Favourite CD's for sound staging, imaging, etc.
Originally posted by drspd:
What CDs do you use to test your stage and imaging?
My personal fav. is The Lion King
- the CD is incredible as it was recorded from the original broadway performance. The stage performance features sounds coming from within the audience and across a variety of stage heights so it truly pushes the limits of your system with respect to ambience and imaging.
- If you've seen the performance (which is exceptional by the way), it will give you a whole new goal for your system
What CDs do you use to test your stage and imaging?
My personal fav. is The Lion King
- the CD is incredible as it was recorded from the original broadway performance. The stage performance features sounds coming from within the audience and across a variety of stage heights so it truly pushes the limits of your system with respect to ambience and imaging.
- If you've seen the performance (which is exceptional by the way), it will give you a whole new goal for your system
(Stella) is a very good one, big stereo effect, nice high definition and imaging, mega lowlow bass, and very good midrange into a super clean recording. So you have all you need [img]graemlins/jammin.gif[/img]
Forgot to say (FLAG) is a verrrry good one too [img]graemlins/bump.gif[/img]
[ June 04, 2005, 08:19 PM: Message edited by: Dobermann ]
^ Nice to see another person who appreciates Yello [img]smile.gif[/img] I have Flag and it's a cool album to listen to. Both for tonality and soundstage. Only beef I have with it is it is recorded fairly quiet.
500 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 871
CD Title: Keith Jarrett, Radiance.
Label: ECM (1960/61 B0004314-02).
Piano: Keith Jarrett.
This is a jazz two cd set which was recorded live in Osaka and Tokyo Japan during 2002. The recording itself is of spectacular quality. Keith Jarrett and the recording engineer decided to leave-in all the sounds of the audience such as coughing and throat clearing. On a decent stereo system, you will hear the breathing and the mumblings of Keith Jarrett as he plays his piano with emotional intensity. In Keith Jarrett's own words..."the event lays itself out as it happened."
The piano playing is very strange and weird. Jarrett says that he just kinda made up the music in his head while he was on stage. There was nothing planned ahead of time except for the fact that nothing was to be planned. Thus, the music is very abrupt, with alot of sharp angles and tight corners. There is no melody or harmony that we come to expect from a piano solo, and it all sounds very strange but intriguing at the same time. As Keith puts it, "the audience in Japan was not prepared for this format, so you will notice no applause at times."
There is only the piano on centre stage and no other musicians or instruments.
Two microphones were used for this top-notch recording. The lid of the piano is open and the mics are placed on floor stands with the heads of the mics within the piano itself. The heads seem to be about 2 feet apart from each other.
I will say it again, the sound quality of this recording is of demonstration standard.
A very interesting cd set indeed !!!!!!!!
Tracks 1 -13, (disc 1), recorded live Octover 27, 2002 at Osaka Festival Hall.
Tracks 14 -17, (disc 2), recorded live Octover 30, 2002 at Metropolitan Festival Hall, Tokyo.
Label: ECM (1960/61 B0004314-02).
Piano: Keith Jarrett.
This is a jazz two cd set which was recorded live in Osaka and Tokyo Japan during 2002. The recording itself is of spectacular quality. Keith Jarrett and the recording engineer decided to leave-in all the sounds of the audience such as coughing and throat clearing. On a decent stereo system, you will hear the breathing and the mumblings of Keith Jarrett as he plays his piano with emotional intensity. In Keith Jarrett's own words..."the event lays itself out as it happened."
The piano playing is very strange and weird. Jarrett says that he just kinda made up the music in his head while he was on stage. There was nothing planned ahead of time except for the fact that nothing was to be planned. Thus, the music is very abrupt, with alot of sharp angles and tight corners. There is no melody or harmony that we come to expect from a piano solo, and it all sounds very strange but intriguing at the same time. As Keith puts it, "the audience in Japan was not prepared for this format, so you will notice no applause at times."
There is only the piano on centre stage and no other musicians or instruments.
Two microphones were used for this top-notch recording. The lid of the piano is open and the mics are placed on floor stands with the heads of the mics within the piano itself. The heads seem to be about 2 feet apart from each other.
I will say it again, the sound quality of this recording is of demonstration standard.
A very interesting cd set indeed !!!!!!!!
Tracks 1 -13, (disc 1), recorded live Octover 27, 2002 at Osaka Festival Hall.
Tracks 14 -17, (disc 2), recorded live Octover 30, 2002 at Metropolitan Festival Hall, Tokyo.
500 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 871
CD Title: Britten/Walton Violin Concerto.
Label: EMI Classics (72435575002).
Violin: Maxim Vengerov.
Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra.
Conductor: Mstislav Rostropovich.
Two symphonies are performed here; the Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) violin concerto and the William Walton (1902-1983) viola concerto.
The Benjamin Britten symphony has 3 movements:
1. Moderato con moto
2. Vivace Cadenza
3. Passacaglia.
The William Walton symphony has 3 movements also:
1. Andante comodo
2. Vivo con moto preciso
3. Allegro moderato.
Maxim Vengerov plays his violin superbly throughout the full 64 minutes of this cd.
