Your Reference Disc - Music Style

[avaserfi]

I only listen to music in 2.1

Not a fan of SACD or DVD-A? I can understand listening to CDs in 2.1 as thats how they are supposed to be heard but multi-channel discs aren't your thing?

 

[Joe Schmoe]

I only listen to music in 2.1

My usuals are:

Tool "Lateralus"

Tool "Undertow"

Dire Straits "Brothers in Arms"

Rage Agaist the Machine (Self Titled)

Alice in Chains "Unplugged"

Madonna "Immaculate Collection"

Enya "Watermark"

Beethoven "Symphony No. 9"

I thought I was the only one who liked Tool, Madonna, and Enya.

 

[annunaki]

Not a fan of SACD or DVD-A? I can understand listening to CDs in 2.1 as thats how they are supposed to be heard but multi-channel discs aren't your thing?

I never bought into the formats as I did not want to invest in something that disappeared right away. I have listened to them (briefly) and they sounded great. Not a ton of titles available in the music I listen to regularly though. Unless you can point me to a Tool DVD-A disc in Stereo.

I am not a big fan of multi channel mixing.

 

[annunaki]

I thought I was the only one who liked Tool, Madonna, and Enya.

I guess not

 

[avaserfi]

You may want to check out Jazz at the Pawnshop then. That thing is an absolutely amazing live recording too. I want the SACD but it is $50! Even the redbook CD approaches the sound quality of some of my SACDs.

I just ordered it for 20 on half.com! I haven't heard it yet but with that recommendation when I saw the SACD for cheap and pulled the gun before someone else could . Ill give my impressions as soon as I get it. Free upgrade to first class so it should be mid next week at the latest.

 

[j_garcia]

I thought I was the only one who liked Tool, Madonna, and Enya.

Well, I like Tool and Enya, but don't own anything from Madonna...I don't mind her, but not what you would call a fan

I never bought into the formats as I did not want to invest in something that disappeared right away. I have listened to them (briefly) and they sounded great. Not a ton of titles available in the music I listen to regularly though. Unless you can point me to a Tool DVD-A disc in Stereo.

I am not a big fan of multi channel mixing.

If done well, it is definitely an experience. If done poorly, it is a waste of time. If you haven't heard the Porcupine Tree DVD-As, I would recommend picking up either Deadwing or In Absentia and listen to the dts tracks. These guys really know how to do a m/c mix!

I just ordered it for 20 on half.com! I haven't heard it yet but with that recommendation when I saw the SACD for cheap and pulled the gun before someone else could . Ill give my impressions as soon as I get it. Free upgrade to first class so it should be mid next week at the latest.

Bastard Let me know what you think. I like jazz, but it is not my primary music listenign, this however is just very good stuff.

 

[avaserfi]

Bastard Let me know what you think. I like jazz, but it is not my primary music listenign, this however is just very good stuff.

Sure thing. When I first got my sound system I thought I was going to just listen to my Hard Rock/Metal really loud and that was it, but slowly I started enjoying other genres of music and now I like pretty much everything except main stream pop and country both of which I consider noise anyways. Jazz, for me, depends very much on the sound especially because they are so many amazingly different styles out there.

 

[highfihoney]

Steely Dan - AJA

Ha,i knew when i first started reading this thread that one of the resident geezers would pick AJA,one of the best recordings on the planet.

Along with AJA i use Frank Zappa's Jazz from Hell,anything ever recorded in Frank's studio( The utility muffin research kitcken or UMIRK for short) is top flight recording but Jazz from hell really excells,it has all the elements to really give any system a serious work out.

There are others but when i audition at a dealers showroom these are the first two i take.

 

[eljr]

Patricia Barber - Cafe Blue SACD (2ch)

Fiona Apple - Tidal redbook CD

Great choices!

 

[stratman]

Ha,i knew when i first started reading this thread that one of the resident geezers would pick AJA,one of the best recordings on the planet.

Along with AJA i use Frank Zappa's Jazz from Hell,anything ever recorded in Frank's studio( The utility muffin research kitcken or UMIRK for short) is top flight recording but Jazz from hell really excells,it has all the elements to really give any system a serious work out.

There are others but when i audition at a dealers showroom these are the first two i take.

Geeezer?! Dang I'm only 44! But Aja is one hell of a recording and FZ was as meticulous as Fagen/Becker when it came to his material.

 

[Starmax]

Aja is truly great, both the music and recording quality. However, I need just one song to judge if my surround system is properly tuned - "Hey Nineteen" the second track on Gaucho (DTS/DVD-A). When properly balanced, the side and back channels, with vocal refrains, harmonica and snare drum, are a wonder to behold.

