I have searched the I-way, and in many different ways the typical question; best recorded album/cd, Audiophile quality top 100 etc. ad nauseum...
At one point you see a pattern emerge, but the lesser known stand outs are never mentioned...
Except for the very last one I posted below, I was 100% surprised how freaking amazing it sounded on a reasonably good setup... The last one I knew would be amazing, but never see anyone mention it...
I thought it might be fun to start a thread where everyone mentions at least 3 surprise audiophile - superb sounding albums or songs that never get the credit they deserve !
Im starting this with...
Tears for Fears - The seeds of love
Natalie Merchant - Ophelia
Nigel Stanford - Solar Echoes
At one point you see a pattern emerge, but the lesser known stand outs are never mentioned...
Except for the very last one I posted below, I was 100% surprised how freaking amazing it sounded on a reasonably good setup... The last one I knew would be amazing, but never see anyone mention it...
I thought it might be fun to start a thread where everyone mentions at least 3 surprise audiophile - superb sounding albums or songs that never get the credit they deserve !
Im starting this with...
Tears for Fears - The seeds of love
Natalie Merchant - Ophelia
Nigel Stanford - Solar Echoes
Here's a few of my favorites. Unfortunately some are difficult to locate, but can be sampled on youtube.
1) The Lady In Red - The Hot Club of San Francisco (Clarity Recordings 2 mike HDCD 24 bit recording)
2) Happy Coat - Shota Osabe Piano Trio (K2 HD mastering)
3) Pure Heart - Hiroko Kokubu (JVC 20 bit K2 mastering) (both are)
4) A Girl Meets Bossa Nova 2 (and others) - Olivia Ong (HDCD 24 bit recording)
Olivia Ong is no power singer but does have a sweet clear well recorded up front voice. Sings mostly in English but also sometimes Chinese and Japanese.
1) The Lady In Red - The Hot Club of San Francisco (Clarity Recordings 2 mike HDCD 24 bit recording)
2) Happy Coat - Shota Osabe Piano Trio (K2 HD mastering)
3) Pure Heart - Hiroko Kokubu (JVC 20 bit K2 mastering) (both are)
4) A Girl Meets Bossa Nova 2 (and others) - Olivia Ong (HDCD 24 bit recording)
Olivia Ong is no power singer but does have a sweet clear well recorded up front voice. Sings mostly in English but also sometimes Chinese and Japanese.
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I'll especially call out the first 35 seconds of "Bad Man's Song" on that album!
There are a number of song intros I turn to:
This one is probably well known, but the dynamics of the drum intro to "Murder by numbers" by The Police are fantastic. I also use "Tea in the Sahara" from that album for critical listening.
Perhaps less audiophile quality, but the intro sequence of "Refrigerator Car" by Spin Doctors is great to see how a system handles a "rock sound".
These two must surely be well known, but the first minute-thirty of "Bali Run" by Fourplay, as well as all of "Four on Six" by Lee Ritenour are also great quality.
The bass intro to "Lose Yourself to Dance" by Daft Punk is just delicious.
"Broken Bones (Bonus Track)" by CHVRCHES has some nice nearly sub-sonic content.
"En Gallop" by Joanna Newsom always gets me.
I'll also give a shout to the album "The K&D Sessions" by Kruder and Dorfmeister as an uncommon album which I keep coming back to.
This one (uptown ranking) kindly surprised me, it’s recorded quite well for 1978.
And although I wouldn’t consider this one by rusted root ‘audiophile’ there’s something magical about the recording.
And although I wouldn’t consider this one by rusted root ‘audiophile’ there’s something magical about the recording.
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NICE!
Thats what Im talking about lol...
And I 100% agree.. It is why I felt the need to mention
I will 100% investigate the others you and others mentioned....
My collection is probably tiny as compared to many here.
I was the first person I knew with a CD player, and bought a few here and there.. Never really went nuts...
Now that I have something I REALLY enjoy listening to, exploration is a priority. I hate buying an album and hating every song, but have bought because of one song I love, and wound up loving the entire cd...
