Best Reference Audio Discs!

[Leonard Caillouet]

As far as vinyl, I have pretty much worn out my copies of Jazz at the PawnShop and the Sheffield Lab recording of Lincoln Mayorga and Amanda McBroom ‎– Growing Up In Hollywood Town.

On CD there are many cuts that I use for references, but have started to choose music that moves me rather than purely sounds good. There is an extra level of detail that is hard to describe that gives a reproduction of a performance an emotional component that one can hear almost instantly if really familiar with a recording. Jennifer Warnes and Leonard Cohen Famous Blue Raincoat has several cuts that are references for me, like Joan of Arc and Bird on a Wire. Many of these recordings are complex vocals. While the extremes of frequency response are often a focus of evaluating a system, I have come to lean heavily on the area where we hear the most detail, the vocal range.

 

[Sonnie Parker]

Speaking of Sheffield Labs... another awesome recording is MFSL Gold CD - James Newton Howard & Friends

 

[JBrax]

Phil Collins "Face Value" (Remastered) via Tidal HiFi. Oops wrong thread, sorry.

 

[JBrax]

I'm always on the lookout for high quality discs that I can (1) enjoy, (2) become familiar with, and (3) use as reference material.

Here's a few of my favorites... perhaps a Top 5...let's hear yours!

1) Norah Jones "Come Away With Me" SACD
2) Doug MacLeod "Come to Find" CD
3) Dire Straits "Brothers in Arms" SACD
4) Orbital "Orbital 2" CD
5) Pink Floyd "Dark Side of the Moon, Remastered" SACD 5.1

You've got some good stuff here Todd. I've never listened to Norah Jones but seen her recomended in the past. I love her voice, she's added to my playlist. Orbital is cool too but that first song made the entire room spin. Maybe too many speakers on that track to play in Dolby Surround?

 

[JBrax]

I really think this should get some play here. https://tidal.com/track/68665961 You might want to give this a spin also. https://tidal.com/track/46184515

 

[Todd Anderson]

You've got some good stuff here Todd. I've never listened to Norah Jones but seen her recomended in the past. I love her voice, she's added to my playlist. Orbital is cool too but that first song made the entire room spin. Maybe too many speakers on that track to play in Dolby Surround?

With that Orbital CD... definitely play it in 2-channel. It expands and contracts all on its own. It's a killer recording!

 

[Sonnie Parker]

I just listened to the most downloaded Orbital song... Halcyon And On And On ... for 9:27 and it was the same beat over and over and over... never changed. I was bored to death. Maybe if I was doing some hyper drug and dancing it would be pretty cool... dunno... weed never got me hyper.

 

[Todd Anderson]

LOL

 

[JBrax]

I just listened to the most downloaded Orbital song... Halcyon And On And On ... for 9:27 and it was the same beat over and over and over... never changed. I was bored to death. Maybe if I was doing some hyper drug and dancing it would be pretty cool... dunno... weed never got me hyper.

You're doing it wrong Sonnie. You have to accessorize properly in the form of glow sticks. It's like a home theater setup without subs. It just isn't the same without them.

 

[Sonnie Parker]

Any particular brand of glow sticks work better than the other?

 

[JBrax]

Any particular brand of glow sticks work better than the other?

Alloet New 7Modes Magic White Glove Rainbow Flash LED Glow Stick Gloves https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NA9FRDU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_3bqezbEB6787H

 

[Sonnie Parker]

Amazing! It's what I have been missing and now I know how Todd and the others were able to get those Orbital songs to expand and contract... it really wasn't doing it on its own.

 

[Todd Anderson]

It's a hopeless situation! ;-)

I've seen Orbital live, twice... they put on one great live show!

 

[Bacovish]

The other night my step-daughter showed up with a Lady Gaga blu-ray. Believe it was in Paris. I have to admit....it was a great show on my Sony 75". Also sounded excellent. House was shaking.

 

[JBrax]

The other night my step-daughter showed up with a Lady Gaga blu-ray. Believe it was in Paris. I have to admit....it was a great show on my Sony 75". Also sounded excellent. House was shaking.

I'm not the biggest Lady Gaga fan but that was a good show. It was very entertaining and the vivid colors were just wow!