Audiophile Level Rock Albums?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by adidino, Mar 12, 2015.

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  1. Joey_Corleone

    Joey_Corleone Forum Resident

    Location:
    Rockford, MI
    First time on vinyl, I actually shed tears on Telegraph Road. Yes, it is that good lol
     
  2. pinkrudy

    pinkrudy Senior Member

    Yes - fragile 200gram analog productions
    jimi hendrix electric ladyland uk track
    lynyrd skynyrd pronounced MFSL
    weezer blue album MFSL
    allman bros eat a peach/idlewild south MFSL
    fleetwood mac live 1980 2LP uk press
     
  3. TonyG

    TonyG Forum Resident

    From my collection, these are the "rock" (however that is defined) vinyl albums that are incredible sounding (in no particular order):

    1. Dire Straits: "Love Over Gold" and "Making Movies" - both Japanese pressings
    2. Jefferson Airplane: "Surrealistic Pillow" - mid-70s Japanese pressing
    3. Fairport Convention: "What We Did On Our Holidays" Island UK, first press
    4. The Who: "Who's Next" - mid-70s Japanese pressing
    5. Traffic: "Low Sparks" - early mid-70s Island UK; or, recent Friday Music Reissue
    6. Shelby Lynn - "Just a Little Loving" - Analogue Productions
    7. King Crimson: "In the Court of the Crimson King" reissue authorized by Fripp
    8. Neil Young: Most all his albums sound really, really good. If I had to pick two: "Zuma" and "Comes A Time" - original first pressings
    9. Van Morrison: Ditto for Van - the reissue of "Moondance" is excellent, as is "It's Too Late To Stop Now" - original first pressing
    10. Joni Mitchell (is she rock?): The recent reissues of her albums all sound incredible, especially "Hejira" and 'Court and Spark"
    11. Tom Waits: all his albums that I own are really well recorded.
    12. Brian Wilson: "Smile" reissue
    13. The Doors: "Morrison Hotel" - various pressings, including first. All the Doors albums are well recorded, I just keep going back to this one.

    Finally - I picked up an A&M, brown label mint copy of Free's "Fire and Water" just for "All Right Now". Audiophile? Probably not. Will I be playing it to demo what a really good rock record can sound like? Definitely.

    Of these albums, "Love Over Gold", "Who's Next", "Just a Little Loving" and "Low Sparks" elicit the strongest reactions from people when I demo them. Haven't had the chance to blast "All Right Now" to any visitors yet.
     
  4. HiFi Guy 008

    HiFi Guy 008 Forum Resident

    Location:
    New England
    Haven't heard it and I don't feel compelled to.
     
  5. mpayan

    mpayan A Tad Rolled Off

    3/4 of the albums mentioned dont have the realism, depth or soundstage of the albums/artists the OP mentioned. And thank goodness my Animals albums dont sound like Diana Krall or Dire Straits in sq. What a bunch of balless music that would be.
     
  6. acdc7369

    acdc7369 Forum Resident

    Location:
    United States
    That CD sounds horrendous; there is absolutely nothing remotely audiophile about it. Bob Ludwig's vinyl mastering is the way to go on that one.
     
  7. acdc7369

    acdc7369 Forum Resident

    Location:
    United States
    Yeah well, I have that guy to thank for about 20% of my music collection!
     
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  8. Davey

    Davey NP: Hania Rani/Dobrawa Czocher ~ Inner Symphonies

    Location:
    SF Bay Area, USA
    El Rayo-X by David Lindley

    [​IMG]

    Or listen to the amazing air around Phil Collins' drums on Brian Eno's Before and After Science as they transition through "Energy Fools the Magician". Or listen to the space around the vocals in Electrelane's The Power Out, especially the choir on "The Valleys", one of Steve Albini's best modern recordings from 2003. The LP does really sound analog smooth and full. There really are hundreds of moments recorded throughout rock history that could make audiophiles happy.
     
    Last edited: Mar 13, 2015
  9. kendo

    kendo Forum Resident

    I take your point Dennis but compared with these musicians usually more jazz oriented output it does rock IMO.
    However, here's one that does rock like a sweary thing...
    (and is a pretty decent recording too)

    [​IMG]

    :)
     
    Thorpy likes this.
  10. Platterpus

    Platterpus Senior Member

    Gary Wright - Dream Weaver

    Gary's mid to late 70s albums in general are good sounding fidelity wise.
     
