CDLehner
New member
Wow; as I said previously…this was a tough list, to whittle down to 20. When you listen to, own, stream as much music as I do; picking 20 of anything, is downright impossible.
As such…I’m sure this list, is far from “complete”. Also…I can’t listen to music, that is crap; just because it sounds excellent, and was recorded well. Sure…I’ve got my share of audiophile darlings; but there’s at least something I can stomach, in the performance as well.
Conversely…I had to be careful, when trying to make selections for the list; not to let how good an album was…influence me, as far as the sonics. Often, I’d go “ooh…that’s sooo good. But wait…it doesn’t sound, like anything special”. To a large extent…as I scanned through my titles; I thought about, what I tend to audition new kit with.
As such…I had be careful as well; not to pick titles, that had a few great-sounding tracks…that I use to audition. But that really, the album as a whole…I couldn’t justify, in this company.
OK; enough with the disclaimers, right! Let’s talk some music!!
Alison Krauss & Union Station – Paper Airplane (24/96 FLAC digital download)
Music: 6.5 Sound: 9
This is really, one of the BEST sounding titles…on the list. I like Alison’s voice; and was a fan for a while. But I don’t find the music, to have staying power (for me). But this hi-res version, sounds amazing.
Avishai Cohen – Seven Seas (24/44.1 FLAC digital download)
Music: 7 Sound: 7
This is a quite nice, jazz soundscape kinda thing. Pretty mainstream, and not too challenging; nice sonics. "7", only within the context…of this list.
Beck – Mutations (16/44.1 SHM-CD)
Music: 8 Sound: 9.5
One of my all-time favorite sounding titles. The Redbook, was maybe the best I’ve ever heard; the SHM-CD, adds just a little…top-end sheen.
Branford Marsalis – Trio Jeepy (I have nothing better, than plain ‘ole Redbook)
Music: 7.5 Sound: 8
My favorite sounding, jazz title. The stand-up bass and drums, are mic-ed just right!
Counting Crows – Across A Wire: Live In New York, Disc 1 (POR)
Music: 9 Sound: 8.5
OK, this is one of those…I just love their music so much; I kept wanting to put titles on the list. In fact, I wanted to put Echoes of the Outlaw Roadshow on here; because I like listening to it, so damn much…it just seems to sound great. But Across A Wire, really is a sonic standout. Disc 1, is “unplugged”; and it’s pretty intimate stuff.
Dave Mathews & Tim Reynolds – Live in Las Vegas (POR)
Music: 9 Sound: 9
Wow; can I tell you something? I always f*cking HATED, the DMB (or at least thought I did). So…I’d always see Live at Radio City on these best-sounding lists; and thought “ugh…I couldn’t even stomach that sh*t”, lol.
But…I saw Live in Las Vegas, mentioned by someone on a forum; as also being outstanding sounding…and don’t ask me why, but I decided to give it a spin. Man, am I glad I did. Pretty amazing; both music, and sonics.
Now that I knew that…I went back and listened to Live at Radio City (and Live at Luther College, for that matter). This is still my pick.
Diana Krall – The Girl In The Other Room (24/96 FLAC digital download)
Music: 7 Sound: 8
Yes; I guess there needs to be some DK on this list. It’s funny; I was wayyy ahead of the curve, on her. So by the time she became an audiophile stalwart…I was already sick of her; and now…everyone is, lol.
But…this is probably the best-sounding title, IMO.
The Eagles – Hell Freezes Over (Redbook XRCD)
Music: 8 Sound: 9
Yeah, yeah; I know. Talk about your demo over-load. But seriously…this sounds so damn good; you can’t leave it off a list.
Elton John – Captain Fantastic (And The Brown Dirt Cowboy) (24/96 SACD)
Music: 8.5 Sound: 8.5
Almost as good and varied, as GYBR; and sounds fantastic.
Esperanza Spalding – Chamber Music Society (24/96 FLAC digital download)
Music: 8 Sound: 8
The Flaming Lips – At War With The Mystics (24/88.1 DVD-A)
Music: 8 Sound: 8
This is pretty loud; and if you’re not already a fan of the Lips, you might not dig this. But…it will test your system, that’s for sure.
James Blake – James Blake (POR)
Music: 8 Sound 8.5
This won’t be everyone’s cup of tea; and even I admit, to skipping a track here or there. But I do like most of it…and the sonics are insane; if a little studio wizardry.
I Never Learnt To Share, is one of like 3…bass torture-tests that I use. It might not plumb the depths, of a Pipe Organ; but it’ll shake up your insides, if your gear is up to it. Careful!
