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Post by daytona600 on Apr 15, 2015 16:08:29 GMT
Duke Ellington - Masterpieces By Ellington
200g Analogue Productions 1950 Mono
One of the best recordings ever , if not your hifi is broken
Doug MacLeod - Exactly Like This -
HDCD Reference Recordings one of the best digital recordings you will hear , until the vinyl version comes out
Atom - Pop HD
CD if kraftwerk where french , speed , depth , detail
Hans Zimmer & Lisa Gerrard - Gladiator OST
ORG 45rpm - extension , dynamics , soundstage + Scale of the charts bookshelf speakers need not apply
Dave Brubeck Quartet - Time Out
Analogue Productions 45rpm even jazz haters will love this album , dynamics & soundstage
Cornelius - Sensuous
CD - production state of the art , love to hear the vinyl version of this one
Wretches & Jabberers - J Ralph - OST
LP various artists with music to test your system
The Three Blind Mice 45 Box
Impex 45rpm Sublime sounding jazz with excellent piano sound
lfo - lfo
12 inch leeds warehouse mix - Bass can open & close doors
Cat Stevens - Tea For The Tillerman
Analogue Productions 45rpm would sound good on a Dansette
Sarah McLachlan - Mirrorball
analogue productions 45rpm - how a Live album should sound
Eric B. Rakim - Follow The Leader
12 inch - vocal stripped version - soundstage , extension , soundstage
David Sylvian - There's A Light That Enters Houses With No Other House In Sight
CD - stark ecm style & almost holographic
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Post by naim1425 on May 19, 2015 0:25:11 GMT
joe cocker-sheffield steel-dynamics
earl klugh- finger painting-delicate acoustics
larry carlton albums-1/2 speed metal masters
steven wilson/porcupine tree albums-amazing involving music on vynal,sacd.dvda and now bluray.SW one of the best musicians/engineers around at the moment
muddy waters-folk singer- stunning recording
dire straits early albums-music what i listen to a lot and where im from
bonny rait-lush albums and recordings
deep purple - made in japan-one of the best live albums ever
uriah heep- live 73-one of the best live albums ever
holst planets-previn top notch recording
toto-toto 4 stunning recording sacd
foreigner 4-cock rock at its best
fleetwood mac- rumours dvda or sacd
eagles hotel- california dvda or sacd
simple minds- sacd`s
talk talk- colour of spring
stravinsky-rite of spring
yes-fragile/close to the edge/topigraphic oceans/going for the one
david sanborn albums
bob james
marcus miller-make sure your floor board are screwed down
nat king cole-his reference recordings on sacd
really to many to type
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Post by MartinT on May 19, 2015 9:03:36 GMT
steven wilson/porcupine tree albums-amazing involving music on vynal,sacd.dvda and now bluray.SW one of the best musicians/engineers around at the moment Thanks for those. Careful with Porcupine, not all of Wilson's albums have good sound quality. For instance, Up the Downstair has some of my all-time favourite songs of theirs, but the sound quality is dire. He remastered the drums, but it's lipstick on a pig. |
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Post by naim1425 on May 19, 2015 14:09:53 GMT
yeah he remastered the electronic drums with gavin harrison,and he`s an amazing drummer,absentia,deadwing,coma divide and the later albums are very good and remember,he has re-engineered xtc,yes,jethro tull, king crimson,anethema,blackfield and opeth,plus his solo work,busy man i think,going to see him at the R A HALL later in the year,thats if he does not re-engineer floyds DSOTM and WYWH lol.
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Post by MartinT on May 19, 2015 21:10:37 GMT
He's a clever man!
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Post by jamescg1972 on May 20, 2015 18:30:05 GMT
.......but it's lipstick on a pig. Thanks for that. I'm sat in a restaurant on my own (on my iPad, which is slightly impolite, but the owner knows me and I'm away for work, so not a social occasion) and just choked on my wine. People are giving me funny looks. |
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Post by MartinT on May 20, 2015 19:28:11 GMT
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Post by MartinT on Sept 23, 2015 16:27:17 GMT
Jeff Beck - You Had it Coming
Mike and I have enjoyed this album for many years, marvelling at how Beck makes a guitar sing with so many different sounds. This is essential, elemental, music but it's also something else.
It's an absolute bastard to get sounding good without being a big mess of ear-splitting noise. There is up-front guitar going through a variety of effects, then there is the 'out back' stuff filling the background with different sounds. Powerful and, at times, pummelling bass and drums. Incredible transient edges and pin-sharp focus.
This album needs:
- Power in quantity
- Separation of a very busy soundstage
- Layering of foreground and background images
- Ability to move air
- Detailed and uncoloured midrange
- Dynamic differentiation
- Soundstaging
- Lack of harshness
Brilliant musically and a fantastic system differentiator and upgrade test, this is a great toolbox for improvements. Try Loose Cannon if you dare.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Sept 23, 2015 17:49:22 GMT
Deep Purple 'Lazy' either the SACD remaster (CD layer) or the 24/96 KHz file
Nothing comes close to these for sheer realism and stunning recording techniques by Martin Birch
Very few systems can genuinely come close to recreating that Hotel in Montreux in late 1971
Just one of those recording rhat captures the artists at their peak while retaining recording integrity
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Post by julesd68 on Sept 24, 2015 8:13:54 GMT
I must have bought so many lps mixed by Martin Birch, back in the day. Love his Iron Maiden work as well..
