What is your personal reference audiophile recording (best sound quality)?

[MrAcoustat]

No they are not the same, these 2 cd,s are 24kt gold and cost me $75.00 each in the 80s, the disc on the right as these cuts 1= The way whe where 2 = Midnight sugar 3 = Smoke gets in your eyes 4 = Sibelius testament 5 = Rhapsody in blue 6 =Alone together 7 =Bridge over trouble water 8 = Aqua marine 9 = misty The one on the left as these cuts 1 =Misty ( piano ) 2 = My one and only love 3 = Back to the sea 4 = I'm a fool to want you 5 = Georgia on my mind 6 = Greensleeves 7 = Yesterdays 8 = Alone together 9 = Mysty ( hammond B3 ) both are from Golden Strings Audiophile Repertory Japan numbers GS CD004 - GS CD006 and very rare. good luck.

 

PS: Both discs are recorded at very low volume BUT the sound quality is exceptional.

[MrAcoustat]

some great sounding recordings in my collection include:

• Anouar Brahem: "Astrakan Cafe"
  
• Bill Evans Trio: "Waltz for Debbie"
  
• E.S.T: "Live in Berlin"
  
• Eva Cassidy: "Live at the Blues Alley"
  
• Jacintha: "Autumn leaves"
  
• Jacky Terrasson: "Rendez-Vous"
  
• Keith Jarrett/Charlie Haden: "Jasmine". You can add any of the "Montreal Tapes" recordings from Charlie Haden to the list as well.
  
• Marcel Kanche: "Vertiges des lenteurs". The first track "Elle m'en veut" has a deep bass that will challenge any amplifier and speakers...
  
• Michel Jonasz: "Pole ouest"
  
• Michel Petrucciani: "Live Solo"
  
• Miles Davis: "Kind of Blue"
  
• Musica Nuda: "Musica Nuda 2".
  
• Patricia Barber: all of her albums have a fantastic recording quality. I tend to like "Mythologies" particularly.
  
• Tord Gustavsen Trio: "Being there"
  
• Youn Sun Nah: "Voyage"
  

 

Laurent

 

 

[cpvniii]

Joshua Judges Ruth-Lyle Lovett....one of the best "CD" recordings EVER made...

Forget About It-Alison Kraus

[Jeff In San Diego]

Well if for you it's the sound of a piano, may i suggest these two.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]11017[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]11018[/ATTACH]

 

I've been away so long...not sure its appropriate for me to be welcoming new members, but hey, here goes anyway. Anybody who would wake up this "best thread ever" is OK in my book. Welcome!

 

And thanks so much for introducing me to this artist I had not met before:

Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/tsuyoshi-yamamoto-trio-misty/id339920009

 

To you and everyone else...more like this????? Absolutely love small piano group jazz that is well recorded. (and I'm on that rarified fringe of folks here who can and do enjoy the best of what's available on iTunes. )

[MrAcoustat]

Three more for you Jeff, i'm a jazz trio freak if you like these i have plenty more suggestions.

 

[Musicophile]

Three more for you Jeff, i'm a jazz trio freak if you like these i have plenty more suggestions.

 

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Fully agree with Tord Gustavsen. Note they are also available in 24/96. The Ground is my favorite.

 

@Jeff: Otherwise, you'll have several other recommendations in this thread:

 

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f15-music-general/are-we-living-golden-age-jazz-piano-trio-18603/

[MrAcoustat]

ALMOST everything by Hadouk trio ( except a few ) these you can buy with your eyes shut.

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPnj505Oh8c

[mkrzych]

Fully agree with Tord Gustavsen. Note they are also available in 24/96. The Ground is my favorite.

 

@Jeff: Otherwise, you'll have several other recommendations in this thread:

 

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f15-music-general/are-we-living-golden-age-jazz-piano-trio-18603/

 

BTW, The Ground is available in 24/96 here: The Ground (24Bit) by Tord Gustavsen Trio | GubeMusic

[oso]

This one is amazing, same kind of quality as the other downloads from the little label, but now with more instruments

 

and bigger arrangements.The sound stage is huge.

