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Maybe you've just done an upgrade and want to hear how it sounds.
Here's some of my favorite 'best sounding' discs:
John Klemmer 'Touch'
Peter Tosh 'Equal Rights'
Norah Jones 'Come away with me'
Bill Evans 'Waltz for Debbie'
American Gramaphone 'Fresh Air III'
Brahms 3rd & 4th Symphonies on Telarc
What are some of yours?
"A lie is half-way around the world before the truth can get its boots on."
-Mark Twain
Follow Ups:
You're asking two different questions.
With regard to the topic title question, nothing. I don't put on music to show off my system. I put on music to listen to the music. 'Course, I'm a musician, so, duh.
I do, however, enjoy cranking up a favorite album, and relish in how good it sounds. When I'm in the mood, I'll pick apart the strengths and weaknesses, but mostly, I'm into the music.
The biggest thing which bothers me about my system is that it lacks selectable frequencies on the bass and treble controls.
"Waltz For Debby" is one of my favorites as well.
Usually I'm listening to certain pieces when I'm changing speaker positions and toe-in to make sure I have things set up the way I want them. I almost always start by making sure that the stereo image has an great "center" with Eva Cassidy's LP "Songbird". Then I'll put on a Kevyn Lettau CD with some great spatial qualities called "The Color of Love", and then there's an interesting bass track on one song of Harry Connick Jr.'s CD "She". Then I put on an LP that has been my first play since I got it in 1974 - Gary Burton "The New Quartet" on ECM. And once all that sounds right, then usually it's the entire Jaco Pastorius "Birthday Concert" CD. I saw Jaco and his big band in Chicago about three months after that CD was recorded (Jaco's 30th birthday was December 1, 1981) and it's still easily the best live show I've ever seen.
Of course, there's always the UHQR of "Sgt. Pepper's" or the Classic Records 200 gram pressing of "Quadrophenia".........
Now that's JAZZ!!!
With a 20 foot wide vibe - raphone: über-realistic.
Better than sticking your head in a bassdrum.
Other times I do lean towards Leon Russell playing Hard Rain's Gonna Fall, with the most beautiful fat solid piano and drum sound I've yet heard. Jim Keltner of course.
Or Richter playing Rachmaninoff Op 32 No 10 - not because it's particularly well recorded but because it is a high point of western civilisation, and would still be so if played on an old tin can. None escape the room without hearing it, and only the truly vulgar remain unconvinced.
So, you've discovered the origin of the word "jazz". When "izz" is being pronounced "azz", you know you're in New Orleans.
Well, I expect to hear a lot of that shortly - going to be 10 months in NOLA from 4 weeks hence; anticipate it being quite a change from Oz.
Nice! Enjoy.
Dave
That's not what is about for me. I ask my guests what they would enjoy. My system is for enjoying music.
I'm not talking about 'guests'. I'm talking about YOU, when you want to hear something that 'shows off' your system in all its glory.
Maybe you just put a new cable in or something and you want to hear how it can sound.
"A lie is half-way around the world before the truth can get its boots on."
-Mark Twain
I have Martin Logan Ascent i's, which are large and different looking speakers. Many of our guests are not into stereos and so they are intrigued by them. Most of them have never heard a really good system.So I put something on that they are familiar with and let them hear it like they probably have never heard it before. Then I put on something that shows the strengths of a good system.
Then I put on music I hope they will just enjoy.
Edits: 07/09/15
I have a copy of Belafonte at Carnegie Hall that my sister who worked at a radio station at the time it was released. In 50+ years it has been played only by me, on my own gear, and it still sounds great.
If my listeners have no preference,this my default, and it never fails to please -- and sometimes astonish.
What is your recording to dial in your speakers positions?
I have ESL's with a definite sweet spot.
A most difficult question. One needs to know the microphone set up at the recording venue and then compare that info to what you hear.
Mercury Living Presence for this is excellent hree mikes and no gain riding. You can see their microphone set up in the Eastman Theater in their Civil War suites ( cd as well as Lp's).
Kavi Alexander used a single stereo mike for his AQ and Vandersteen recordings. The CD liner notes have photos of the individual recording sessions. Imagine your center image as being the mike and you should have a presentation mimicking the set up.