The London Symphony Orchestra is an excellent orchestra as is demonstrated on this disc.
Mstislav Rostropovich does a wonderful job guiding this orchestra to its potential.
The recorded sound provides fidelity of very high calibre. There are a plentitude of minute details which can be heard if you have a system which is capable of uncovering these finer nuances within this recording. This is definately an audiophile quality recording.
Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London England, during 2002.
Label: EMI Classics (72435575002).
Violin: Maxim Vengerov.
Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra.
Conductor: Mstislav Rostropovich.
Two symphonies are performed here; the Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) violin concerto and the William Walton (1902-1983) viola concerto.
The Benjamin Britten symphony has 3 movements:
1. Moderato con moto
2. Vivace Cadenza
3. Passacaglia.
The William Walton symphony has 3 movements also:
1. Andante comodo
2. Vivo con moto preciso
3. Allegro moderato.
Maxim Vengerov plays his violin superbly throughout the full 64 minutes of this cd.
The London Symphony Orchestra is an excellent orchestra as is demonstrated on this disc.
Mstislav Rostropovich does a wonderful job guiding this orchestra to its potential.
The recorded sound provides fidelity of very high calibre. There are a plentitude of minute details which can be heard if you have a system which is capable of uncovering these finer nuances within this recording. This is definately an audiophile quality recording.
Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London England, during 2002.
500 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 871
CD Title: MAHLER 1
Label: DECCA (4488132)
Ensemble: Royal Concergebouw Orchestra
Conductor: Riccardo Chailly
This cd consists of 2 symphonies; the first is the Sonata, op.1 by Alban Berg (1885-1935). It is 12 minutes in length and is all in one movement. Very nicely recorded.
The second is Gustav Mahler's (1860-1911) Symphony no. 1. This piece is 57 minutes in length and is divided into 4 movements. There are alot of different instruments which are used in this piece which create for a wonderful sounding work of music. There are soft passages as well as loud passages. The frequencies range from very high where your tweeters will be excercised to subbass lows for your subwoofers, and all other frequencies inbetween for the midbass and midrange as well.
Recorded in Amsterdam, May 1995.
Label: DECCA (4488132)
Ensemble: Royal Concergebouw Orchestra
Conductor: Riccardo Chailly
This cd consists of 2 symphonies; the first is the Sonata, op.1 by Alban Berg (1885-1935). It is 12 minutes in length and is all in one movement. Very nicely recorded.
The second is Gustav Mahler's (1860-1911) Symphony no. 1. This piece is 57 minutes in length and is divided into 4 movements. There are alot of different instruments which are used in this piece which create for a wonderful sounding work of music. There are soft passages as well as loud passages. The frequencies range from very high where your tweeters will be excercised to subbass lows for your subwoofers, and all other frequencies inbetween for the midbass and midrange as well.
Recorded in Amsterdam, May 1995.
Cheddar
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 558
My list......
Carmina Burana - Carl Orff
Bird on a Wire - Jennifer Warnes
Fresh Aire III - Manheim Steamroller
Classical Gas - Manheim Steamroller
Drum Track CD - Sheffield Labs
In The Digital Mood - Glenn Miller Orchestra
A couple of Japanese CD's (most wouldn't know the artists)
Big Notes/Tricycle - Flim and the BB's
Music of Espionage - Spies
Some were chosen because I know the recordings very well, while others are just plain good recordings that tests the system's strengths and weaknesses.
Carmina Burana - Carl Orff
Bird on a Wire - Jennifer Warnes
Fresh Aire III - Manheim Steamroller
Classical Gas - Manheim Steamroller
Drum Track CD - Sheffield Labs
In The Digital Mood - Glenn Miller Orchestra
A couple of Japanese CD's (most wouldn't know the artists)
Big Notes/Tricycle - Flim and the BB's
Music of Espionage - Spies
Some were chosen because I know the recordings very well, while others are just plain good recordings that tests the system's strengths and weaknesses.
0 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 8
I came here to research buying a Phoenix Gold amp, and found this thread. Can't resist throwing in my two cents. Agree with some of the folks that Eurythmics is awesome. My fave is the Sweet Dreams CD.
For those of you testing the bass in your car, may I suggest Telarc's 1812 Overture? http://www.telarc.com/gscripts/title...4PDVX7UFW39KX7
I bought this CD years and years ago. The cannon blasts are insane. Put it in your HU, turn up the volume, and KISS YOUR SPEAKERS GOODBYE! Hehe, you've been warned!
BTW, the largest cannon blast took out all the windows up to 300 feet away at the college where it was recorded. The carillon bells are very nice, too, imo.
For those of you testing the bass in your car, may I suggest Telarc's 1812 Overture? http://www.telarc.com/gscripts/title...4PDVX7UFW39KX7
I bought this CD years and years ago. The cannon blasts are insane. Put it in your HU, turn up the volume, and KISS YOUR SPEAKERS GOODBYE! Hehe, you've been warned!
BTW, the largest cannon blast took out all the windows up to 300 feet away at the college where it was recorded. The carillon bells are very nice, too, imo.