 

The trumpet player, Bandoneon player and the cellist are phenomenal.

The first track and the last track are very different,first track has a full 9 piece band and the last is just trumpet with a gorgeously recorded Joshua Samson on percussion, but still there is no doubt, that both tracks belongs on this album. Very very well done.

Andre Heuvelman - After Silence

 

 

[Musicophile]

BTW, The Ground is available in 24/96 here: The Ground (24Bit) by Tord Gustavsen Trio | GubeMusic

At Qobuz you'd save 99cts...

 

The Well | Tord Gustavsen Quartet – Télécharger et écouter l'album

[Keyser Söze]

My reference recording is still Dark Side of the Moon. I have the MFSL as well as the original US Capitol CD.

[Priaptor]

ALMOST everything by Hadouk trio ( except a few ) these you can buy with your eyes shut.

 

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPnj505Oh8c

 

Live a FIP one of the GREAT live albums of all time. Highly recommended on my behalf as well. It is the only Hadouk Trio I own and I have no idea why I never bought more. Are their other albums in downloadable format or all CDs?

[Biku Toru]

Lot's of fine recordings mentioned here.

Love Tord Gustavsen's anything, but it just wouldn't push the music boxes hard enough to see if the system hand handle almost anything

 

My personal is Amazon.com: Best of Anna Netrebko: Music.

It made me sell a few pairs HiFi headphones that just couldn't handle her upper register. I was almost scared to test my main system, thanks god my speakers handled it without a problem.

Not to mention her voice gives me goosebumps every time.

[MrAcoustat]

Live a FIP one of the GREAT live albums of all time. Highly recommended on my behalf as well. It is the only Hadouk Trio I own and I have no idea why I never bought more. Are their other albums in downloadable format or all CDs?

 

Sorry i would not know i'm 100% cd man and have been since 1983.

[Priaptor]

Sorry i would not know i'm 100% cd man and have been since 1983.

 

Actually can download them at Qobuz.com

 

Thanks for the post and reminding me about one of my favorite listens.

 

Well it now looks like the have become a "quartet" at least for this recording

 

Hadoukly Yours | Hadouk Quartet – Télécharger et écouter l'album

[MrAcoustat]

Actually can download them at Qobuz.com

 

Thanks for the post and reminding me about one of my favorite listens.

 

Well it now looks like the have become a "quartet" at least for this recording

 

Hadoukly Yours | Hadouk Quartet*– Télécharger et écouter l'album

 

Yes you are right and this album is NOT one i would recommend.

[Sonicgroove]

Flaming lips, Yoshimi battles the pink robots (DVDA) Truly one of the greatest recording, on a production level. Played through 5.1 speakers, nothing comes close, for me.

 

Pink Floyd, Dark side of the moon (DVDA) It's as though this band knew that 5.1 audio would one day become popular when they recorded this album.

 

Beck, Mutations & Sea Change. Sonically superb and the quality of songwriting matches the audio quality.

 

Sylvain Luc & Bireli Lagrene. Take your pick. the acoustic Jazz pushes any system to the max.

[christian u]

This one is amazing, same kind of quality as the other downloads from the little label, but now with more instruments

 

and bigger arrangements.The sound stage is huge.

 

The trumpet player, Bandoneon player and the cellist are phenomenal.

The first track and the last track are very different,first track has a full 9 piece band and the last is just trumpet with a gorgeously recorded Joshua Samson on percussion, but still there is no doubt, that both tracks belongs on this album. Very very well done.

Andre Heuvelman - After Silence

 

 

Yes this is a good example of top level musicianship AND top level audio engineering.

Somebody on the audiogon forum called Andre Heuvelman, the worlds best trumpet player, whether that is true or not, he does have the most beautiful tone on his instrument.