When TAS was in it's golden era, I made it a point to collect as many of the TAS super discs as I could acquire. I had realized using early Lind Ronstadt was not going to lead me to the same conclusions as HP, no matter how much I liked her voice. After a while and after increasing the size of my collection, I could see what HP was searching for.
In fact, I distinctly remember acquiring certain recordings and commenting that they should be on the super disc list ( they eventually did)
That being said, you can make your system sound very neutral and to HP's taste ( he was correct for the most part). But bear in mind your tastes are your tastes, and you need not apologize for using different recordings and maximizing their sound
...I like to use Diana Krall because her voice is usually recorded very well in the center - my favorite cut is "I've Got You Under My Skin" from "When I look In Your Eyes" because of all the other things going on in it as well.
Another is Boz Scaggs "Speak Low" CD, a terrific audiophile recording using a vintage tubed mic for his vocal.
I have the recording of "I've got you under my skin" somewhere. I'll dig it out and try using it.
From the Hi-Fi News Test Disc III.
No responsibility accepted for speaker damage or upset neighbors.
Regards
13DoW
It's so even. I mean how can you tell with music? The stuff is different disc to disc.
NB: the bass decade warble tones are hot stuff too.
From that list I choose Belafonte At Carnegie Hall (a male vocal), Casino Royal- Look of Love (female vocal) or McBroom: Growing Up In Hollywood- The Rose, Dafos (deep bass) or opening of Strauss- Also Sprach Zarathrustra: Mehta LAP , Pig's Eye Jazz (Vol. II) - you are there instrumental jazz, Gerhard: The Plague - all of side one for everything. Also a solo piano such as Kabi Laretei Prop 7809. These can be used to evaluate any system, not just mine which is set up to allow deep bass, dynamics and accurate tonal balance. The above all pure analogue vinyl. SACDs second choice along with high resolution downloads. Tape great also if you have it.
Patricia Barber's The Premonition Years 1994 - 2002 Box Set. This box set not only shows off the best from your system, but it will also shows off the worst side of it. Just make sure that your system is capable of plumbing the depths of the bottom end frequency to take advantage of the beautifully articulated bass in some songs. I also, use this box set to properly balance and to listen to any sound improvement if I upgraded a component in my system.
If a thing's worth doing, it's worth doing well
(Proverb)
Mostly BeBop, HardBop and Post Bop. Music Matters and Impex reissues as well as a few mint original pressings I own.
These are the records I put on when civilians are curious about how today's record player sounds.
First is The Beach Boys "Wouldn't it be nice" vocals only version. Pure air.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPN53PHDwe4
Then Overseer "Horndog", skip forward to 2:40. Great dynamics and stereo movement.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAZ_KfN-Zyo
And then I'd go classical with Respighi "Pines of Rome" Reiner, XRCD, final movement. Just to show off the resolution of my system.
Of course the youtube versions don't do justice, but you'll get the idea.
The Dorati/MSO mono from 1953 is still probably my favorite Pines, though they did a good stereo remake in 1960.
But with every improvement in consumer audio comes at least one even more devastatingly powerful Pines. Makes you want to run for cover from the mighty Roman legions. So I know what John Marks means about "shelf life".
Great Beach Boys clip btw, thanks. Nothing in the pop world beats Pet Sounds.
I don't always agree with David Hurwitz but in this case I agree with his 10/10.
I write about Neschling's follow-up Respighi SACD in the August issue of Stereophile.
JM
,...in the new Stereophile. The same orchestra and conductor in the (much) lesser known work Brazillian Impressions. Your word smithing conjures up a forthcoming languorous, tropical listening session for me which I am much looking forward to. Added Straight to my record order for this month.
Thanks + please call me John.
Believe it or not, the Brazilian Impressions orchestra is not Maestro Neschling's former crew in Sao Paulo.
Rather, it is the Liege Royal Philharmonic, which knocked my socks off because (asbestos undies firmly on) I was under the impression that Liege was the capitol of Belgium's Industrial Rustbelt. They sound world class and the hall is simply gorgeous, photo above.