Cant wait to see more !
Thats what Im talking about lol...
And I 100% agree.. It is why I felt the need to mention
I will 100% investigate the others you and others mentioned....
My collection is probably tiny as compared to many here.
I was the first person I knew with a CD player, and bought a few here and there.. Never really went nuts...
Now that I have something I REALLY enjoy listening to, exploration is a priority. I hate buying an album and hating every song, but have bought because of one song I love, and wound up loving the entire cd...
Cant wait to see more !
audiophile unknowns
Hi
It was in 1983, I got my first CD player, bought a CD VIRUS by DOE MAAR, a Dutch pop band, it seems they recorded it on one of the first digital studio recorders, that's what I heard, anyway, there the dynamics are really good, at the time I used, and still use, the Kenwoods M2 in an active diy set up, with large TL's, they hit the 220 Watt markings on the display!
The Kef B139's did not give up, awesome! I think they forget the compression..
Very long time before I found any other recordings with these kind of dynamics....
Cheers, Tom.
Hi
It was in 1983, I got my first CD player, bought a CD VIRUS by DOE MAAR, a Dutch pop band, it seems they recorded it on one of the first digital studio recorders, that's what I heard, anyway, there the dynamics are really good, at the time I used, and still use, the Kenwoods M2 in an active diy set up, with large TL's, they hit the 220 Watt markings on the display!
The Kef B139's did not give up, awesome! I think they forget the compression..
Very long time before I found any other recordings with these kind of dynamics....
Cheers, Tom.
Working Week - Working Nights (1985)
Working Week - Companeros (1986)
Both (vinyl) albums are superbly recorded and cut, sounding very transparent and natural. Containing Juliet Robert's female voice which is often regarded as very suitable for judging audio gear.
Both still serve me well when it comes to acquire new gear or show gear that I'm about to sell to a possible customer.
Best regards!
Working Week - Companeros (1986)
Both (vinyl) albums are superbly recorded and cut, sounding very transparent and natural. Containing Juliet Robert's female voice which is often regarded as very suitable for judging audio gear.
Both still serve me well when it comes to acquire new gear or show gear that I'm about to sell to a possible customer.
Best regards!
"Fall in Love with Olivia"? No problem...
Marillion's "Clutching at Straws". Love the uncorking of the bottle and the poured drink happening dead center stage - as if it's right in the room. The match-strike is pretty convincing too.
I cant hear them so well anymore, like a lot of delights in many pieces I used to hear and revel in.
The Pat Metheney stuff I have sounds really good to me; Still Life (Talking) Letter from Home, Imaginary Day.
Marillion's "Clutching at Straws". Love the uncorking of the bottle and the poured drink happening dead center stage - as if it's right in the room. The match-strike is pretty convincing too.
I cant hear them so well anymore, like a lot of delights in many pieces I used to hear and revel in.
The Pat Metheney stuff I have sounds really good to me; Still Life (Talking) Letter from Home, Imaginary Day.
NedSym Lite - Crossroads
Great thread!
NedSym Lite: 5 musicians of Netherlands Symphony Orchestra (hence the name) and several guests exploring the wide field between jazz, classical chamber music, tango, and traditionals.
Recording quality is outstanding, even for a Super Audio.
Choice of titles, and their surprising interpretation, are brilliant. Don't get me wrong: when talking about music, 'surprising' is sometimes used as a synonym for 'tiring' or 'demanding' - but not this time. Listening fun factor is top level - at least to me.
Great thread!
NedSym Lite: 5 musicians of Netherlands Symphony Orchestra (hence the name) and several guests exploring the wide field between jazz, classical chamber music, tango, and traditionals.
Recording quality is outstanding, even for a Super Audio.
Choice of titles, and their surprising interpretation, are brilliant. Don't get me wrong: when talking about music, 'surprising' is sometimes used as a synonym for 'tiring' or 'demanding' - but not this time. Listening fun factor is top level - at least to me.
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