Best CD for showing off a systen

[TYW3BB]

Porcupine Tree - Any of their DVD-A discs are a great example of what good 5.1 mixing can sound like (especially their new concert DVD)

Dave Matthews Band - Crash Dynamic and very layered

Hmmmm....

I just listened to Ozric Tentacles 'Spirals in Hyperspace' and was very impressed by the recording quality and amount of bass. It really dug deep on a few songs.

 

[Sleestack]

Porcupine Tree - Any of their DVD-A discs are a great example of what good 5.1 mixing can sound like (especially their new concert DVD)
.

I second that, but disagree about the concert. I just don't think it is a great recording compared to their studio 5.1 mixes. The 5.1 studio mixes really takes advantage of the interesting sounds and dramatic trnsitions found in their music.

In particular, I recommend the bonus track Ambulance Chasing on Stupid Dream. I like that track for showing off the 5.1 system because it is has a certain simple, hypnotic element to it. The swelling drums in the intro have a physical impact on the listener and the instrumentation that comes in is simple enough that it allows the listner to easily focus on what is going on.

Another 5.1 audio mix to check out is Cornelius' Five Point One.

Some I use for 2 channel:

Donald Fagen, The Nightfly... can't all rock be recorded like this?

Paquito D'Rivera - Tropicana Nights - Big open sound.

Poncho Sanchez - Conga Blue. Crystal clear with great music and instrumentation.

Opeth - Ghost Reveries... Incredible transitions and drums. Beneath the Mire has it all. However, not music for the weak hearted.

Bjork ... A few songs off of Vespertine and Homogenic will really put your subs to the test.

Dave Weckl... not always the greatest songwriting, but his recordings are usually crystal clear.

 

[TYW3BB]

I second that, but disagree about the concert. I just don't think it is a great recording compared to their studio 5.1 mixes. The 5.1 studio mixes really takes advantage of the interesting sounds and dramatic trnsitions found in their music.


While not on par with their dvd-a's, i find their concert dvd pretty well recorded. It definately lacks some of the surround effects of the dvd-a's, as it was (I read somewhere) that it was upmixed to 5.1 from stereo. Quite a dynamic and clean recording for a live rock show, some of the bass digs pretty low. I've heard poorly recorded 5.1 rock concert dvd's and the DTS track on PT is leaps and bounds over them. Spock's Beard live dvd from 200/2001 ish sounds like a blanket is over my speakers.

 

[jaxvon]

Sleestack:

I'm in full agreement...Nightfly is an amazing recording. I've used it many times as a reference recording for auditioning and comparing. As far as mix excellence goes, I still think Aja tops it. I keep finding new stuff burried in the mix on that album. If you crank it up on good speakers with clean power, it's amazing what you can hear.

 

[kbleck]

BJork's Army of Me is my Bass tester

Rebecca Pigeon's Spanish Harlem is also oustanding for pure voice and standup string bass.

 

[JoeE SP9]

Sleestack, I would hardly call the Nightfly "rock". However it is one of the best sounding recordings I've heard.

 

[Sleestack]

While not on par with their dvd-a's, i find their concert dvd pretty well recorded. It definately lacks some of the surround effects of the dvd-a's, as it was (I read somewhere) that it was upmixed to 5.1 from stereo. Quite a dynamic and clean recording for a live rock show, some of the bass digs pretty low. I've heard poorly recorded 5.1 rock concert dvd's and the DTS track on PT is leaps and bounds over them. Spock's Beard live dvd from 200/2001 ish sounds like a blanket is over my speakers.

I listened to it a few more times and must say that it sounds better than I initially thought. Not a great 5.1 mix, but overall sound quality is very goodand bass is definitely there. Well recorded rock concerts are definitely hard to find. Stop Making Sense is one of my favorite.

 

[Sleestack]

Sleestack, I would hardly call the Nightfly "rock". However it is one of the best sounding recordings I've heard.

I know. Many people wouldn't call Steely Dan rock either. It's just generic term I use for everything that isn't classical, blues, jazz, etc. I grew up listening to Fagen and Floyd in the 70s and 80s so for me, they were all rock.

 

[TYW3BB]

I've never heard the Nightfly dvd-a, so I definately need to check out that one. I picked up Fagen's Morph the Cat dvd-a recently and that sounds VERY nice. Most DD compressed concert dvd's sound well.....compressed. I usually listen to the stereo PCM track if it's available. A good example of that is R30 and Replayx3 from Rush. PCM sounds much better.

 

[skizzerflake]

The new Diana Krall cd, From This Moment On, has real nice sound. She has a big band backing and the brass sound is really nice. Her voice and the brass are a great combination and the whole recording has a nice presence.