ATB,
jm
Not sure if the Maazel/Cleveland is a K. Wilkinson recording, but the Kempe/Royal (Chesky or original Reader's Digest RCA Box issue) is.
The quiet organ entrance in the final march is worth the price of admission and demonstrates that there was life (and improvement) after the "golden age" of stereo.
Thanks JM, I will order it. Meantime do not overlook the Antonio Pappano CD on (what was) EMI. Maybe it is now on Warner.
"gone past its sell-by date"
Don't know what you mean by this
I think the new remastered LP is breathtaking both in performance and sound. I will try to listen to this Bis recording
Alan
Just what I needed, another recording of something I already have.
Did you listen to the first two suggestions?
And I will eventually listen to the other one.
Thanks.
Tomorrow is deadline day.
John
Come on John, indulge me with the last 56 seconds. And I don't even like this kind of music. Just turn this up and feel the slam of your speakers.
It's Jamiroquai's "Canned Heat."
jm
I guess we must agree to disagree on this one.But thanks for giving me that minute of your listening time.
By the way, I think you were the one who recommended "Basically Bull".
If so, thanks, I've enjoyed it.
Edits: 07/10/15
nt
Fascinating question. I've never tried to show off my system to anyone,
as it is headphone based. Plus, even when I had a loudspeaker based
system, I never tried to show it off to anyone because the system was
built to please me, and only me, and I didn't much are if anyone else
liked it or didn't.
But I do have some favorite "audiophile" recordings that I think do
bring out the best in system, and they are:
Reference Recordings label - several albums featuring Dick Hyman, in
several different settings.
Naxos label - their solo classical guitar recordings are most excellent,
both for the playing and the recording.
Chesky label - I've several of their discs, and all but one are sonic
masterpieces. I esp. like one titled Swing Live - it was recorded in a
NYC nightclub and when you listen you will swear you are in that club!
Various "gold" CDs from Acoustic Sounds, and others; I'm particularly
fond of the Bellafonte at Carneige Hall discs and two Ella Fitzgeralds.
In general, I've been disappointed by the JVC XRCD discs - I just don't
think they live up to the hype, sonically speaking at least.
that are all that well recorded. Except maybe "Something Else".
nt
Others have been playing catch-up for decades.
"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination" -Michael McClure
And I'd probably have wildly different answers to it, depending on what I've been listening to recently. ;-)For classic two-channel, I agree with a couple of the "golden age of stereo" selections mentioned in earlier posts on this thread (i.e., the RCA Living Stereo and the Mercury Living Presence albums). In fact, I was just listening to a couple of MLP's yesterday, and, geez, they were so good!
Lots more I could have picked of course. I'm consistently amazed by that Dorati/LSO CfO - in some ways, I even prefer it to Reiner's (heresy, I know!). It's one of those recordings that, to my ears, has just sounded better and better over the years as my equipment has gotten better. And that other Dorati Bartok album with the Philharmonia Hungarica benefits from a more spacious acoustic than Mercury often employed. That Eastman album was one of the later ones done at that locale and is magnificent in its combination of image specificity (sorry for the audio rag term!) and holistic rendering of the entire acoustic as well as it can be done with only two channels. I don't mean to impugn the other golden-age recrodings (Living Stereos, early Decca/Londons and EMI's, Command Classics, Sheffields, some Vox albums with Skrowaczewski, etc.) - these just happen to be a couple that, as I say, I listened to recently. BTW, I'm showing the LP covers for the two Bartok albums, but what I actually own and listen to is the CD incarnation - via computer AIFF's of course! (But I've always loved that LP album cover for the CfO, which was bumped on the CD reissue!)
More modern two-channel:
More modern "non-interventionist" Multi-channel:
Modern "interventionist" multi-channel:
There are so many more choices that could have been made - we're living in a golden age ourselves right now!
EDIT: I just couldn't resist adding a Naxos blu-ray audio disc in here too! ;-)
Edits: 07/08/15
When I saw that cover for the Gould West Point Symphony, it unleashed a flood of memories about those MLP LPs. That piece is a lot of fun (and, at times, quite stirring). I'd never acquired the CD transfer, so I promptly ordered a used copy. I hope the CD can at least suggest how nice the LP sounded.
