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

[oso]

testikhof has analyzed both downloads; technically After Silence is a notch above Road to Memphis

less ambient noise, but both albums have a superior SQ.

Andre Heuvelman's ''After silence'' is now at the top of my list. I find Paul Berner's ''Road to Memphis'' almost as good in terms of sq. Both downloads have a unique sense of depth, placement and separation of the instruments but with a sound that gels.

I think I used to have Paul Berner as my reference but Testikhoff's insistence on After Silence has had a bit of influence on my judgment:)

 

Both downloads are on sale as we speak for $11; Sound Liaison Music Shop;

 

[tallica1]

This is a great thread. What are some additional DSD 64 128 etc top 5 ? tx

[kaufenpreis]

One of my favorites: Harold Farberman "The All Star Percussion Ensemble" - CD rip

[jjraffin]

For a Blu-Ray surround tracks (for something different) AIX recording of John Gorka is excellent.

 

[http://www.aixrecords.com/images/gorka_bd_bottom_photo.jpg/URL]

[odelay]

The Trinity Session by Cowboy Junkies is exquisite.

 

I really dig the Trinity Revisited. Recorded in the same Toronto Church some 19 years on. Love hearing Margo and the Church on the opening cut, Mining for Gold. It's interesting to compare versions.

[bibaska]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1850476351895397/

 

 

Canton reference 9 dc

Primare a20

[HIFI]

Available in vinyl and every high Rez format

 

Stemila (The Coal Train) is a speaker manufactures favorite demo.

[Kal Rubinson]

1 hour ago, HIFI said:

Available in vinyl and every high Rez format

Multichannel? 

[ted_b]

On 1/19/2016 at 2:10 AM, solrighal said:

The Trinity Session by Cowboy Junkies is exquisite.

And as I've posted in other threads, the SACD is sublime.  Often times my favorite format's disc releases are, like many hirez rereleases,  not a huge uptick in sound quality.  In this case, the SACD remaster is a real gem!!  I can't listen to any other format of this magnificent album any more.  And it has always been a desert island disc for me.

[pvanosta]

Some of my test tracks for any new component:

 

- Anything by Patricia Barber on SACD (e.g. 'Alfie' from the album 'Nightclub')

- Stevie Ray Vaughn - Tin Pan Alley on SACD

- Michael Jonasz - Le Temps Passé (from the live album 'La Fabuleuse Histoire de Mr. Swing'

- Dead Can Dance - Yulunga on SACD

- Oscar Peterson - We Get requests in HiRez FLAC

 

[Musicophile]

31 minutes ago, pvanosta said:

Some of my test tracks for any new component:

 

- Anything by Patricia Barber on SACD (e.g. 'Alfie' from the album 'Nightclub')

- Stevie Ray Vaughn - Tin Pan Alley on SACD

- Michael Jonasz - Le Temps Passé (from the live album 'La Fabuleuse Histoire de Mr. Swing'

- Dead Can Dance - Yulunga on SACD

- Oscar Peterson - We Get requests in HiRez FLAC

 

Which version of We Get Requests do you prefer?

 

I’m hesitating between the K2HD and the Analogue Productions remaster. 

[pvanosta]

11 minutes ago, Musicophile said:

Which version of We Get Requests do you prefer?

 

I’m hesitating between the K2HD and the Analogue Productions remaster. 

That is an excellent question. I have the Analogue production SACD, the regular Verve 16/44 CD and the HD Flac version (24/88). I need to revisit the HD vs. the SACD version to give an answer to that. Logic dictates the AP SACD should win the argument (I almost invariably like what they do) but will confirm when I can.

[STC]

Not really for best aound quality but I like 6 minutes into Patricia Barber’s Black magic Woman. The drums separation and the room feeling applause where you can place each instrument and person. This is a fun track for auditioning high end system. 

 

The other one to check the system’s attack is Jazz Variant from The Manger. 

 

 

[pvanosta]

2 more popped into my head:

- Jazz at the Pawnshop (SACD)

- Bill Evans - Waltz for Debbie (SACD)

 

[oso]

16 hours ago, HIFI said:

Available in vinyl and every high Rez format

 

Stemila (The Coal Train) is a speaker manufactures favorite demo.

I thought the original format was 16 bit? Great sounding 16 bit indeed.

[pvanosta]

On 3/6/2019 at 9:55 AM, pvanosta said:

That is an excellent question. I have the Analogue production SACD, the regular Verve 16/44 CD and the HD Flac version (24/88). I need to revisit the HD vs. the SACD version to give an answer to that. Logic dictates the AP SACD should win the argument (I almost invariably like what they do) but will confirm when I can.

I can confirm I prefer the AP remaster on SACD. For me: wider soundstage (the brushing drum strokes on 'You look good to me' are completely outside my left speaker) and and better overall 'presence'. The difference is not night and day (unlike with the standard CD which sounds dead by comparison), but it's there.

[Musicophile]

3 hours ago, pvanosta said:

I can confirm I prefer the AP remaster on SACD. For me: wider soundstage (the brushing drum strokes on 'You look good to me' are completely outside my left speaker) and and better overall 'presence'. The difference is not night and day (unlike with the standard CD which sounds dead by comparison), but it's there.

Agree on AP. My only serious competitor is the K2HD, where they’ve added a bit more “kick” to the mix. The AP is a bit smoother. Sometimes I prefer one, sometimes the other. 

 

But both demonstrate impressively how much you can do with a remaster of a 1960s recording. 

[christian u]

I think a new classic is born, it's live, it's recorded in DXD with only 1 microphone, completely phase coherent, and it sounds fantastic. Highly recommended.

https://www.soundliaison.com/

[ripples]

Miss this Guy !

 

 

https://open.qobuz.com/track/2840801

 

 

[elcorso]

On 8/12/2019 at 5:12 AM, ripples said:

Miss this Guy !

 

 

https://open.qobuz.com/track/2840801

 

 

 

Extraordinary !!!

 

Many thanks !

 

Roch

[Vhond]

Some suggestions

 

Yello - Touch

Conjure - Cab Calloway stands in for the Moon

John Surman - A Biography Of The Rev. Absalom Dawe

Jon Hassell ‎– Last Night the Moon Came Dropping its Clothes in the Street

Anette Askvik ‎– Liberty

[lamode]

Nice thread! I made a few interesting new discoveries here, e.g. Mapleshade Records

 

 

[Lefatshe]

World Trio (Mino Cinelu, Kevin Eubanks, Dave Holland) -- especially tracks "Will 'O The Wisp" and "Eulogy"

Farmer's Reserve (Martin, Medeski & Wood) 

Letters From Argentina (Lalo Schifrin)

[Kal Rubinson]

On 3/5/2019 at 9:41 PM, HIFI said:

Available in vinyl and every high Rez format

 

Stemila (The Coal Train) is a speaker manufactures favorite demo.

Not every.  Stereo only, afaik.  🙁

[oso]

On 3/15/2014 at 1:07 PM, Keyser Söze said:

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

I think that album is the album that started many an audiophile.