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fronobulax View Drop Down
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Joined: September 01 2017
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Points: 44 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Audiophile Prog
    Posted: September 12 2017 at 15:34
Hi, 
Maybe this has been covered before, but I'm wondering what albums you esteemed folks think are stellar recordings. I have a pile of money sunk into two stereo systems, and I have sourced out some recommendations from this awesome site only to find that although the music is OK, the recordings are unlistenable, auto-tuney, or overly compressed, especially new releases. Drums and vocals are a huge part of this, and I always think a drum kit should sound full range and natural, with vocals avoiding the sort of compression that sounds too digital and unnatural.

For example, I love the sound of ELP's Trilogy, but not so much BSS. Close to the Edge sounds fantastic, however I find TFTO muddy, with drums sounding like they were recorded in a cardboard box. (The Steven Wilson two channel mix is really no better, and his mix of "Power and the Glory" is clear, but sucks the air out of the performance and seems to emphasize each instrument's track individually rather than the glorious whole. This could possibly be the result of trying to remix stuff primarily for 5.1 enthusiasts)

I don't judge music based on the recordings. I love Ange's "Cimitiere des Arlequins," which you may or may not agree is a pretty muffled record. The latest Opeth also contains some interesting (muffled?) choices in the mixing of the drums...I still like it a lot.

I guess what I was hoping was that you folks might have some more obscure recommendations. I discovered "Locanda Delle Fate" on this site last week, and WOW is that an incredible piece of engineering with an awesome soundstage!

I think everyone agrees that Pink Floyd sounds good, so maybe we could avoid them, and help each other out! There's no point in getting too technical, with various pressings and stuff, just great bands recorded well.
Thanks!!!
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Mascodagama View Drop Down
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Points: 5111 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 12 2017 at 15:52
If your tastes inlude jazz-inflected, slightly experimental folk rock, try the s/t album by The Pentangle. A demonstration class recording since 1968.

Any of Steely Dan's albums - but particularly The Royal Scam, Aja and Gaucho - should tickle your earbuds.
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BaldJean View Drop Down
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Points: 10387 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 12 2017 at 16:04
not prog, but if you want to test your stereo system to the limit I recommend "Crash" by drummer Charly Antolini


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Quinino View Drop Down
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Points: 3654 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 12 2017 at 16:10
Scott, I think I know what you mean but can't see you reaching your goal this way, with no additional details to guide us - let me put it this way:
Which genres do you like the most ?
Your fav bands ?
Media: Vinyl, CD, FLAC, mp3...
Only Prog - or other styles as well?

Otherwise we'll fall in a contradiction: you don't judge music based on the recordings BUT you call for recommendations based (only?) on the recordings - where do we stand?

Sorry if I misunderstood your meaning, anyways to get the ball rolling let me suggest this fine album
I bought on FLAC (unfortunately not 24/96) but good quality all around production/mixing and MUSIC
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Manuel View Drop Down
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Points: 13481 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 12 2017 at 17:51
Try Jade Warrior's "Now". Great recording and great music as well. John Mitchell's "Lonely Robot" is another one I really enjoy, specially the mastering.
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Points: 1 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 13 2017 at 00:21
I always test my stereo with either "The Game" or "The Works" from Queen - mainly due to great sounding drums and vocals - so exactly on par with what you're looking for (mind, that there are few songs with drum machine on the latter; I love the blend of machine and real drums on "Machines" though). No pure prog, but prog-related I guess.


As far as prog goes, I've always considered Supertramp's "A Crime Of The Century" as another "Dark Side Of The Moon", in terms that it sounds amazingly good as for the release year (1974).
On Gentle Giant's "Free Hand" there is in my opinion the best sounding bass line ever - in the song called "His Last Voyage".

Zappa's "Joe's Garage" and "You Are What You Is" also sound great.
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Points: 7024 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 13 2017 at 07:15
My main system is:

Pink Triangle Anniversary turntable
SME series V arm
Lyra Lydian cartridge

Audiolab 8000C pre and 8000P power amps

Mission 753 Freedom speakers

A few vinyls which stand out from memory are:
Solution - Fully Interlocking (the drum intro to Carousel is amazing)
Joan Armatrading - Me Myself I
Belinda Carlisle - Runaway Horses
Steeleye Span - Below the Salt
Moving Hearts - The Storm
Gentle Giant - Free Hand
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Points: 1578 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 13 2017 at 07:34
Gentle Giant - Free Hand indeed is a very good recording.

You can't really go wrong with the Moody Blues-albums 1967-1972. ( alot going in the music, that normal earbuds can't translate to the human ear)
Also the three Rupert Hine-albums of the early eighties (Immunity - Waving not Drowning - Wildest Wish to Fly) have superb production qualities.

