Favourite CD's for sound staging, imaging, etc.
500 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 871
CD Title: Sailing To Philadelphia
Composer: Mark Knopfler
Label: Mercury (314 542 800-2)
Mark Knopfler; former lead guitarist and lead singer of Dire Straits is in top form on this HDCD recording without the rest of Dire Straits.
His voice seems to be improving with age. Very silky, mellow, laid back, and smooth sounding.
He has brought along with him on this recording a couple of other marquee singers as well; James Taylor is singing with him on the title track, Sailing To Philadelphia, and Van Morrison is singing on the track called The Last Laugh. Both, James Taylor and Van Morrison sound simply amazing!!!
There are a bevy of different instruments (and musicians) used throughout this recording such as; harmonica, pedal steel guitar, electric guitar, trumpet, saxaphone, marimba, flugel horn, lap steel guitar, drums, violin, mandolin, piano, bass guitar, keyboard, harp, and a hammond organ.
A transparent amplifier will allow you to hear the softer sounding instruments behind the more loud instruments.
This is an extremely well recorded disc with an immaculate sound. The staging in my car was quite wide and deep and at a decent height. The frequency and dynamic range of this recording goes from one extreme to the other with everything in-between as well. Each and everyone of your speakers from your tweeters to your subwoofers will be thoroughly tested.
I completely enjoyed my listening session with this gorgeous sounding cd.
When an artist is concerned about the sound quality of his recording, the results are always fantastic, as is the case here.
Composer: Mark Knopfler
Label: Mercury (314 542 800-2)
Mark Knopfler; former lead guitarist and lead singer of Dire Straits is in top form on this HDCD recording without the rest of Dire Straits.
His voice seems to be improving with age. Very silky, mellow, laid back, and smooth sounding.
He has brought along with him on this recording a couple of other marquee singers as well; James Taylor is singing with him on the title track, Sailing To Philadelphia, and Van Morrison is singing on the track called The Last Laugh. Both, James Taylor and Van Morrison sound simply amazing!!!
There are a bevy of different instruments (and musicians) used throughout this recording such as; harmonica, pedal steel guitar, electric guitar, trumpet, saxaphone, marimba, flugel horn, lap steel guitar, drums, violin, mandolin, piano, bass guitar, keyboard, harp, and a hammond organ.
A transparent amplifier will allow you to hear the softer sounding instruments behind the more loud instruments.
This is an extremely well recorded disc with an immaculate sound. The staging in my car was quite wide and deep and at a decent height. The frequency and dynamic range of this recording goes from one extreme to the other with everything in-between as well. Each and everyone of your speakers from your tweeters to your subwoofers will be thoroughly tested.
I completely enjoyed my listening session with this gorgeous sounding cd.
When an artist is concerned about the sound quality of his recording, the results are always fantastic, as is the case here.
500 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 871
CD Title: The Ragpicker's Dream
Composer: Mark Knopfler
Label: Mercury (4400632932)
This red book layer cd recording is another gem from Mark Knopfler and Mercury Records. It was produced 2 years after Sailing To Philadelphia, and in my eyes and to my ears it is another landmark recording.
This cd definately has a country&western twang about it. It is a far cry from any Dire Straits music which was fast rock n' roll.
This is a 2 cd set; one is a studio recording and the other is a live recording and both are produced with honorable sound quality.
Once again, Mark Knopfler has elected to use a variety of instruments: guitars, piano, hammond organ, drums, violin, bass, keyboard, and a pedal steel guitar to great effect. The soundstage is wide and deep and with nice height...in my car anyway.
There is plenty of rythm to be had on this recording with quite alot of sub-bass, mid-bass, midrange and high frequency all blending very nicely into a nice tight package. Assuming that you have a decent quality stereo system, you should get enough separation so that you can hear the various pieces that make up the whole.
Mercury Records has a division called Mercury Living Presence which creates some very high quality sounding analog vinyl LP's, so it's no wonder that their digital recordings also sound spectacular.
An absolute winner !!!
Composer: Mark Knopfler
Label: Mercury (4400632932)
This red book layer cd recording is another gem from Mark Knopfler and Mercury Records. It was produced 2 years after Sailing To Philadelphia, and in my eyes and to my ears it is another landmark recording.
This cd definately has a country&western twang about it. It is a far cry from any Dire Straits music which was fast rock n' roll.
This is a 2 cd set; one is a studio recording and the other is a live recording and both are produced with honorable sound quality.
