My best demo albums

[kumakuma]

16 minutes ago, GUTB said:

 

For example, @mjb thinks that Norah Jones album is the "gold standard" -- but when you check his system he has a class D amp so female vocal albums probably all sound the same to him.

 

I'm pretty sure @mjb was making a joke. Maybe if he'd used Diana Krall you might have gotten it...

[kumakuma]

4 minutes ago, jabbr said:

 

Can you reliably distinguish her from Norah Jones on a Class D amp?

 

This is my test album for female vocalists:

https://www.mackavenue.com/store/mac1120

 

 

I think I'd be okay considering that I've heard this album dozens of times. 

 

Also I don't have GUTB's preconceptions about amps coloring my hearing...

[kumakuma]

2 minutes ago, jabbr said:

if even you don't get my joke, it must've been bad ...

 

Sorry, I thought you were referencing GUTB's ridiculous statement about female vocalists sounding the same by choosing an artist quite different from Ms. Jones.

[kumakuma]

18 minutes ago, GUTB said:

 

I have a lot experience with class D amps -- I haven't listened much to the Hypex-based products and I heard a NC-1200 amp at the LA show this year which bears further listening but from what I've owned so far is very underwhelming. All these amps I've owned sounded different, and some were much better than others (D-Sonic was very good in some ways, whereas the Teac integrated was basically unlistenable) but something they all share in common is their inability to render the inner detail / harmonic texture of quality vocals.

 

I'm more of a fan of male vocals, but if I had to pick a gold standard of a female vocal album out of my library, I'd pick this one:

 

 

6 minutes ago, GUTB said:

I picked this up last year at a Record Day sale on a whim which turned out to be exceptional:

 

 

Both wonderful artists and albums.

 

I would also recommend Melody Gardot and Rhiannon Giddens.

 

[kumakuma]

3 minutes ago, jabbr said:

Was trying to elliptically redirect toward a vocalist that music loving audiophiles should want to listen to  The other two are very talented of course, but shes a voice.

 

Couldn't agree more.

 

Rhiannon Giddens (who I mentioned above) also has an amazing set of pipes:

 

 

 

[kumakuma]

9 hours ago, TubeLover said:

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

 

The album is available here as a DSD download:

 

http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/93697/Holly_Cole-Temptation-DSD_Download

[kumakuma]

5 minutes ago, fas42 said:

Off topic? ... let's see now ... in the OP,

 

 

Hmmm, Zoolook ticks both those boxes - I wonder what some people's definitions of "off topic" are ...

 

I think your spamming of every thread on this site to push your agenda has become so natural to you that you don't even know you're doing it.

 

This post by George on another thread sums it up pretty well:

 

8 hours ago, gmgraves said:

Even here on CA, he shows up in every thread with the same tune. It doesn't matter what the topic is: In a thread about soundstage, he tells us that his method makes soundstage perfect, In a thread about DACs, his "method" makes  cheap DACs sound like expensive DACs, etc., etc.

 

 

 

[kumakuma]

1 minute ago, fas42 said:

 

So I take it that you're not interested in methods that enable audio playback to provide a more enjoyable experience ... ?

 

Again, this has nothing to do with this thread.

[kumakuma]

11 minutes ago, fas42 said:

 

 

And none of your reactions have been also ... to repeat, a previous poster mentioned Jarre, and this reminded me of my experiences with the album I linked to.

 

I've highlighted the section in your post that I thought was off-topic.

 

2 hours ago, fas42 said:

 

 

At solid volume levels, this is magical stuff - huge spaces, tremendous impact; there is so much going on ... I remember listening to this at an audiophile's home with huge, very heavy speakers, Krell amplifier - it sounded a disasterous mess, miles from getting anything right ...

 

 

[kumakuma]

 

10 hours ago, fas42 said:

 

And I can go with that ... the reason I made the comment was to emphasise that the qualities of the recording help to highlight the capabilities of a rig, for better or for worse. We're talking about "demo" material here, which in my mind should be that which differentiates what one has, from that of others - an audiophile recording which may be "so well made" that it sounds good on a transistor radio is of little help ...

 

Yes, we know Frank.

 

We've heard the same message from you countless times already... on every thread on this site... regardless of what the topic of the thread is.

[kumakuma]

11 hours ago, sandyk said:

 

 It's NOT up to you, Ralf11 or anyone else to decide what is " off topic"

It's up to the OP to decide !

 

BTW, keep abusing the DISLIKE Button for petty reasons and it will probably disappear again !

 

The button you referring to is an "Off Topic" button, not a "Dislike" button.

 

I used it in that way to express my opinion that the post was off topic for this thread.

 

[kumakuma]

4 minutes ago, sandyk said:

 

To you and a few other members, anything you don't agree with is " off topic" when it's an expansion of your ON TOPIC reply !

You ARE using it as a DISLIKE button !

You try and direct mother members thinking into a narrow area to try and obtain  the results you want.

 It's hard enough to always stay on topic without members other than the OP trying to act as " Thought Police" as well.

 

If you are referring to Frank's constant spamming of this forum with hundreds of posts containing zero actionable information, yes, this is something I disagree with.

[kumakuma]

20 minutes ago, sandyk said:

 

How about a bit of consistency then ?

 It never ceases to amaze how some like yourself only object to posts like these when it's from the other side of "The Great Divide" 

 There is another member who has posted around twice the number of posts in around the same time  frame  where there is often zero actionable information, or it has to be prised out of him with a reply to him.

e.g.

 

 

Whatever issues you have with Ralf are between the two of you.

[kumakuma]

Just now, sandyk said:

 

 The issues are everybody's issues. You are one eyed !