Thanks for the memory jog!
Hey, it's in the nature of the hobby!
BTW, my favorite piece on the album is the Hovhaness Symphony, but the Gould and Giannini symphonies are interesting and worthwhile too. I'm sure you won't regret the loss of your eight dollars - after all, Wilma herself was responsible for the CD transfers! ;-)
good recording to get is the civil war suites from Eastman. Not music I really like to listen to (Ken Burns used the for his documentary on the Civil War), but they have photos of the Eastman Theater and the ensemble on stage with recording gear. Until I saw that I was at a lost because I though the EWE had some anomaly in their recording set up....
Except for accessibility of the music, the Kavi Alexander recordings made for AQ are superb. He also did a recording for Vandersteen: very nice audiophile qualities. Kavi's recording of the Phily , well , let's just say he does better with small ensembles.
The music is probably a bit esoteric for some listeners, but, as you suggest, the SQ is great.
I don't know Kavi's recordings for AQ, but I did buy about 4 of the recordings he did for his own Water Lily label. The Sawallisch/Philadelphia album (Dvoark/Liszt) suffered from the bone dry Academy of Music acoustics. He and I had quite the "debate" here about his Russian recordings (mostly his Mahler Fifth) almost ten years ago. I agree that, by all accounts, he does do better with smaller ensembles.
Most are gobsmacked.
Warmest
Tim Bailey
Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger
Depends on what music the listener likes.... The objective should be enjoyment of the music......
That said, some of the most requested albums:
Pat Metheny/Lyle Mays- "As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls"
Eva Cassidy- "Songbird"
Ella Fitzgerald/Louis Armstrong (Various)
The Beatles- White Album, "Revolver", "Abbey Road", etc. ...
Miles Davis- Various
Mozart: Concerto 21,24: Istomin/Seattle/Schwarz, Reference Recordings
Various Norah Jones and Diana Krall
Bob Curnow L.A. Big Band: "Music of Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays"
Steely Dan- "Aja"
Rush- "Moving Pictures", "2112", "A Farewell to Kings"
Richard Strauss- "Also Sprach Zarathustra": Chicago/Reiner, RCA
I'm partial to the six-microphoned '62 myself, but some prefer the '54 with its fewer mic's (but the '54 also has that ghastly out-of-tune organ too!). ;-)
I had to research this.... It's the 1954 Living Stereo, with the picture of Reiner with a smoke on the cover....
Never realized he redid this.... I'd be tempted to try the 1962 version, but the Amazon reviews stated the performance wasn't quite as good.
Reiner's read in the 1954 version was definitive. There were quirks in the playing, but the spontaneity makes me toss them out the window. Kind of like a Horowitz piano performance.
I heard Christoph von Dohnanyi perform this in the flesh w Cleveland in 1985. The climax was maybe the most-hair-raising exhibition of "brass/trumpet fireworks" I've ever experienced. (Leaving the concert, I overheard someone saying "Herseth can't play like that.") But Dohnanyi's read of the work as a whole didn't touch Reiner's.
"Herseth can't" is an oxymoron.
Dave
Was the organ too flat, or did Reiner tune the orchestra too sharp? I imagine it isn't too easy to retune a pipe organ. Shouldn't the orchestra have adjusted? Sorry to stray off topic, but I've always wondered.
On topic, the Munch/BSO Daphnis et Chloe is one of my favorite of the Living Stereo series (either version but especially the first), or really any of their Ravel or Debussy.
It wouldn't have made sense to change the tuning of the orchestra, that involves changing how people play. A move to Europe is a significant adjustment for a player.
Organ tuning is expensive and takes a lot of time but it is done. I'm pretty sure those guys are quite well-compensated.
Dave
I wouldn't downplay the ability of the world's best orchestral players to make intonation adjustments, at least nowadays. I've heard some amazing demonstrations of what they can do.
