Audiophile Level Rock Albums?

I always find myself throwing in music I don't typically listen to in order to enjoy the full potential of my audio system. The typical titles you see in various demo rooms like Diana Krall, Dave Brubeck and Wynton Marsalis come to mind. Not that I don't enjoy the genre but my preference is prog rock and classic rock.

Not a whole lot of options out there. Yes, some well recorded Pink Floyd, Yes, etc.. but never heard anything at the level of Diana Krall album (for example) in terms if dynamics, clarity and realism of the recording.

Anyone have thoughts or opinions on this? Would love a few recommendations (if any).

Tony

 

Supposedly, studios have used AC/DC's Back in Black album to test the acoustics of a room. If that isn't audiophile grade, I don't know what is

 

Of course there are a number of albums from Supertramp (CotC, Quietest Moments for example), Steely Dan (Gaucho, Aja), Dire Straits/Mark Knopfler (take your pick, they are all good), Cat Stevens ( Teaser, Tillerman).

Of course, I think what makes the Jazz recordings seem so great is the simplicity of the production. I can't stand to listen to Krall or Connick, or some others, but I do love Norah Jones and Jennifer Warnes. The sparse presentation allowing the instruments to float in space is usually lost in most Rock records as the sounds can get cluttered, but I get that same feeling listening to something like Knopfler's "Shangri-La". The first side of Crime of the Century on clean, dark vinyl is simply stunning!

 

The 45rpm of Fleetwood Mac's Rumours is a demo quality disc of mine. Also the 45rpm RSD release of Black Keys' El Camino, if you can get your hands on one. There are lots of others but those are the two that immediately come to my mind.

 

The first dire straights album is one of the best sounding records i can think of. The new mofi 45 rpm of brothers in arms is as "audiophile" as it gets.

Any mofi pressing is pretty legit.

 

Dire Straits - All of it. The Warner reissues are awesome as are original pressings

 

AC/DC Back In Black...Barry Diament cd.

 

Rage Against The Machines self-titled debut is a fantastic album first and a great sounding CD second.

 

Chris Isaak's records are quite well produced. Forever Blue is a great sounding recording in particular. John Cougar Mellencamp's Big Daddy and Whenever We Wanted are also great. Johnny A's Sometime Tuesday Morning, and The Eagles Hell Freezes Over are another couple that sound great too.

 

Donald Fagen "Morph the Cat"

Beck "Guero"

 

YES.

 

this might be a question for another thread, but since they've come up in the discussion of audiophile recordings again -- how is it that Dire Straits was in position to make such high-quality recordings from the outset of their career? Was it something Knopfler insisted on? Was the record company for some reason persuaded that they could "break" the band only by making great recordings? It just seems unusual for a band in that period to come out of the gate as a jewel in the label's crown...

 

I don't know if it's 'audiophile', but the original Van Halen CD sounds pretty darn good to me...

 

Excellent question.

 

I have no idea, but self titled, comminique and love over gold are three of the best sounding records I own, no joke.

Brothers in Arms I prefer digital due to its DDD origins, and it too is stunning sonically

 

Sorry, I don't have an answer for you, but you're absolutely right.

As soon as I saw the thread title, it triggered a flashback to the never-ending medley of Dire Straits music emanating from all the off-site audio suites at CES during the 1980s.

 

I've always wondered the same thing about Rickie Lee Jones' debut album.

Maybe it was just the fact that analog recording had evolved to the point where a debut album with a limited budget could sound damn near perfect (if it was recorded properly, of course).

 

When I see the word 'album' I always think of vinyl. CDs are just .... CDs. I've got lots of albums, and I've got some CDs as well, because some albums were not released on vinyl. Or is it just me?

Anyways, all the suggestions I've seen so far are good examples. I know that our host doesn't like half speed masters but I've got 3 supertramp half speed LPs (from A&M in Canada) that sound amazing. And if you like Dire Straits debut, the Vertigo 1/2 speed master sounds mighty fine too.

One of my favorite albums is Amboy Dukes Marriage On The Rocks. 10 out of 10 for for music and sound quality. Its mastered by Bob Ludwig and has amazing clarity and dynamics. Just a bog standard LP from back in the day, and it sounds as good as anything else in my collection. Its a great demo disc.

 

I tend to call CDs and LPs albums, using the "collection of songs" definition. Having said that, I get really hypocritical when it comes to cassettes.

 

You want intelligent, thoughtfully recorded, progressive music, go with Steve Wilson...

 

Zappa - "One Size Fits All." Either original vinyl, AU 20 CD or the latest remaster would do nicely.

 

MOST of the recent Zappa re-masters were pretty definitive to me, but I've never heard that AU 20...nice

 

Obviously the grandaddy of all audiophile albums DSOTM.
Open Fire by Ronnie Monstrose.
The Moody Blues classic albums.
Quite a few by Alan Parsons.
Aja.
Toto IV
Abbey Road.

 

Are you talking about digital or vinyl?

Vinyl:
Warren Zevon - Excitable Boy
The original Asylum pressing.
You can find a NM copy for under 10 bucks.

It's a demo disc. Don't fall for any repressing.
Get the original. I was floored.
I didn't think I'd like the music much.
But once I heard this pressing...converted.

One of the least expensive (for now) secret awesome records out there.
Not the cd.

The Police - Ghost In The Machine
Original US pressing.
Jaw-dropping sonics and detail if you've got the table to hear it.

Again, the cd doesn't even come close.

Even if you don't have an "audiophile" (I hate that term) rig, you'll be very impressed.

Easy to find stuff for now.

 

The AU 20 possibly just edges out the latest remastered version (the bass is very powerful) but there's really not a huge difference. I quite agree about the rest of the re-masters though, chalk and cheese compared to most of the previous editions on CD.