 

[emorphien]

Porcupine Tree, Days of The New, Pink Floyd (recently dragged animals along with me although DSoTM is good too)

 

[Resident Loser]

While the...

...material may be a bit quirky, Bill Frisell's Gone, Just Like A Train is one of the best produced recordings I've ever heard...Jim Keltner's drums are spot-on...

Here's a review/link:

http://www.songtone.com/artists/Frisell/frisell_gjlat.html

jimHJJ(...pay particular attention to the fifth paragraph...)

 

[mnnc]

Porcupine Tree - Any of their DVD-A discs are a great example of what good 5.1 mixing can sound like (especially their new concert DVD)

Dave Matthews Band - Crash Dynamic and very layered

Hmmmm....

I just listened to Ozric Tentacles 'Spirals in Hyperspace' and was very impressed by the recording quality and amount of bass. It really dug deep on a few songs.

Nice to know that I'm not the only person who listens to Ozric. Cheers. Strangitude is terrific as is Arborecense. Hell, they are all good.

 

[joetech]

No one knows Classical?

I argee that DSOTM is a good demo but try the Cleveland Orch cond by Boulez recording of Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring" An old recording but it has been remastered. Turn up the vol. and scare the animals and small children. Also Shostakovich Symphony #7 last movement. There is a newer recording by the Kirkov that is very good. Very complex music to tax the system. If you can ID all the insturments your system is doing well. Also the live recording of the Eagles 'Hotel CA' has one of those large Japanese drums about 10' in Dia. Very low bass.

 

[TYW3BB]

Nice to know that I'm not the only person who listens to Ozric. Cheers. Strangitude is terrific as is Arborecense. Hell, they are all good.

Ozric is fantastic headphone music. I borrowed Erpland and Curious Corn but haven't had time to give them a spin yet. Good Stuff.

To the OP, I recently picked up the '03 remasters of Fragile and The Yes Album. Very detailed and full-sounding, definately worth a listen.

 

[tlqualman]

When I have some friends over that have never heard my system I almost always put in my Laurence Juber disc "Guitar Noir" It is the best sounding DVD-A disc I have ever owned. I have since collected several more discs from AIX records and they all sound very good. They are a small company that puts out great sounding DVD audio recordings and if you get on their mailing list they have specials once in a while that will save you a lot. I am not an employee of the company, just someone who loves music and great sounding recordings. Here is a link to a review and some sound samples.

http://www.avrev.com/music/revs/laurencejuber.shtml
http://www.aixrecords.com/catalog/laurence_juber.html

 

[Dr. AIX]

Thanks for the kudos on the Laurence Juber disc...I was actually making my way to the bottom of the postings to mention that very DVD. It has become a reference during the few years that's it's been available. It also took the first ever "Demmy" award from the CEA in 2005...over Diana Krall, Wynton Marsalis, Sting and the Grateful Dead.

Our approach is to leave the recording process alone...we gather great musicians in a live acoustic space and let them do their thing for our equipment. Real reverberation, no compression, no processing or EQ of any kind...coupled with very aggressive surround sound mixing.

We are still running a special deal that was announced in the newsletter last Sunday. Anyone that is interested let me know and I'll send you the newsletter. Thanks again to tlqualman for the positive comments...and no he doesn't work for AIX Records.

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

or

 

[Geno]

When I have some friends over that have never heard my system I almost always put in my Laurence Juber disc "Guitar Noir" It is the best sounding DVD-A disc I have ever owned. I have since collected several more discs from AIX records and they all sound very good. They are a small company that puts out great sounding DVD audio recordings and if you get on their mailing list they have specials once in a while that will save you a lot. I am not an employee of the company, just someone who loves music and great sounding recordings. Here is a link to a review and some sound samples.

http://www.avrev.com/music/revs/laurencejuber.shtml
http://www.aixrecords.com/catalog/laurence_juber.html

I just got the Laurence Juber disc, along with the AIX package of The Carl Verheyen Band.
All I can say is "wow". If you boys want to hear what "presence" sounds like on your system, get this. This is acoustic jazz at its best, with grownup musicians who really know how to play, recorded by perfectionists who know how to do it right.
Sure glad I read this post...thanks for the tip!

 

[aec]

Not sure all of these have been posted, but most of these are SACDs. Some are in 5 channel and lend themselves well to that listening mode, I still play them in 2 channel direct because of the purity of the sound:

Dark Side of the Moon
Avalon
Time Out
Laurence Juber DVD
Kind of Blue
Tommy
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Crash
Hell Freezes Over