    SKean and HiFi Guy 008 like this.
  11. Say It Right

    Say It Right Not for the Hearing Impaired

    Location:
    Niagara Falls
    May inspire me to slap the AF gold version on this weekend. :agree:
     
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  12. irong

    irong Forum Resident

    Location:
    Quebec, Canada
    There. If you're looking for rock music that sounds good AND raw, not slick, there are dozens of amazing Steve Albini Recordings. Nirvana, The Pixies, The Breeders, Low, Magnolia Electric Co., the list could go on and on.
     
  13. AudiophilePhil

    AudiophilePhil Senior Member

    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    PAPA DOO RUN RUN - California Project (Telarc)

    TOWER OF POWER - Direct (Sheffield Lab)
     
  14. RelayerNJ

    RelayerNJ Forum Resident

    Location:
    Whippany, NJ
    Ac/dc back in black Ludwig vinyl rocks. There's many good audiophile rock records. The first bad co on swan song is sweet, etc etc
     
  15. I know when I go audition equipment, I take a variety of music I am familiar with. I have my sample of guitar rock, electronic, classical, jazz, acoustic, the cluttered production & the open production.

    The vinyl is like for more rock & roll qualities:
    Little Feat's Waiting For Columbus side 2, "Mercinary Territory">"Spanish Moon"
    Not audiophile, perhaps, but Pete Townshend's Empty Glass
    Widespread Panic's Dirty Side Down & Phish's Junta, Lawn Boy & A Picture of Nectar
     
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  16. HiFi Guy 008

    HiFi Guy 008 Forum Resident

    Location:
    New England
    Jeff Buckley - Grace - original Dutch pressing on Columbia for the UK
    The Cars - Shake It Up - original US Elektra pressing.
    deadwax:
    Side 1: 5E-567-A-SH-SP o-2-M1-1 RTB-2 SP + STERLING SLM + (triangle)977 side 2: crossed out “a”).

    This would be a "super white hot stamper" in Tom Port's terms.

    And a few surprises for those of us who listen to alternative:

    The Swans - Children Of God - original US Caroline Records pressing.

    The Dead Milkmen - Eat Your Paisley - original US Restless Records pressing.

    The Flying Lizards - Top Ten - original Statik Records UK pressing.
    The in the room vocals will shock you.

    Nico + The Faction - Camera Obscura - US PVC pressing.

    Yazoo - Upstairs At Eric's - UK Mute (not remastered) pressing.
    This too will make you jump with Alison's voice in your room.
     
    Last edited: Mar 13, 2015
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  17. Pancat

    Pancat Senior Member

    Location:
    Merry England
    Neil Young. Massey Hall. Classic Records 200g. Chris Bellman.
     
  18. notesofachord

    notesofachord Riding down the river in an old canoe

    Location:
    Mojave Desert
    For a fantastic sounding pop LP, try Pelican West by Haircut 100. My German pressing sounds heavenly.

    Obviously, YouTube doesn't give it justice, but here's a taste:

     
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  19. KentishMan

    KentishMan Forum Resident

    You forgot to add IMHO.
     
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  20. lucan_g

    lucan_g Forum Resident

    Beck's "Sea Change". The CD is outstanding. The MOFI vinyl even better.
     
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  21. ggergm

    ggergm another spring another baseball season

    Location:
    Minnesota
    JD Souther - If The World Was You (2008)

    Easily the best ProTools production I've ever heard on an album. The fact that it was recorded live in the studio with minimal overdubs comes through strongly. It has a great presence with a soundstage to die for. My comments come from the vinyl.

    Plus nobody writes a better song than JD Souther. Ask Don Henley, Glenn Fry or Linda Ronstadt. All have made millions off of his writing.
     
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  22. Steely Dan - Gaucho
    The Blue Nile - Hats
    Joe Jackson - Body and Soul
    The Alan Parsons Project - Eye In The Sky
    James Taylor - Live
     
    Gardo and DLD like this.
  23. Claus

    Claus Senior Member

    Location:
    Germany
    I'm very amused about audiophile ROCK albums..... :D ;) :D
     
  24. Skoegahom

    Skoegahom Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Ozarks
    Thank you. This is the kind of nugget that I'm looking for from this forum! It would be great if there was a thread that listed all these types of nuggets for all artists! Don't get me wrong, I dig reading through pages of comments, but when I'm thinking about making a purchase, it would be really convenient to have a nuggets thread...
     
  25. mpayan

    mpayan A Tad Rolled Off

    This one I can agree on. Has a right there sound to it.
     
    davidb1 and Pancat like this.
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