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Post by MartinT on Sept 24, 2015 10:08:04 GMT
Deep Purple 'Lazy' either the SACD remaster (CD layer) or the 24/96 KHz file Why only the CD layer? The SACD layer sounds superb  |
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Guest
Rank: Quartet
Posts: 347
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Post by Guest on Sept 24, 2015 16:16:42 GMT
If you need to evaluate a system, either an upgrade to your own or a friend's system, what are the handful of discs/records you use in order to evaluate it?
Note, I mean music to give you an insight into performance, which is why this post is in the Hi-Fi section rather than Music.
Mine, in no particular order: - k d lang - Drag (vocal purity, midrange headroom, handling deep bass)
- Jewel - Spirit (vocals with deep bass, soundstage, vividness)
- Damian Rice - O (huge dynamic swings within a large spacious soundstage)
- Ry Cooder - Bop Til You Drop (detail and complexity, dynamic swell, natural sound)
- Yello - Flag (complexity, dynamics, left-right pyrotechnics)
- Vivaldi - Four Seasons - Drottningholm String Ensemble, BIS (massively compelling ensemble playing, big dynamics, complexity in a spacious acoustic)
- James Newton Howard & Friends - Sheffield Lab (fantastic, huge, drum sound)
- Duruflé - Requiem - Shaw, Atlanta, Telarc (massed choral sound, very deep organ pedals)
James Newton Howard is a fantastic album, has the best drum sound on any disc on any format. I would add Thomas Dolby's Flat Earth, for the best bass sound. |
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Post by MartinT on Sept 24, 2015 16:57:30 GMT
James Newton Howard is a fantastic album, has the best drum sound on any disc on any format. I agree, I have the Sheffield Lab direct cut vinyl. It's stupendous. |
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Post by MartinT on Nov 14, 2015 10:25:15 GMT
Hugh Masekela - Hope
Live recording of exciting South African performances, very well performed. Really superb recording, one of the best live albums I know.
Wide and natural soundstage, great musical flow and pulsing dynamics. Very vivid rasping trumpets, fantastic percussive accompaniment, great vocals and, most of all, a driving rhythmic intensity that just carries you on a wave while rewarding detail resolution and musical flow from your system.
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Post by MartinT on Jun 30, 2016 15:17:30 GMT
I can't believe I omitted Lorde - Pure Heroine from my list. A stunning album and very well recorded. Great impact overall with vivid effects and textures. Great music, great sound, most unusual for an up to date release.
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Post by daytona600 on Jun 30, 2016 15:20:43 GMT
vinyl & loud - if it does not sound stunning blame your system
sacd is also outstanding
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Post by speedysteve on Jul 3, 2016 7:46:45 GMT
Here are a few from me, in no particular order Boz Scaggs - Dig (Relaxed mood, deep bass, simple clear recording) Lorde - Pure Heroine (Great debut album, songs way beyond her tender age (Great bass on Royals & Tennis court, clear vocal recording and good dynamics. Joan as Police woman - The Deep Field (several good tracks here. The bass on Flash, Action man quickly builds - slightly cracked dist. on vocals). Regina Spektor (all albums but start with Begin to hope and What we saw from the cheap seats (Great punch and vocals pop. Piano playing. Fun approach to music). Maria Mena - Start with Viktoria (Catchy songs, good vocals, well recorded, punchy at times, lyrics reflect a troubled early life...) Tori Amos - Little Earthquakes and Boys for Pele (pick out the tracks you like as it will not be such an easy listen for some I guess). Listen to China with good noise cancelling phones at 35000ft 'Leather' and 'Muhammed my friend' are my current favs. 'Me and a gun' is very hard to listen to knowing her history  Pixies - Doolittle (Particularly 'Hey' for the bass guitar and lyrics Yello - Touch (Esp The Expert for bass and general liveliness, all the tracks with Heidi Happy on, and Takla Makan for room shaking bass as modest volumes at the start Kristina Train - Dark Black (esp Saturdays Are The Greatest for vocal purity, I check my Vitavox and JBL horns are as they should be with this track Lionel Rogg - Bach organ works vol 1 and 2. Great room reverberating bass on some tracks, speed and delicacy on others. Nice germanic vocal tones on the choral tracks. Toccata and Fugue, first track is used to shock and awe visitors new to my system sounds as the opening gambit. More to follow... |
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Post by zippy on Jul 3, 2016 8:06:40 GMT
Don't know what it says about my musical tastes, but I only have one of the tracks/albums suggested in my collection, and that's the Dire Straits !
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Post by MartinT on Jul 3, 2016 9:18:09 GMT
Lorde - Pure Heroine (Great debut album, songs way beyond her tender age (Great bass on Royals & Tennis court, clear vocal recording and good dynamics. . . . Yello - Touch (Esp The Expert for bass and general liveliness, all the tracks with Heidi Happy on, and Takla Makan for room shaking bass as modest volumes at the start Agreed to both, great music and stunning recordings. |
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Post by julesd68 on Jul 3, 2016 14:38:43 GMT
I've bought a whole load of 12" singles recently but the one that stands out as being an immaculate recording and a definite reference for future system testing is Grace Jones - Slave to the Rhythm ...
Just leaps out the speakers - the dynamics and sense of separation is astounding.
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