My best demo albums

[TubeLover]

On 8/9/2018 at 2:31 PM, Screwdriver said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On 8/9/2018 at 2:31 PM, Screwdriver said:

Fine choices all..........

 

 

[TubeLover]

On 8/9/2018 at 4:15 AM, Blackmorec said:

You’re probably like me and love discovering great new music.....this is what this post is all about. 

 

Imagine that next week you are getting a visit from a couple of Hi-Fi News editors who have asked to listen to your system playing 3 of your favourite albums. Great Music and sound quality are the criteria.  Which 3 albums would you select to demonstrate your system at its finest?

 

Here are my choices:

 

Rodrigo y Gabriela (the lizard eye album)

Deep Forest - Music detected.  (Recently discovered from CA ‘best recordings for system evaluation’ thread)

Malia - Convergence

 

Bonus album

Leonard Cohen - 10 new songs 

 

So which albums do you love listening to that do a great job demonstrating your system’s abilities?

Definitely agree on either of the two Rodrigo y Gabriela albums I've heard on Tidal. Listened after they were noted in Records To Die For Iin Stereophile last time around. Sadly, I had ordered both from Amazon, and they were delayed six months before Amazon cancelled the order saying they were no longer available in print!

 

A number of Mr. Cohen's albums could be included on this list. 

 

JC

[TubeLover]

On 8/9/2018 at 8:25 AM, TheAttorney said:

I would certainly consider your Rodrigo y Gabriela album.  And as a Leonard Cohen fan, I may choose You Want it Daker, or Old Ideas, simply becuase I prefer them to 10 New Songs.

 

But if pushed for only 3, off the top of my head I'd go for:

 

Laura Marling - Once I was an Eagle (Simply the most natural, life-like, female vocals I've ever heard, particularly on the 2nd half slower tracks. Warning: this is a sombre album)

 

Lambchop - Is a Woman (The original recording is better than the louder remaster)

 

Holly Cole - Temptation (Superb covers of Tom Waits songs)

 

PS. I'm a heahphone-only listener.

 

 

Holly Cole's Temptation is a brilliant recording, as are several of her albums. I just found out that an all new remastering from the original tapes is due out in January on vinyl. Hopefully there is a Hi Rez version released too.

 

I also just discovered that Temptation is also available on SACD from a few years back. Wondering how good that recording is, and tempted to buy it. 

 

JC

[TubeLover]

32 minutes ago, sandyk said:

From HDTracks (I have also seen it in 24/96)

Holly Cole

 

Available in Audiophile 88kHz/24bit

• Title: Holly Cole
• Artist: Holly Cole
• Genre: Jazz, Audiophile Picks, Engineers' Picks
• Label: 2xHD
• Release Date: 2014

• Album/Track Details
• About This Album

Buy Album

Album Name	Length	Format	Sample Rate	Price
Holly Cole	43:24	AIFFALACFLACWAV	88/24	$17.98	Add to Cart

 

Buy Individual Tracks

#	Track Title	Length	Format	Sample Rate	Price
1	Waters of March	04:21		88/24	Album only
2	Alley Cat Song	04:04		88/24	Album only
3	Larger Than Life	03:39		88/24	Album only
4	Be Careful, It's My Heart	02:09		88/24	Album only
5	It's Alright With Me	03:53		88/24	Album only
6	You're My Thrill	05:47		88/24	Album only
7	Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries	03:04		88/24	Album only
8	Reaching for the Moon	04:09		88/24	Album only
9	I Will Wait for You	04:32		88/24	Album only
10	Charade	03:28		88/24	Album only
11	The House Is Haunted by the Echo of Your Last Goodbye	04:18		88/24	Album only

 

But that can't be based on the new remastering releasing in September that I mentioned?

[TubeLover]

22 hours ago, sandyk said:

 

 Since when are the Remasters usually better than the originals ? (except perhaps for some Japanese SHM releases)  

Do you already have this album in 24/88.2 ?

 If not, you could always purchase a single track to see how it sounds, and what the DR is like.

I didn't think I had implied that they were. But it certainly possible that they can be. I do own the original cd and could certainly buy a track to check things out, as you noted. I just got excited about the new remastering when I heard a portion of a radio interview where Holly Cole talked about the new remasterings capturing a purer sound for these recordings than she had heard before. Of course, as we know, singers and/or musicians are not always even the best judges of their own music in this regard. 

 

JC

[TubeLover]

3 minutes ago, sandyk said:

 

 Let's hope they do better than the one I showed, which was supposed to be "Holly Cole - Temptation (Studio Master, Official Digital Download 24Bit 96Khz) It was a blatant rip off from the SACD master , as can be seen from it's noise profile, and with no content to even 22KHZ !

I couldn't agree more. The number of crappy ripoffs from SACD's that have been foisted on the unknowing public over the years is unforgiveable. 

 

It does say "Remastered by Bernie Grundman from the original master tapes" 

 

If that's true, this could truly be something. I guess we will see in September, again, IF, a digital version is offered. 

 

JC

[TubeLover]

12 minutes ago, sandyk said:

TubeLover

FYI ONLY, and not for arguments/" discussion" with the usual suspects.

 

Out of curiosity, I just tried saving .flac to .wav 24/96 "Temptation""  to USB stick using an Uptone Regen powered via a12V Li Ion Battery , plugged into a front USB 2.0 port via a USB-A to USB-B adaptor without +5V and shield connected through.

Her voice is now more clearer in the mix.

 

Very interesting. Thanks for pointing that out.

 

JC