[HIFI]

THANKS bbfoto . . .

 

I think this is really as good as you say.

 

 

I am looking to purchase this and I can only find a iTunes or CDBaby download with no real resolution as this artist deserves. Is there anything better to purchase than these limited rez downloads available?

 

I did pick up a couple of your other recommendations bbfoto.

 

Thanks to you and all that have jumped in with recommendations.

[kevalin]

HIFI, I actually emailed Steph Johnson who will send you any of her three releases. I had a hard time locating her second release so send off an email. I was pleasantly surprised to get a personal email in return. CDbaby is 16/44.1 and any of the three you can get a CD direct from her. I suggested she contact Cookie at Bluecoast/Downloadsnow about current releases in HR or future ones with Cookie. Cookie is very approachable and down to earth gal. I believe they both would enjoy working with eachother.

[elcorso]

Actually can download them at Qobuz.com

 

Thanks for the post and reminding me about one of my favorite listens.

 

Well it now looks like the have become a "quartet" at least for this recording

 

Hadoukly Yours | Hadouk Quartet*– Télécharger et écouter l'album

 

Live at Fip (2 CDs) continuous to be the best Hadouk, at least to my taste. Maybe the live audience contribute a lot, and also an excellent recording to be 'live' (non edited).

 

I don't like very much the last one "Hadoukly Yours", even if it's high res.

 

Roch

[MrAcoustat]

Live at Fip (2 CDs) continuous to be the best Hadouk, at least to my taste. Maybe the live audience contribute a lot, and also an excellent recording to be 'live' (non edited).

 

I don't like very much the last one "Hadoukly Yours", even if it's high res.

 

Roch

 

Agree 100% and if you want the REAL trio it's - Didier Malherbe - Loy Ehrlich - Steve Shehan - those three are the original trio.

[bbfoto]

THANKS bbfoto . . .

 

I think this is really as good as you say.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]11336[/ATTACH]

 

I am looking to purchase this and I can only find a iTunes or CDBaby download with no real resolution as this artist deserves. Is there anything better to purchase than these limited rez downloads available?

 

I did pick up a couple of your other recommendations bbfoto.

 

Thanks to you and all that have jumped in with recommendations.

 

HIFI, I actually emailed Steph Johnson who will send you any of her three releases. I had a hard time locating her second release so send off an email. I was pleasantly surprised to get a personal email in return. CDbaby is 16/44.1 and any of the three you can get a CD direct from her. I suggested she contact Cookie at Bluecoast/Downloadsnow about current releases in HR or future ones with Cookie. Cookie is very approachable and down to earth gal. I believe they both would enjoy working with eachother.

 

Sorry that I didn't get back to you gents sooner in this thread, however I did respond to HIFI's email. Yes, just contact Steph Johnson through her web site at Steph Johnson Band and she'll get a CD to you!

 

I've been buying discs/downloading like crazy because of this thread, LOL! Absolutely fantastic recommendations here! Thanks all.

 

And thanks, kevalin, for responding to HIFI. Yep, Steph is a true sweetheart and really does take the time whenever she can to personally respond to her emails. That's awesome that you put her in contact with Cookie at Bluecoast/Downloadsnow! I've also been thinking about how to get her music out to the masses, so props to you for that!

 

Thanks again everyone. Keep the recommendations coming!

 

Billy B.

[Boris75]

For everyone's information, there is a thread on the Steve Hoffman forum that deals with a closely related question to the one we are addressing here and offers many attractive disc recommendations.

 

[P.S.: Though I am a long-time CA member, I am not really sure that posting such links to other fora is allowed. If this is not authorised, I'll gladly drop this post.]

[mwheelerk]

There are a number I use from time to time, they seem to change, but one that is always a touchstone to check a system or any changes in equipment or set up I may be doing is Joni Mitchell Blue sourced from the DCC Gold CD version