Album of the Evening

[firedog]

 

Tord Gustavsen Trio, "Being There".

 

Highresaudio, 24/96. I think this is a good album, not a great one, musically. But the recording is wonderful. Good music, great audiophile recording for testing a system. The use of cymbals especially is very varied and subtle. Listening here will definitely tell you if what you are listening to has good tone, resolution, and extension of high frequency notes. If you can hear all the subtle changes, it does.

[firedog]

 

 

 

Still love this album. The MFSL version is fantastic. "Echoes" (all of side 2 on the original LP) is an amazing bit of music/aural painting. Turn off the lights, relax, and listen to it in the dark. Nothing like it.

[firedog]

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Heard it on the NPR Music app's "Preview New Albums" (a/k/a "First Listen") section - streamed the whole thing over headphones while I was mowing the lawn. Thought it was wonderful, gonna download from HDTracks (24/44.1).

 

See DR ratings below of Redbook. Personally find it unlistenable as a result of the extreme VC.

 

foobar2000 1.3.2 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.0

log date: 2014-05-03 10:03:48

 

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Analyzed: Pixies / Indie Cindy

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DR Peak RMS Duration Track

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DR6 0.00 dB -6.73 dB 3:32 01-What Goes Boom

DR6 0.00 dB -6.59 dB 3:47 02-Greens and Blues

DR6 0.00 dB -7.00 dB 4:41 03-Indie Cindy

DR5 0.00 dB -7.09 dB 4:53 04-Bagboy

DR6 0.00 dB -6.55 dB 3:26 05-Magdalena 318

DR6 0.00 dB -6.83 dB 3:29 06-Silver Snail

DR6 0.00 dB -7.37 dB 3:11 07-Blue Eyed Hexe

DR6 0.00 dB -6.63 dB 3:35 08-Ring the Bell

DR5 0.00 dB -6.47 dB 3:46 09-Another Toe in the Ocean

DR6 0.00 dB -7.57 dB 3:23 10-Andro Queen

DR6 0.00 dB -6.97 dB 3:45 11-Snakes

DR5 0.00 dB -6.15 dB 4:24 12-Jaime Bravo

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Number of tracks: 12

Official DR value: DR6

 

Samplerate: 44100 Hz

Channels: 2

Bits per sample: 16

Bitrate: 1003 kbps

Codec: FLAC

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As a contrast, an older Pixies album (Surfer Rosa) has an avg DR of 13.

[firedog]

BTW, not trying to dis the Pixies new album; just thought people should know the Redbook is heavily compressed, low DR. Will be interesting if the HDT is the same, or more like the vinyl - which according to the DR Database has DR of about 10 - quite acceptable.

[firedog]

In DSD from Acoustic Sounds

 

 

[firedog]

Yep, completely agree. Made several "best of" lists, deservedly so.

 

 

Thanks for that one. Didn't know about it. Downloaded flac Redbook version for $10.99 from Classics Online.

[firedog]

 

Nothing like it!

 

It's Electric Ladyland (US Cover)

[firedog]

I think I'll go have a Scotch!

[firedog]

 

The Pixel: Just discovered this band from Norway. A Jazz/Indie Rock fusion band with a very modern sound. Very good instrumentalists and vocalist; interesting music.

 

Albums are $10 download from Bandcamp (16/44.1 flac available); SQ is good.

[firedog]

 

Eiji Oue

Minnesota Orchestra

 

 

The Rite of Spring, The Firebird Suite andThe Song of the Nightingale

 

Just downloaded the 24/176 of this from HDT. Based on a mention by Barry Diament in his "mastering" thread.

 

Amazing recording. The dynamic range is tremendous. Lots of detail, natural sound, and the feel of the recording hall.The performances aren't my favorites, but the music itself and the sound makes it worth it anyway.

[firedog]

Slight correction: song is called "Art Official Cage"; Album is "Art Official AGE"

Not trying to be picky, just trying to help someone who might take the name and do a search.

 

The new Prince album ART OFFICIAL CAGE is terrific.

 

 

 

P.S. Sent from 30,000 feet on way to RMAF and listening to WiMP / Tidal.

