rough edges
Sapere Aude
King of El Paso is pretty good, too…
Audiophile songs you're sick of
- Thread starter Columbo
- Start date
chiily
PFM Special Builder
Not sure if this works. This is the list of songs me phone picked up from the Bristol HiFi show 2024. I can't figure out a way to export the songs as a list 
music.youtube.com
Bristol 2024
A new music service with official albums, singles, videos, remixes, live performances and more for Android, iOS and desktop. It's all here.
Oh, I though it was spelled Diana Krell...
I have, and I don't even do HiFi shows.
That triggered my 1'st simple rule of 'Audiophile recordings' to avoid: Never, ever listen to anything where Lincoln Mayorga tries to play the piano. I actually, out of sheer mistake, have a few
This thread made me think of a demo at a Naim dealer ages ago. We tried to hear the difference between a CDI and a CDS (for non Naim'ies: One was very expensive, the other hideously so). The usual 'well recorded' CD's where used. No one heard any difference. Then someone throw some very raw punk into the players. The difference was there!
Geoffreybombom
pfm Member
Anybody know of a source for distortion free Motown?
paulfromcamden
Baffled
I'd argue that a 'raw' or even 'lo-fi' recording of a punk band that captures the energy of the performance is a good recording whereas a production that smooths out the rough edges and makes it sound nice probably isn't.
To my ears the first two Sons of Kemet recordings on Naim suffer from this. I don't know if it's because of the way they were recorded or whether it was decisions taken in mixing the recordings but they completely fail to capture the astonishing energy of the band playing live. The records on Impulse are a lot better.
If we are talking about audiophile recordings, they are generally not very good. For instance I find Chesky CDs pretty horrible and brittle sounding. Linn is not great either, the same for Naim.
For me, the best sounding recordings tend to be from the big companies. They frequently have very good recording engineers doing the recording, mixing and mastering. There is no comparison.
For me, the best sounding recordings tend to be from the big companies. They frequently have very good recording engineers doing the recording, mixing and mastering. There is no comparison.
John Phillips
pfm Member
The Oxymoron Store?
Yank
Bulbous Also Tapered
If I have to hear Nils Lofgren one more time
I have a feeling Nils Lofgren got top marks for "Works and plays well with others" in elementary school. As a side man he can fit in with anyone. I especially appreciate his work with Neil Young over the years.
His solo work does nothing for me.
I was unaware he had an audiophile warhorse?
Yank
Bulbous Also Tapered
...or George Baker Selection "Una Paloma Blanca"?
John Phillips
pfm Member
Occasionally at shows they demo with good classical music which helps me - but not too often.
One of the recordings I have heard twice now was the RR recording of Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man. To me it's very audiophile. To my ears it is well played, superbly recorded but mixed so that the orchestral drums are so prominent that I couldn't imagine hearing something like it in any concert hall I know that would accommodate an orchestra of that size.
I heard it from the adjacent room at the last Ascot show when I was talking to the Boyer people about the range of kit they had. It was in the play list for the ATC room at the last Signals show. Actually it's a good work-out for some of the capabilities of the system but not a recording I would listen to at home (well, not more than once).
ampedup
Lost in audio
I would bring my copy of Bernstein's Mahler 8th Symphony. I would want to hear how speakers attempt to resolve the crescendos of poorly recorded massed choir and orchestra! (I'm sure I would get booted from the room).
Del monaco
Del Monaco
I think most of Bernstein’s catalogue was recorded live as that’s how he preferred it, hence the indifferent sound quality. I wouldn’t be without his early ew York cycle though for it’s white heat.
ampedup
Lost in audio
Concur. I've found difficult recordings to be more reliable as a system test than good recordings. I've made good speaker choices in the past this way. In shows, I haven't seen a willingness to demonstrate how well they cope with the rough stuff.
paulfromcamden
Baffled
That's interesting. Do live orchestral recordings inherently have worse sound? I can see how the performance might be 'warts and all' because there's no opportunity to redo parts but I'd have thought recording an ensemble in a space with a good acoustic would be half the battle. Does limited setup time or compromises with mic placement impact the sound quality perhaps?
ex brickie
pfm Member
Works fine. Starts brilliantly with the Beach Boys then went downhill fast for most of the rest of the list…..Not sure if this works. This is the list of songs me phone picked up from the Bristol HiFi show 2024. I can't figure out a way to export the songs as a list
Bristol 2024
A new music service with official albums, singles, videos, remixes, live performances and more for Android, iOS and desktop. It's all here.
Interesting thread, and some good recommendations in there.
I have come around to the point where I have "sacrificed" a number of tracks that I use pretty much exclusively for testing/assessing/setup. I only use them for this purpose, but because I know them well they are useful.... but because I have heard them so often they are lost as music to me.
Luckily there is so much other music out there to listen to!!
I have come around to the point where I have "sacrificed" a number of tracks that I use pretty much exclusively for testing/assessing/setup. I only use them for this purpose, but because I know them well they are useful.... but because I have heard them so often they are lost as music to me.
Luckily there is so much other music out there to listen to!!
les24preludes
pfm Member
Agreed. Though I do use short excerpts from operas, so the excerpt doesn't ruin the opera itself.