 

[stratman]

Aja is truly great, both the music and recording quality. However, I need just one song to judge if my surround system is properly tuned - "Hey Nineteen" the second track on Gaucho (DTS/DVD-A). When properly balanced, the side and back channels, with vocal refrains, harmonica and snare drum, are a wonder to behold.

The other on my list, but Fagen/Becker fussed more over AJA, don't get me wrong on any given day it's a tough pick between the two, but I usually favor AJA because of Deacon Blues and Peg, Michael McDonald really shines on Peg. And "Hey Nineteen" really reminds me of Boston and a certain girlfriend

 

[Hi Ho]

"Rob Ickes: It Is" is a great jazzy instrumental album that is also excellently recorded. I also love "Rob Ickes: Big Time With Blue Highway" which is a bluegrass album.

All the Alison Krauss albums are excellent recordings along wish Sam Bush recordings. "Johnny Staats: Pickin up Steam" is an independantly recorded album with just a mandolin, guitar, and acoustic bass. It is an excellent recording with amazing musicianship to boot.

I agree that reference recordings should be something the listener actually enjoys listening to, not simply a good quality recording.

 

[Dolby CP-200]

I thought I was the only one who liked Tool, Madonna, and Enya.

Well I have a two CD’s each of Eyna and Madonna as well as VHS PAL transfer for my own personal use, Madonna the immaculate collection. “Oh Father” has a nice fairy like tail to the opening of girl playing in the snow, with a kind of a music box sound to it. it then cuts into a deep mood tone setting that kicks outwards into the room. Depending on my mood I might mix the low end into the JBL 4645 and take the fader up to -10 or -6 and let it sing.

“Live to Tell” has a slow harmonistic tone that deeply rolls off smoothly.
Eyna Orinoco Flow shudders when the lows come in and the silky tone of Eyna sounds like heaven.

 

[Thunder18]

Hootie and the Blowfish Cracked Rear View DVD-A album track 3: Let Her cry. This was my first DVD-A and it's still my favorite. Via the multi-channel inputs on my main system it's a wonder to behold. The sound literally envelops you. When the guitar solo plays it's like you can hear every facet of the sound from each individually plucked string.

My close second is Seal Best 1991-2004 DVD-A, Loves Divine is another one that sounds great in surround. This album includes the original versions of all the songs and the acoustic versions also in surround.

Also, just recently I realized that my Panasonic SA-HT690 is compatible with DVD-A discs. I guess because it has no digital outputs, only stereo and because it's a HTiB, it's considered safe for the DVD-A format because I can play my DVD-A's in full surround without having to make the multi channel input connections. Of course, now that I look at it, it is also compatible with the dvd-ram discs I record with a Panasonic DMR-ES15

 

[Starmax]

The other on my list, but Fagen/Becker fussed more over AJA, don't get me wrong on any given day it's a tough pick between the two, but I usually favor AJA because of Deacon Blues and Peg, Michael McDonald really shines on Peg. And "Hey Nineteen" really reminds me of Boston and a certain girlfriend

Dang, Stratman...you've got a 19 year-old girlfriend?? You rock! What kind of supplements you taking?

 

[Joe Schmoe]

Eyna Orinoco Flow shudders when the lows come in and the silky tone of Eyna sounds like heaven.

Any fan of Enya owes it to himself to listen to Celtic Woman. Similar in style (though a bit more traditional), and jaw-droppingly amazing voices. They also do a cover of Orinoco Flow that I prefer to the original.

 

[Starmax]

Any fan of Enya owes it to himself to listen to Celtic Woman. Similar in style (though a bit more traditional), and jaw-droppingly amazing voices. They also do a cover of Orinoco Flow that I prefer to the original.

Joe, are you SURE you're an old hippie?? Enya? Celtic Woman? Ewwww...

 

[Joe Schmoe]

Joe, are you SURE you're an old hippie?? Enya? Celtic Woman? Ewwww...

I never claimed to be a hippie. I am the wrong generation for that. My older brother is a hippie. I grew up on '70s top 40, then punk and metal. Since then, my tastes have mellowed considerably, but remain eclectic in the extreme.
Nobody who has actually heard Celtic Woman could say "ewww". Two of the singers are in my top 10 list of female singers regardless of style, and the rest are in my top 20.

 

[stratman]

Dang, Stratman...you've got a 19 year-old girlfriend?? You rock! What kind of supplements you taking?

LOL! Don't I wish. I meant when the disc came out in 1980, she was from Boston, nice place to visit. Cavewoman knows about her!