Perhaps if you like Pink Floyd, give Eloy a go. It's rather sterile, but Frank really knows how to mix.
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Quinino View Drop Down
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Points: 3654 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 13 2017 at 08:12
Originally posted by Hercules Hercules wrote:



Audiolab 8000C pre and 8000P power amps

A few vinyls which stand out from memory are:
Solution - Fully Interlocking (the drum intro to Carousel is amazing)
Joan Armatrading - Me Myself I


Quinino approves this message - Thank you Tony ! Big smile
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Kepler62 View Drop Down
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Points: 501 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 13 2017 at 08:20
I avoid CDs and digital recordings as much as possible. Don't know if you're into Krautrock but there are quite a few decent recordings that I have on vinyl. Grobschnitt Solar Music Live, Guru Guru Live '78, Neu!. A lot of stuff on the Brain label sounds terrific. Not going to go through titles but Conny Plank did some great work during the seventies. I have yet to hear a Canadian pressing that sounds anything near what you're looking for. The Canadian pressings no matter how well engineered the recording are the worst. 
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hellogoodbye View Drop Down
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Points: 7251 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 13 2017 at 12:09
Cd is for audiophile, Vinyl for music lover. 
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progmatic View Drop Down
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Points: 1785 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 13 2017 at 14:19
Almost all  of the albums from the 70s recorded on Decca and Deram labels feature awesome recordings. Philips too, for the most part.
PROGMATIC
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JD View Drop Down
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Points: 18446 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 13 2017 at 17:03
Absolutely agree with the Trilogy/BSS assessment. (huge ELP fan BTW).

But the first one that popped into my head was Thomas Dolby - The Flat Earth. Stellar recording !

I once had a Half Speed Mastered vinyl of ELP's Pictures at an Ex. It made a huge difference on my platter compared to the regular release which I also had.

Ahhhh, those were the days.


Edited by JD - September 14 2017 at 07:32
Thank you for supporting independently produced music
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zachfive View Drop Down
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Points: 770 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 13 2017 at 18:00
Anything by the Alan Parsons Project. Production value is top notch by one of the best engineers in the biz.
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Points: 1360 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 13 2017 at 19:06
+1 Aja

+1 Alan Parsons Project

+1 Anything Conny Plank

Depois Do Fim by Bacamarte is very well mixed.

Bowie's Berlin trilogy.

Talk Talk - Spirit of Eden, Oldfield - Tubular Bells, Kraftwerk - Ralf und Florian are always among the first 10 albums I listen to to test new audio equipment along with Aja and Alan Parsons Project's I Robot. Miles Davis' Bitches Brew is another must.

Also this. Such a unique guitar tone which cannot be faithfully reproduced with poor audio (youtube doesn't help):


Now can we talk about overproduced albums I feel like I have more examples there. LOL
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Points: 7 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 21 2017 at 20:24
There seem to be many stellar recordings to choose from nowadays. Here are a few which have been either impeccably engineered or brought to life again through great remastering, IMHO.

Original mixes:
Jukka Gustavson-Toden Toistoa
Solution- Cordon Bleu
Ashra- New Age of Earth, Blackouts
Stackridge- The Man With The Bowler Hat, Friendliness

Remasters:
Starcastle-S/T, Fountains of Light
Wigwam- Being
Caravan-In The Land of The Grey and The Pink
Solis Lacus (Belgian jazz)- S/T
Patto-Hold Your Fire

I agree with the earlier poster who said that the Steely Dan remasters were fantastic, the same could be said for 'The Nightfly' by Donald Fagen, though it was originally a digital master, in 1982! A good quality DAC can also give your music that extra something.


Edited by synthonaplinth - December 21 2017 at 20:25
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Mascodagama View Drop Down
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Points: 5111 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 21 2017 at 21:04
Originally posted by hellogoodbye hellogoodbye wrote:

Cd is for audiophile, Vinyl for music lover. 
Sorry, but that is nonsense.

Edited by Mascodagama - December 21 2017 at 21:04
Soldato of the Pan Head Mafia. We'll make you an offer you can't listen to.
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progmatic View Drop Down
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Points: 1785 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 22 2017 at 07:51
All of the Caravan remasters are incredible, especially Live at the New Symphonia. The recording is incredible. Music's not too shabby either.
PROGMATIC
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Lewian View Drop Down
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Points: 15683 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 24 2017 at 17:15
Quote Talk Talk - Spirit of Eden

!
A friend of mine has perfect pitch and worked for some equipment companies as test listener. Through this he  met Mark Hollis, who is very much into audiophile sound. In any case, the last three Talk Talk albums sound very special to me (can't claim to be a gifted audiophile myself though).
Other artists that impress my through sound are Holger Czukay (The New Millenium, Good Morning Story) and Battles.
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dr wu23 View Drop Down
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Points: 20712 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 25 2017 at 12:01
I'm not an audiophile.....my system is still the once I purchased 35 years ago...though I have had to change the cd player once...mid priced std equipment..Onkyo table, Onkyo receiver/amp, Sony cd player , Ortofon S4 cartridge and original Advent 3 speakers.........but these albums always sounded good to me...but as many have said it depends on one's ear also...
Joni Mitchell -Blue
Neil Young- After the Goldrush
Traffic= Low Spark
Happy The Man- Crafty Hands
IQ- Frequency and Dark Matter
...




Edited by dr wu23 - December 25 2017 at 12:04
One does nothing yet nothing is left undone.
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