Once again, Mark Knopfler has elected to use a variety of instruments: guitars, piano, hammond organ, drums, violin, bass, keyboard, and a pedal steel guitar to great effect. The soundstage is wide and deep and with nice height...in my car anyway.
There is plenty of rythm to be had on this recording with quite alot of sub-bass, mid-bass, midrange and high frequency all blending very nicely into a nice tight package. Assuming that you have a decent quality stereo system, you should get enough separation so that you can hear the various pieces that make up the whole.
Mercury Records has a division called Mercury Living Presence which creates some very high quality sounding analog vinyl LP's, so it's no wonder that their digital recordings also sound spectacular.
An absolute winner !!!
500 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 871
CD Title: David Murray Octet, Octet Plays Trane.
Label: JustinTime (JUST 131-2).
On this well executed jazz cd, David Murray and a host of jazz musicians play the music and give tribute to jazz legend John Coltrane. The songs are by Coltrane, but, Murray isn't copying his music note for note. This is Coltrane's music re-done via David Murray's exquisite artistic style and form.
There is plenty of attack (and decay) on these tracks as alot of instruments are energized all at the same time. So, your audio system had better be in tip top shape or else it will sound like a mumble jumble messy c0cktail of madness.
The intensity and the passion of all the musicians and their respective instruments comes out strong and in full force on this red book layer cd. The width and breadth and height and articulation of the soundstage on this recording is absolutely breathtaking !!!!!
There are 6 songs recorded on this cd and each one is quite long. I loved all these songs, but my favorite is track no. 4 called INDIA. I lived my early years in Mumbai, India. This track wasn't pure Indian style music as it was Indianish/Americanish/Jazzyish, but was done very well nonetheless. It brought back memories of my birthplace as I heard it. Very nice !!!!
The vast array of musicians and their instruments is as follows:
David Murray; tenor sax and bass clarinet.
Craig Harris; trombone.
D.D. Jackson; piano.
Ravi Best; trumpet.
Rasul Siddik; trumpet.
James Spaulding; alto sax and flute.
Mark Johnson; drums.
Jaribu Shahid; bass.
This is an extremely intense recording with alot of musical information on each track. Everything is present from deep subbass to high frequency.
This would be another excellent cd to test the tonality of your audio system and also your soundstage.
Recording took place in New York City, May 1999.
Mastering took place in Montreal, December 1999.
JustInTime is a Canadian label which specializes in jazz only.
[ September 10, 2004, 06:21 PM: Message edited by: Keith ]
Label: JustinTime (JUST 131-2).
On this well executed jazz cd, David Murray and a host of jazz musicians play the music and give tribute to jazz legend John Coltrane. The songs are by Coltrane, but, Murray isn't copying his music note for note. This is Coltrane's music re-done via David Murray's exquisite artistic style and form.
There is plenty of attack (and decay) on these tracks as alot of instruments are energized all at the same time. So, your audio system had better be in tip top shape or else it will sound like a mumble jumble messy c0cktail of madness.
The intensity and the passion of all the musicians and their respective instruments comes out strong and in full force on this red book layer cd. The width and breadth and height and articulation of the soundstage on this recording is absolutely breathtaking !!!!!
There are 6 songs recorded on this cd and each one is quite long. I loved all these songs, but my favorite is track no. 4 called INDIA. I lived my early years in Mumbai, India. This track wasn't pure Indian style music as it was Indianish/Americanish/Jazzyish, but was done very well nonetheless. It brought back memories of my birthplace as I heard it. Very nice !!!!
The vast array of musicians and their instruments is as follows:
David Murray; tenor sax and bass clarinet.
Craig Harris; trombone.
D.D. Jackson; piano.
Ravi Best; trumpet.
Rasul Siddik; trumpet.
James Spaulding; alto sax and flute.
Mark Johnson; drums.
Jaribu Shahid; bass.
This is an extremely intense recording with alot of musical information on each track. Everything is present from deep subbass to high frequency.
This would be another excellent cd to test the tonality of your audio system and also your soundstage.
Recording took place in New York City, May 1999.
Mastering took place in Montreal, December 1999.
JustInTime is a Canadian label which specializes in jazz only.
[ September 10, 2004, 06:21 PM: Message edited by: Keith ]
500 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 871
CD Title: David Murray Latin Big Band...Now Is Another Time.
Label: JustInTime (JUST 161-2).