[firedog]

 

Discounted till Oct 17 at NativeDSD

 

If you like "modern" music, this is quite a good album

[firedog]

Curtis Harding, Soul Power

 

 

 

Streaming on TIDAL HiFi

 

the album is available on Qobuz in 24/88 for 11 Euro. It's got less volume compression than the CD version.

 

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[firedog]

RareNoiseRecords - The New Standard (Download - HD FLAC) | The New Standard | Saft Swallow Previte | RareNoiseStore

 

 

Great jazz trio record. Good analog recording. LP and digital hi-res available.

[firedog]

 

in hi-res from Pono. Fantastic sound

[firedog]

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Tonight's main listening, in DSD format from SACD rip. L'Histoire du Soldat is music that is starting to grow on me -- and the sound quality is among the best I've heard.

 

the other cuts on that disc (I bought it as a download in PCM) are also good.

I saw L'Histoire du Soldat performed once a a chamber piece in a small room. Great listening experience. If you ever get the chance, go for it.

[firedog]

 

 

 

In DSD. Music=fantastic. Sound, too.

[firedog]

Downloading now. You guys did it to me again....

Indeed, just WOW! I'm sold as well.

[firedog]

Can you tell me where to get this? I did a search and only saw mp3

The group called Safa mixes traditional Persian themes with jazz improvisation in a combination that sounds like it should have been obvious all along. On Alight, Iranian expatriate Amir Koushkani shares his wealth of experience: a classically-trained master of tar and setar (lute-like instruments), Koushkani has a firm grasp of his native music. Clarinetist François Houle and percussionist Sal Ferreras join Koushkani to create a stew of styles that also includes significant elements of Turkish, Latin American, and North African music.

 

"Whisper of Love," for example, has an soft, lilting feel despite its melancholy message. Koushkani lends his slender voice to the piece, a contemporary Persian composition:

Where, oh where are you rushing so fast?

the desert bush begged the wind.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]17833[/ATTACH]The dsf is an inner experience here.

[firedog]

It's available at ProStudioMasters in DSD & 48/24:

 

Search Results for safa - ProStudioMasters

 

Thanks guys for your help. Good thing I checked this out: went to the record label site and the original recording is in 24/48 which was mixed in analog to DSD so they could produce a hybrid disc.

 

The various sites are selling it at 24/88 (HDT and Qobuz); DSD and 24/48(PSM); ironically, only the 24/48 is the "studio master". Only PSM calls it that, but they don't tell you which version is the studio master! HDT and Qobuz are apparently selling a downsampled version of the SACD/DSD, but at least they aren't claiming it's the "studio master".

 

Anyway I bought the 24/48 and with a discount code it wasn't too expensive.

[firedog]

 

The classic Coltrane Quartet backed by horns.

[firedog]

Art Pepper meets The Rhythm Section

 

Enjoying some sublime alto sax tunes - Art Pepper's phrasing is so unique and clean.

Very easy on the ears. Easily one of the best alto sax players of his era.

 

 

AllMusic Review: Meets the Rhythm Section - Art Pepper

 

And a fantastic recording - sounds like they are playing live in your room -even on CD; there is a DSD version at Acoustic Sounds

[firedog]

 

Christian McBride Trio / Out Here

 

Mack Avenue

 

Now being distributed by Blue Coast /Downloads Now in all formats, original recording is in 24.96

 

This is a very good jazz trio album. But what's even more impressive is the sound quality - it is beyond reproach. I bought the 24/96. Incredibly live and dynamic sounding. "They are in your room" is not an exaggeration here; the drum thwacks sound real and will make you jump. DR of 18 on some tracks, just sounds wonderful.

[firedog]

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It's usually Golijov's "The Dreams & Prayers of Isaac the Blind" that I concentrate on with this excellent download from NativeDSD. But last night, the Heiliger Dankgesang from Beethoven's late Quartet Opus 132 sounded absolutely sublime in this rendition.

 

I bought the Beethoven Opus 132 based on your comments. Great recording. Great piece. Those late Beethoven Quartets are amazing pieces of music. If I had never heard them before I would think they were something written 100 years later. Beautiful, ahead of their time.

[firedog]

 

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Thanks. It's a good one, just bought it. It is available at Tidal, BTW. Gave it a test listen there.