I have read so much on this forum about various rare and very expensive out of print CD's that are "THE" version to get of this or that. I thought it would be interesting to get a thread going listing inexpensive CD's (Under about 15-20 USD) that have great sound or perhaps are even "THE" version to get. These can be in our out of print. I have included those examples that I could think of below. Stevie Ray Vaughn Remasters from 1999 Original Led Zeppelin CD's (although I don't think 90's ones are bad) Beatles Remasters Diament AC/DC CD's Louis Armstrong Hot 5's and 7's JSP Box Dire Straits remasters (I know, lots of folks don't like these) Bob Dylan SACD hybrids Greatful Dead HDCD Remasters Journey Non-remasters Diamet Bob Marley stuff Marshall Tucker Remasters Police non-remasters (AM+) Queen non-remasters (UK CDP 7) Rolling Stones 1971-1981 stuff on CBS or Virgin (I like the Virgins) Any thought?
I almost included those but figured they are mostly above 15-20 USD on ebay and such but I do have and like those.
I wouldn't call many Dylan CDs, SACDs included, "great sound". Some I would say are the definitive versions, others not.
Kind of Blue (current standard CD release out since 1997 I think) seems to be a winner too. It's at the right speed, and it's dirt cheap in stores when it's on sale (under US$10).
Too many to list. Just about anything by the following labels will have decent, if not exceptional sound for $8 or less. Telarc Chesky Mapleshade ECM Concord Criss Cross Older recordings remastered include Impulse! Old Verve remasters from early 90s or late 80s(not the master edition) Fantasy Catalog OJC (Prestige, Contemporary, Pacific, Riverside, Milestone) Mid 90s Sony owned jazz catalog (Columbia)
For the Police CDs rather than the original pressings with the A&M+ logo, the CDs derived from the same re-mastering as the box set (circa 1993 or '95) - IMO - sound a little better. I'm not certain either set are readily available since being replaced by a further re-mastering. I find many of the original WB CD pressings are very good and still available for relatively good prices brand new: Van Morrison (first three still in print); Ry Cooder's catalogue; Gordon Lightfoot (may officially be OOP, but many titles still should be available and in stock especially from the larger web retailers).
Some of the out of print cd's are still pretty easy to find, and under $20. Genesis - Trick Of The Tail US Atco version, for example. or Pat Metheny, Falcon & The Snoman US EMI-Manhattan Capitol Jax pressing. Still in print: most of the Classical RCA Living Stereo Hybrid SACD's are under $15.00
Les Paul & Mary Ford - Best of the Capitol Masters non-remastered Little River Band Greatest Hits and the EMI 10 Best disc of Little River Band (pick either one) Dr. Hook - Greatest Hits and More and Revisited Frankie Yankovic - CD of the Greatest Hits LP and the Plays In Person The All Time Great Polkas album on Columbia CD Rickie Lee Jones - self-titled Ssgt. Barry Sadler - Ballads of The Green Berets Anton Karas - First Man of the Zither (very inexpensive on Amazon and THE CD to get for the Third Man movie soundtrack) A lot of the 16 Most Requested Songs Columbia compilations of their MOR artists mastered in the 1980s Andy Griffith Show soundtrack Andy Griffith - American Originals Jimmy Dean - Greatest Hits comps of the original Columbia recordings and the original Big Bad John album Marty Robbins - anything Mason Williams - Mason Williams Phonograph Record Phil Harris compilations of his RCA Victor recordings such as Phil Harris At His Best or That's What I Like About Phil Harris
I know the John Wesley Harding SACD hybrid is not that great, I have the original non-remaster. I like the others, however, I don't have anything to compare them to. Which ones do you think are not that great and are there inexpensive alternatives that I should consider as I love Dylan?
The non-remastered John Wesley Harding is still inexpensive Just about anything by Henry Mancini from his prime years
Here's my trick: Look at the titles of the expensive remastered titles and hunt down a cheaper version. I have yet to find a great remastered title that didnt start with a REALLY WELL recorded album anyway. There was a guy at my headphone forum raving about his $60 vinyl re-issue of Henry Mancini's "Music from Peter Gunn." Dude, just go pick up ANY version of that album or CD and give it a listen!
Anita Baker - Rapture (mastered by Barry Diament) I use this one as a demonstration disc. It's that good. Great music too! I don't think it has remastered yet. Also - Face Value - Phil Collins (mastered by Diament) When those drums kick in near the end, I am blown away every time. No Jacket Required - Phil Collins (mastered by Diament (seeing a pattern here? )) I use "Long Long Way to Go" to test out my system. Incredible sound! I believe that all of the above are still available in stores.
Sorry - I believe some of the RCA Living Stereo Hybrid SACD's are now going out of print - but not hard to find. My mistake.
I'm absolutely not an audiophile, but I listened to these 2 last week, and I was blown away by how good these sound.
I just think that most of the SACDS are not a huge leap from the inexpensive regular pressings. I love Blood on the Tracks on SACD. Some of the earlier albums are an improvement, but nothing really takes a big leap. I'm sure the original recordings of his albums limit all remasters no matter what format. Just my opinion.
If the originals had a bit more bass, they'd be perfect. Still, I prefer them to the remasters. Like so many cheap, great sounding CDs, they have that red letters on white background generic design. Makes it easy to spot them in the bins.