The sound is BIG, it's humungous!!!! The band that David Murray plays with on this recording consists of many different musicians, all from South America, playing various Brazilian and Cuban instruments.
The Latin flavor is very strong on this cd. It is fast paced and exciting to listen to.
Once again, as on his previous recording, the soundstage is very wide, deep and at a good height.
The instument solo performances are outstanding such as the solos on sax, trumpet, piano and drums. The intensity is in full force on this recording and I could just imagine all these musicians in the recording studio doing their own solo thing and their combined group efforts while I was listening to this incredible cd.
The action is furious, absolutely explosive music!!!
The instuments used on this recording include:
Alto sax,
Baritone sax,
Tenor sax,
Piano,
Trompette,
Trombone,
Congas,
Drums,
Timbales,
Guiro
Flute,
Bass.
The range of frequencies goes from the subbass extreme to the high extreme as there is alot of color to this type of Latin jazz music.
JustInTime and David Murray have taken great care to ensure that the recorded sound quality is exemplary...and it is !!!!
Recorded in New York City during 2001-2002.
Mastered in Montreal during 2002.
[ September 12, 2004, 10:17 PM: Message edited by: Keith ]
Label: JustInTime (JUST 161-2).
The sound is BIG, it's humungous!!!! The band that David Murray plays with on this recording consists of many different musicians, all from South America, playing various Brazilian and Cuban instruments.
The Latin flavor is very strong on this cd. It is fast paced and exciting to listen to.
Once again, as on his previous recording, the soundstage is very wide, deep and at a good height.
The instument solo performances are outstanding such as the solos on sax, trumpet, piano and drums. The intensity is in full force on this recording and I could just imagine all these musicians in the recording studio doing their own solo thing and their combined group efforts while I was listening to this incredible cd.
The action is furious, absolutely explosive music!!!
The instuments used on this recording include:
Alto sax,
Baritone sax,
Tenor sax,
Piano,
Trompette,
Trombone,
Congas,
Drums,
Timbales,
Guiro
Flute,
Bass.
The range of frequencies goes from the subbass extreme to the high extreme as there is alot of color to this type of Latin jazz music.
JustInTime and David Murray have taken great care to ensure that the recorded sound quality is exemplary...and it is !!!!
Recorded in New York City during 2001-2002.
Mastered in Montreal during 2002.
[ September 12, 2004, 10:17 PM: Message edited by: Keith ]
500 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 871
CD Title: Fleetwood Mac...THE DANCE.
Label: Reprise (CDW 46702).
Fleetwood Mac consists of: Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie, Stevie Nicks, and Lindsey Buckingham.
They were almost always on top of the charts during the late 1970's when they came out with their most famous LP "Rumours".
This cd is a live version of the best of Fleetwood Mac. It has 17 songs, all of which are beautifully recorded. Audiophile sound quality reigns supreme on the enitre cd.
It was recorded outside. I believe it was at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles (I'm not sure about this) during 1997.
Everything an audiophile could hope for in a recording is present; deep subbass, tight midbass, milky midrange and a soft high end. We also get a very wide, deep and high soundstage.
The years haven't diminished their ability to sing and perform at a high level as is apparent on this wonderful recording.
Top marks go to the recording engineers for producing such a fantastic cd with 16bit/44.1kHz technology.
Label: Reprise (CDW 46702).
Fleetwood Mac consists of: Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie, Stevie Nicks, and Lindsey Buckingham.
They were almost always on top of the charts during the late 1970's when they came out with their most famous LP "Rumours".
This cd is a live version of the best of Fleetwood Mac. It has 17 songs, all of which are beautifully recorded. Audiophile sound quality reigns supreme on the enitre cd.
It was recorded outside. I believe it was at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles (I'm not sure about this) during 1997.
Everything an audiophile could hope for in a recording is present; deep subbass, tight midbass, milky midrange and a soft high end. We also get a very wide, deep and high soundstage.
The years haven't diminished their ability to sing and perform at a high level as is apparent on this wonderful recording.
Top marks go to the recording engineers for producing such a fantastic cd with 16bit/44.1kHz technology.
Originally posted by Mzarty:
if you want an all out kickass cd for sound q and enjoyable listening, pick up Godsmack's: "The Other Side". It is recorded so well, it even makes crappy systems sound pretty good.
if you want an all out kickass cd for sound q and enjoyable listening, pick up Godsmack's: "The Other Side". It is recorded so well, it even makes crappy systems sound pretty good.
Am I making sense here?