Pat Metheny Group – The Road To You (POR)
Music: 8 Sound: 8.5
There are a lot of titles, Pat has done; that could have gone on this list. His duet with Charlie Haden (R.I.P.), Beyond The Missouri Sky (Short Stories)…is gorgeous (see how I snuck that in, as not one of my 20 picks…lol); but I’ll go with this one, as Pat with top billing.
Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here (DSD)
Music: 9.5 Sound: 9.5
Need I say more? A lot of the DSD I had, was flipping to hi-sampled PCM. This title…showed me, just what DSD could be.
The Police – Ghost In The Machine (16/44.1 SHM-CD)
Music: 8 Sound: 8
Rockin’, punchy…good sound, on this SHM-CD. Last album, before The Police sold out.
The Pretenders – The Isle Of View (POR)
Music: 8.5 Sound: 8.5
I already mentioned this one, elsewhere. Aka Chrissie Unplugged. A lovely set, and really intimate sounding.
R.E.M. – Automatic For The People (24/48 DVD-A)
Music: 8.5 Sound: 8
The opening track, Drive…sounds 20 feet wide, with the right kit.
(the 24/192 download, of Out Of Time; was a very close second...and more like 9/7.5)
Trijntje Oosterhuis – Never Can Say Goodbye (POR)
Music: 6 Sound:8
I believe our own, AudioNirvana (aka Garman, aka Garnet)…turned me on to this one. The music, is pure audiophile fodder; a Dutch singer, covering Michael Jackson, lol. But it does sound pretty damn nice. IDK; maybe I should have put The Fiery Furnaces Blueberry Boat on here instead (8/8); but I know it’s just too damn weird, for most ‘philes.
Van Morrison – Moondance (24/192 FLAC digital download)
Music: 10+ Sound: 8.5
OK look; I tried, and tried, and tried…to find a way to put Astral Weeks on this list. Because if Moondance is 10+, for music; Astral Weeks is like a 15, in my book! But I just can’t find one (yet), that sounds great (my Japanese pressing, Redbook; sounds good…but not great).
Same was true, for Moondance; ‘til I got this 24/192 hi-res version. Sweet!
Yes – Close To The Edge (DSD)
Music: 10 Sound: 9
Another band, who could have a lot of titles on this list; and there are some really good re-masters out there…of Fragile, The Yes Album, Tales From Topographic Oceans; all faves.
But I’ll give the nod, to this DSD…of prog-rock at its finest!
As such…I’m sure this list, is far from “complete”. Also…I can’t listen to music, that is crap; just because it sounds excellent, and was recorded well. Sure…I’ve got my share of audiophile darlings; but there’s at least something I can stomach, in the performance as well.
Conversely…I had to be careful, when trying to make selections for the list; not to let how good an album was…influence me, as far as the sonics. Often, I’d go “ooh…that’s sooo good. But wait…it doesn’t sound, like anything special”. To a large extent…as I scanned through my titles; I thought about, what I tend to audition new kit with.
As such…I had be careful as well; not to pick titles, that had a few great-sounding tracks…that I use to audition. But that really, the album as a whole…I couldn’t justify, in this company.
OK; enough with the disclaimers, right! Let’s talk some music!!
Alison Krauss & Union Station – Paper Airplane (24/96 FLAC digital download)
Music: 6.5 Sound: 9
This is really, one of the BEST sounding titles…on the list. I like Alison’s voice; and was a fan for a while. But I don’t find the music, to have staying power (for me). But this hi-res version, sounds amazing.
Avishai Cohen – Seven Seas (24/44.1 FLAC digital download)
Music: 7 Sound: 7
This is a quite nice, jazz soundscape kinda thing. Pretty mainstream, and not too challenging; nice sonics. "7", only within the context…of this list.
Beck – Mutations (16/44.1 SHM-CD)
Music: 8 Sound: 9.5
One of my all-time favorite sounding titles. The Redbook, was maybe the best I’ve ever heard; the SHM-CD, adds just a little…top-end sheen.
Branford Marsalis – Trio Jeepy (I have nothing better, than plain ‘ole Redbook)
Music: 7.5 Sound: 8
My favorite sounding, jazz title. The stand-up bass and drums, are mic-ed just right!
Counting Crows – Across A Wire: Live In New York, Disc 1 (POR)
Music: 9 Sound: 8.5
OK, this is one of those…I just love their music so much; I kept wanting to put titles on the list. In fact, I wanted to put Echoes of the Outlaw Roadshow on here; because I like listening to it, so damn much…it just seems to sound great. But Across A Wire, really is a sonic standout. Disc 1, is “unplugged”; and it’s pretty intimate stuff.
