SH Spotlight The Official "Steve's Recommended CDs & LPs He Did Not Master" Thread*

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by ec461, Dec 14, 2006.

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  1. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Recommended because they are the best that is out there; not the best that could be...
     
    ibekeen likes this.
  2. JMCIII

    JMCIII Music lover first, audiophile second.


    Those may be still to come (wish, wish).
     
  3. namahealani

    namahealani Forum Resident

    I picked up a couple of cds mentioned here and I just want to vouch for them. Excellent!

    Highs of the Seventies - various artists - Warner Special Products
    Atlantic Soul Classics - various artists - Warner Special Products

    I've got the Avenue Gold cd of The World is a Ghetto - War coming, also The Ultimate Rascals (no group photo on cover, ebay), Rock Artifacts Volume 4, The Ultimate Otis Redding, Memphis Soul Classics, Smiling Phases - Traffic, Highs of the Sixties, 20 Party Classics and More Party Classics, all from amazon sellers.
    I'll report back. Some weren't mentioned here but are part of the Warner Special Products releases listed in the booklet that came with Highs of the Seventies.
     
  4. imagnrywar

    imagnrywar Senior Member

    Location:
    San Francisco
  5. lou

    lou Fast 'n Bulbous

    Location:
    Louisiana
    Steve has also recommended the London Between the Buttons CD (it was in a classified thread where a forum member was selling his London Stones CD's).
     
  6. Mal

    Mal Phorum Physicist

    There was a classified ad for the MFSL "Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus" CD in which Steve said someone should grab it as it was straight from the master. Of course, I dutifully obeyed his orders.

    Same thing happened with the MFSL "Abraxas".

    Well, stone me if he wasn't right on both counts - thanks Steve :wave:
     
  7. ec461

    ec461 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Somewhere
  8. johnny33

    johnny33 New Member

    Location:
    usa
    I think the original OP wanted us to be sure and place links to our fearless leaders direct qoutes in order to avoid confusion to what he actually does recommend.
     
  9. ec461

    ec461 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Somewhere
    Yup! :)
     
  10. namahealani

    namahealani Forum Resident

    So far I've gotten these in (below) and have had a listen. Thumbs up on all of them for sound quality! As far as content, Memphis Soul and Rock Artifacts Volume 4, have some unfamiliar stuff (to me) on them, but that's good. The liner notes for Atlantic Soul are interesting (and it arrived in a smooth case). If they're not from the master tape, well, coulda fooled me!
    And they were picked up for pennies on Amazon. Cool:righton:

    Atlantic Soul Classics, Highs of the Seventies, Avenue Gold cd of The World is a Ghetto - War, Rock Artifacts Volume 4, Memphis Soul Classics, Smiling Phases - Traffic, and More Party Classics

    Liner notes for Atlantic Soul:
     

    Attached Files:

  11. Goodyear

    Goodyear New Member

  12. Gardo

    Gardo Audio Epistemologist

    Location:
    Virginia
    I think the CD sounds very good, myself, but that said, I'd like to offer a "friendly amendment" here:

    I just re-read Barry's post, and I'm not sure he means "original masters" here, especially as elsewhere he's using "master" to mean "the source I was given to master to CD." In other words, I'm not sure he and Steve are really contradicting each other. Barry's often said that he did the best he could with what he was given, but he wasn't always (or even usually) given the best tapes available.
     
  13. Gardo

    Gardo Audio Epistemologist

    Location:
    Virginia
    Oops-should read the whole thread before replying. Sorry! And amen. :)
     
  14. Gardo

    Gardo Audio Epistemologist

    Location:
    Virginia
    A great-sounding CD! Run, don't walk, to get it. Little Richard in your living room, testifying until your goosebumps have goosebumps.
     
  15. Gardo

    Gardo Audio Epistemologist

    Location:
    Virginia
    I need to take issue with this recommendation. I found "Smiling Phases" at Borders yesterday and just finished listening to four tracks on CD 2. The sound was so thin, bass-shy and tipped-up, that I couldn't make it past "Low Spark." I've been on a Traffic kick lately and have been comparing several masterings on vinyl and CD of "John Barleycorn" and "Low Spark," and the tracks on the "Smiling Phases" set are a huge disappointment. Only the very drab 80's Island LP of "Low Spark" is worse.

    In its favor, I will say that "Smiling Phases" has no obvious compression in the mastering. On the other hand, it doesn't sound much like the master tapes were used. There's also a horrific dropout near the end of "Empty Pages."

    Did I get a bad set? I'm not usually this out of sync with Steve on anything sonic.... I see a lot of other folks here think this set sounds wonderful, too. Yikes!
     
    Dave likes this.
  16. Starwanderer

    Starwanderer Senior Member

    Location:
    Valencia, Spain
    I have this set and I think it sounds very good. Certainly not thin IMO
     
  17. PaulT

    PaulT Spuzzum

    Location:
    B.C., Canada
  18. ricks

    ricks Senior Member

    Location:
    127.0.0.1:443
    Allman Brothers Live At The Fillmore
    Not 100% sure, but it seems Steve likes the Dennis Drake Polydor and mentiones the MFSL is a remix. As gleaned from post's 2, 10, andothers in this thread:
    http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=30971&page=2
    Read through the above thread and see if you come up with the same conclusion.

    Rick
     
  19. ec461

    ec461 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Somewhere
    Seems like the wrong link...
     
    Fab-_- likes this.
  20. Chris M

    Chris M Senior Member In Memoriam

    The MFSL is not a remix. The "Fillmore Concerts" disc is.
     
  21. johnny33

    johnny33 New Member

    Location:
    usa
  22. ricks

    ricks Senior Member

    Location:
    127.0.0.1:443
    DOH!

    We'll try this again :)

    Allman Brothers Live At The Fillmore
    Not 100% sure, but it seems Steve likes the Dennis Drake Polydor and mentiones the MFSL is a remix. As gleaned from post's 2, 10, andothers in this thread:
    http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?p=72529#post72529
    Read through the above thread and see if you come up with the same conclusion.

    Rick
     
  23. ricks

    ricks Senior Member

    Location:
    127.0.0.1:443
    As far as the MFSL Fillmore East, SH has stated it was a remix then when asked if he was referring to "Fillmore Concerts" Steve responded -
    "My Fillmore MoFi is a total remix, no question....Though it ain't mentioned ANYWHERE on the packaging." SH
    http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showpost.php?p=72593&postcount=10

    full thread:
    http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?p=72529#post72529


    When asked if Steve like the MOFI/MFSL his answer was "It's different." SH
    http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showpost.php?p=72598&postcount=12
    So from this and Post #2 in the full thread link it can be deduced that Steve likes/prefers the Dennis Drake Polydor. Gang, please let me know if you reach the same conclusion.

    Rick
     
  24. ricks

    ricks Senior Member

    Location:
    127.0.0.1:443

    I have floated the above in a new thread in the hope, I'll get lucky and SH will see it. Although his statements appear to be somewhat definitive, I'd like to be 100% sure.

    Rick
     
  25. namahealani

    namahealani Forum Resident

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