred from UK original analogue master tapes in 2013 (not 2008 as I mistakenly said on the original posting). The dynamic range (DR) of the platinum SHM-CD is good at 15 (almost 16) which does suggest that my ears were hearing correctly and my memory is not playing tricks...
I have only ever bought a few SHM-CDs and platinum SHM-CDs, usually of my favourite albums and I have never regretted the additional cost, the SQ has justified it. If you need a steer as to where to get this and other SHM-CDs just let me know (here) and I'll give you a link. Currently retailing for £26 / $33.
ATB
Steve
Hi Steve,
No that was very helpful, many thanks for taking the time to do the comparison that you have done and the further details. Certainly sounds like it will be appreciably better, and I have also found the few SHMCDs and SACDs that I have as being good purchases where I have enjoyed the better sound. I have therefore gone and ordered this, I think from the site that you were going to suggest as the price was the same and there is quite a selection there - now some self control is needed on other SHMCD options!
Many thanks for your time and help on this, and sorry to hear about your theft some time ago; that must have been pretty horrid.
Best wishes.
David
Hadn't pulled this out in a while - 90s music.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791): Armida Quartett
Johanna Staemmler (violin) | Peter-Philipp Staemmler (cello) | Martin Funda (violin) | Teresa Schwamm (viola)
If Armida rings a bell it is below this ensemble picked the name based on the opera that Haydn wrote. Haydn of course is the "father of the string quartet." The Armida Quartett was formed in Berlin back in 2006.
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750): Beatrice Rana (piano)
Goldberg Variations BWV 988 (Clavier-Übung [Part IV]: Aria with Diverse Variations)
The Goldberg moniker has somehow stuck when in fact this work likely has nothing to do with a "Goldberg."
Basically Bach has written that these 30 variations bookmarked by an Aria are, "Exercises for keyboard.....to lift the spirits of connoisseurs."
Whatever you call them I have no doubt that they rank at the top of my most cherished music anyway. Rana here does a wonderful job in this recording and can rightfully sit here beside any other interpretation.
Drdavid posted:Stevee_S posted:Drdavid posted:Stevee_S posted:On SHMCD
(1978 | 2008)
Interested to see that this is an SHMCD version - be interested to hear your views on the sound vs standard CD...
Hi David, I'm not going to be a great help to you as I no longer have the original red book CD for comparison (it was stolen along with the rest of my music some time ago), this was its replacement a few years ago. However, I remember thinking when I got the platinum SHM that it did sound better than I remembered my original. It's hard to recall with the intervening years so, after seeing your question I listened to a remastered version of the album (via Tidal) and then played my SHM on the CDP. No question to my ears that the platinum SHM is superior having more range and depth top to bottom.
Looking back at the notes this CD is a HR cutting from the DSD master which was newly flat transferred from UK original analogue master tapes in 2013 (not 2008 as I mistakenly said on the original posting). The dynamic range (DR) of the platinum SHM-CD is good at 15 (almost 16) which does suggest that my ears were hearing correctly and my memory is not playing tricks...
I have only ever bought a few SHM-CDs and platinum SHM-CDs, usually of my favourite albums and I have never regretted the additional cost, the SQ has justified it. If you need a steer as to where to get this and other SHM-CDs just let me know (here) and I'll give you a link. Currently retailing for £26 / $33.
ATB
Steve
Hi Steve,
No that was very helpful, many thanks for taking the time to do the comparison that you have done and the further details. Certainly sounds like it will be appreciably better, and I have also found the few SHMCDs and SACDs that I have as being good purchases where I have enjoyed the better sound. I have therefore gone and ordered this, I think from the site that you were going to suggest as the price was the same and there is quite a selection there - now some self control is needed on other SHMCD options!
Many thanks for your time and help on this, and sorry to hear about your theft some time ago; that must have been pretty horrid.
Best wishes.
David
Be careful which SHM disc you order David as there were a number of releases of that title and they don't all sound good.
A + 3 | WAV
(1983 | 1994 remaster)
Not everyone on this forum likes his Chopin playing, but I do ....
On CD:-
Bob Dylan - Shadows In The Night
Swedish 1990s "retro" prog. Bits of Floyd/Genesis influences.
Ricardo Villalobos: Vasco
Apart from being a huge superstar dj, Ricardo has a great touch in the studio.. minimal intelligent electronica "dance" muzic.
Despite being minimal compositions, his recordings have a real organic feel, in that no two bars of 4 by 4 are ever the same. With subtle different inflections brought out of the rhythms, low key pads and percussive textures.
A great ambassador of this type of genre, that I was made aware of since the late 80s and early 90s releases of ' Psychick Warriors ov Gaia."
Mahavishnu Orchestra on my iPhone:
It may only be MP3, but it's better than the alternative.
Darkside. Psychic.
from a few years ago. Crossover without too much noodle
Nicolas Jaar: Space is only noise.
much anticipated debut album from 2011.
A + 3 | WAV
(2016)
A good rock album recorded live in Ancienne Belgique. ATW are from Nashville but have a sound all of their own, desert stoner rock meets psychedelic blues... good stuff.
Via Tidal. Intersting piano jazz.
This is fascinating and worth a listen. Steven Epstein produced this in 2006. Described as a re-performance, this two-layer SACD has both stereo surround, and a “binaural” stereo (for headphones) version of the Gould ’55 recording. That typical CBS (30th Street) mono, dry sound has been eliminated…check it out.
CD rip:-
RUSH - Moving Pictures
MacArthur Park: sounds so contemporary !
rihard Thompson - The Old Kit Bag
A + 3 | WAV
(2016)
Just finished listening to this enjoyable EP length, heavy, bassy, funky dubstep 
On CD:-
A little bit of late afternoon blues...
Blue Matter is Savoy Brown third album. Teaming up once again with producer Mike 'Blue Horizon' Vernon, it finds them experimenting even more within the blues framework. Several tracks feature piano as well as trombone.
Blue Matter (1969 UK 8-track mono LP on the Decca label.