You are right that the relentlessly sharper orchestras of continental Europe used to be a big issue. But intonation virtuosity has become a much bigger deal since the advent of microtonal scales, pitch bending and other modern extended techniques. And playing sharp has become much more universal. I recently performed with some current Juilliard and Mannes wind students, who played at a perfectly consistent, in tune a = 445, were very critical of my difficulty in matching them, and amazed when I dared suggested they were playing sharp. With some practice I was able to reach in my bag of tricks to salvage the situation, but a top flutist would have done that more quickly and easily. (It was a huge relief the next time I played with a different group that wasn't so sharp.)
In this case, I suspect Reiner didn't want to tune the entire piece so much flatter just to accommodate the organ introduction, and back in 1954 people were less uptight about such things.
Well, I'm guessing they've played that way before and were doing so under their own volition. Had you asked them to play at 432 and have it recorded with their exposed passages for commercial distribution I'm not sure they'd be happy about that. It's one thing to get accustomed to a particular tuning, and another to have to change pitch in a critical situation.
In any case, who knows what happened. I'm just doubtful an orchestra would agree to tune differently for a recording unless it was planned that way well in advance.
Dave
How true. But once those kids get into the real world, where classical music jobs are hard to come by, they'll see they do have to be prepared to play at a=432, if they want to play in a HIP baroque ensemble, for example. (Of course, high quality baroque instrument replicas are designed to be played at various historical nonstandard pitches.)
And you are also obviously right that Reiner and the CSO wouldn't tune a quarter tone or more flat to match that organ on the spur of the moment. But I believe if Reiner demanded it in advance, they would have been prepared to do it.
I have a few friends that do HIP, I'm not an expert on that scene but my understanding is that one doesn't dabble in it, in part because of the pitch, it's a specialized approach that requires significant dedication. But perhaps some are able to adapt like that now on the fly. I know that for myself it's a major PITA far beyond adjusting the tuning of the instrument. But it sounds like we're both in agreement there.
Dave
Really great selections- All.
Roy mentioned the two Munch/BSO Daphnis et Chloe's, another instance where I prefer the later recording despite the presumable use of a couple more microphones. (However, in this case, I don't have corroboration as I do for the '62 Reiner Zarathustra.)
Note to Todd: if you really prefer the '54 Reiner Zarathustra, maybe you can hope for a remastered version with the organ on autotune! ;-)
For special events, mostly.
Dire Straits Brothers in Arms and Love over Gold
Alan
Love over Gold is an analog recording and it has superb sound, although I like the music in Brothers in Arms a bit more ( the title track has a rather amazing guitar counterpoint to the words being sung, almost like a voice, IMHO).
The Private Investigations track in Love over Gold has superb sound effects and if you ever snag the 45rpm (British pressing, funny how 45rpm 12 inchers all seem to come from England) 12 inch single you'll find the sound absolutely stunning.
To the list I would add Cantate Domino, the classic Swedish Christmas album.
Also any number of Mercury Living Presence LP'S: the Eastman Wind Ensemble stuff an the LSO with Dorati. When listening to the Eastman remember they did not arrange the ensemble in the typical horseshoe shape, but in left right rows so often the solo parts are right behind each other.
I like various Pink Martini albums too: big band instrumentation but everything seems to be in correct phase to each other
Lots more but often only individual tracks
I would add that for non-audiophiles it really doesn't matter. They've never heard good sound anyway so anything I play they are amazed by. The AP reissue of Tea for the Tillerman is amazing.
By denying scientific principles, one may maintain any paradox.
Galileo Galilei
Early folk music is also amazing. Probably because they were minimally miked. Early Joan Baez, and early Peter, Paul, and Mary have a "you are there" sort of quality, very three dimensional and very lush and full. Incidentally the PPM are phase inverted in my system.
I have a theory that early 50/60's rock and pop often made the top ten lists because the sound was exceptional. When ever I see those original LP's I pick them up and am pleasantly surprised for the most part.
A good sign is Bill Porter's name on the production credits. His credits include Roy Orbison, Chet Aktins, and Elvis Presley and many others ( check out the other Monument label artists: Kim Sisters), Everly Brothers, Sue Thompson, etc.
MY original Orbison's blow way the reissues and the mono versions are even better than the stereo.
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