Dave Mathews & Tim Reynolds – Live in Las Vegas (POR)
Music: 9 Sound: 9
Wow; can I tell you something? I always f*cking HATED, the DMB (or at least thought I did). So…I’d always see Live at Radio City on these best-sounding lists; and thought “ugh…I couldn’t even stomach that sh*t”, lol.
But…I saw Live in Las Vegas, mentioned by someone on a forum; as also being outstanding sounding…and don’t ask me why, but I decided to give it a spin. Man, am I glad I did. Pretty amazing; both music, and sonics.
Now that I knew that…I went back and listened to Live at Radio City (and Live at Luther College, for that matter). This is still my pick.
Diana Krall – The Girl In The Other Room (24/96 FLAC digital download)
Music: 7 Sound: 8
Yes; I guess there needs to be some DK on this list. It’s funny; I was wayyy ahead of the curve, on her. So by the time she became an audiophile stalwart…I was already sick of her; and now…everyone is, lol.
But…this is probably the best-sounding title, IMO.
The Eagles – Hell Freezes Over (Redbook XRCD)
Music: 8 Sound: 9
Yeah, yeah; I know. Talk about your demo over-load. But seriously…this sounds so damn good; you can’t leave it off a list.
Elton John – Captain Fantastic (And The Brown Dirt Cowboy) (24/96 SACD)
Music: 8.5 Sound: 8.5
Almost as good and varied, as GYBR; and sounds fantastic.
Esperanza Spalding – Chamber Music Society (24/96 FLAC digital download)
Music: 8 Sound: 8
The Flaming Lips – At War With The Mystics (24/88.1 DVD-A)
Music: 8 Sound: 8
This is pretty loud; and if you’re not already a fan of the Lips, you might not dig this. But…it will test your system, that’s for sure.
James Blake – James Blake (POR)
Music: 8 Sound 8.5
This won’t be everyone’s cup of tea; and even I admit, to skipping a track here or there. But I do like most of it…and the sonics are insane; if a little studio wizardry.
I Never Learnt To Share, is one of like 3…bass torture-tests that I use. It might not plumb the depths, of a Pipe Organ; but it’ll shake up your insides, if your gear is up to it. Careful!
Pat Metheny Group – The Road To You (POR)
Music: 8 Sound: 8.5
There are a lot of titles, Pat has done; that could have gone on this list. His duet with Charlie Haden (R.I.P.), Beyond The Missouri Sky (Short Stories)…is gorgeous (see how I snuck that in, as not one of my 20 picks…lol); but I’ll go with this one, as Pat with top billing.
Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here (DSD)
Music: 9.5 Sound: 9.5
Need I say more? A lot of the DSD I had, was flipping to hi-sampled PCM. This title…showed me, just what DSD could be.
The Police – Ghost In The Machine (16/44.1 SHM-CD)
Music: 8 Sound: 8
Rockin’, punchy…good sound, on this SHM-CD. Last album, before The Police sold out.
The Pretenders – The Isle Of View (POR)
Music: 8.5 Sound: 8.5
I already mentioned this one, elsewhere. Aka Chrissie Unplugged. A lovely set, and really intimate sounding.
R.E.M. – Automatic For The People (24/48 DVD-A)
Music: 8.5 Sound: 8
The opening track, Drive…sounds 20 feet wide, with the right kit.
(the 24/192 download, of Out Of Time; was a very close second...and more like 9/7.5)
Trijntje Oosterhuis – Never Can Say Goodbye (POR)
Music: 6 Sound:8
I believe our own, AudioNirvana (aka Garman, aka Garnet)…turned me on to this one. The music, is pure audiophile fodder; a Dutch singer, covering Michael Jackson, lol. But it does sound pretty damn nice. IDK; maybe I should have put The Fiery Furnaces Blueberry Boat on here instead (8/8); but I know it’s just too damn weird, for most ‘philes.
Van Morrison – Moondance (24/192 FLAC digital download)
Music: 10+ Sound: 8.5
OK look; I tried, and tried, and tried…to find a way to put Astral Weeks on this list. Because if Moondance is 10+, for music; Astral Weeks is like a 15, in my book! But I just can’t find one (yet), that sounds great (my Japanese pressing, Redbook; sounds good…but not great).
Same was true, for Moondance; ‘til I got this 24/192 hi-res version. Sweet!
Yes – Close To The Edge (DSD)
Music: 10 Sound: 9
Another band, who could have a lot of titles on this list; and there are some really good re-masters out there…of Fragile, The Yes Album, Tales From Topographic Oceans; all faves.
But I’ll give the nod, to this DSD…of prog-rock at its finest!
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