Best sounding LP/CD of all time

OK, we can attack this by genre, subcategorized into LP or CD.
What do you guys think are the best sounding recordings of all time????

 

You first.
TP

 

OK, EWE MER EMM
Need some time to think this one over carefully...back in a flash

 

Can't compare apples to oranges. I seek the best sounding VERSION of a specific recording - because if the best, most natural sounding recording of all time was a ping pong table on a 1958 stereo demonstration LP, I still wouldn't seek it out. That reminds me of my buddy's father, who decided to pick up photography as a hobby - only he had no artistic vision. He bought expensive equipment and took photographs of test targets to determine the reslution of his equipment.

Right now I am listening to the Temptations "Can't Get Next To You" on the Greatest Hits Volume II CD and it sounds great really loud. Lots of hiss and "breath", but NOT "audiophile" quality.

And sometimes that works better than anything else.

 

Okay, I'll bite first.
I could probably name dozens, if not hundreds of lps/cds that i think sound swell -- either because i'm not very critical or because i listen to lots of 50s and 60s jazz, much of which was well-recorded -- but there's one recording that i've been using lately to demo my system. And i doubt that many of you have heard it.
It's on the Mosaic "Complete Pacific Jazz Recordings of the Chico Hamilton Quintet," specifically the live recordings from 1955. I don't know what it is about these mono recordings that make them sound so special to my ears, but the tone and dynamics of these sessions are incredible. I think there was just something magical in the electrons that night... or maybe the polarity was just right... or i've got an extra special "hot" cd pressing.

Ray

 

Here is a list for you:


Supreme LP recordings

I personally don't like the music listed, but the guy did some work on it.

 

I thought this guys list was nuts until I saw he had my Dahlquist DQ-10's listed as good speakers. All of my favorate sounding recordings except Harry Belefonti and the Weavers were missing.

 

Thanks for all your input! I suppose it is too subjective
to say with any degree of certainty what the very best recording of all time is in any particular genre of music. I agree with most of you that the very best recordings all have their own relative strenghts, and sometimes even some weaknesses as well. We all know the usual suspects when it comes to great LPs; personally I don't play CDs through my main system. Perhaps with LPs (as Tom would attest) the variations in stampers may preclude any one album as the "best sounding", which is also limited by one's own tastes and is system dependent. Probably a dumb question on my part, but thanks for all the great sportmanship out there! Additionally, I appreciate that website, Eric! Wonder what Tom thinks about that. Maybe Humorem can Humorus with a list of his own, more in the rock/pop vein.....

 

And Uncle Al,
I'll be careful not to test targets on my turntable! BTW, what's the name of that stereo 1958 ping-pong LP? Great point, though - the best recording of all time COULD be some boring demo LP, so I'll always remeber to put the music before the sound quality.

In rock, I really like the DCC Doors stuff Steve did. Its rich and punchy, with great defintion and separation. The instruments have good presence and texture. I would do practically anything to enable Steve to completely remaster the entire Beatles catalog, both in mono and stereo! Could you imagine that??? Of course, I'm not Martiniman, or whatever his name is that will save DCC.

The DCC Nat King Coles are killer, too, especially Love is the Thing. About as full-bodied as a great Cab; simply superb sound. How about DCC's Court and Spark? Love that one, too.

Seems like there are many great sounding jazz lp's, mono and stereo. Just the simple one or two mike deal straight into the box. Too many to mention there, but I'll definitely give Chico a try.

In classical, oh boy, whatta ball of wax (no pun intended). The MLP Stravinsky Firebird reissue is grand, as we all know. I tend to like the original pressings of Londons, RCAs, etc. for their sheer natural, lush sounding strings and horns. Very sweet sounding, indeed.

Above all, holding my breath for these new CCR pressings! Surely these will be amongst the greatest sounding (and vital) rock albums of all time!

 

.

I believe I got 5 records from this guys list and they all sound very good.

La Folia, which is as the name says "The Madness" but I wouldn't classify this as music but just weird sounds, but the recording quality is awesome.
Jazz at the Pawnschop: This is a classic audiophile recording and very good.
James newton Howard and friends: Sheffield sound
I've got the music in me: ditto
And Growing up in holywood town: ditto

So even if I find his list also absurd, i cannot disagree with him sonically. Everything I can compare I cannot find anything not good from a audio quality point of view. Maybe he never heard any of your favourite recordings.

 

I'll take this one head on. I would say the best sounding recordings are those of Buddy Holly-- evidenced by the comment from Steve that if there was ever a recording that just needed a flat transfer because the "breath of life" was built in-- it was Buddy Holly.
Second on my list would be the first two Blood, Sweat and Tears albums. The recordings are so good that even hearing them on the radio through all of the compression and peak modulation equipment and cheap car speakers-- the music and of course David Clayton Thomas' voice comes booming through. I would challange you to find recordings made in the past week that stand up to that kind of quality.

 

dough1981,

If, on the first Blood Sweat and Tears, Al Kooper comes "booming through" like David Clayton-Thomas you need to check your hifi. ;-)

The first BS&T is, of course, "Child is Father to the Man", one of the finest records from the '60s, a seminal work that held great promise. Al Kooper was the vocalist and organ player, and composed a number of the tunes. This record is on MoFi (wouldn't mind hearing that one) and also CBS MasterSound gold, which I have and this is a very fine CD.

David Clayton-Thomas was signed as the vocalist after Kooper left, and he surely was a better singer, but I missed Al's organ playing. The second album "Blood Sweat and Tears" is a very, very good record, but different to "Child ..." in many ways; certainly not as psychedelic. I have a soft spot for "Child...". The second record is available on SACD, and it sounds particularly wonderful on this format. Humorem says that the MoFi version of this disc is also very good, but I have not heard it.

The next album was "Blood Sweat and Tears 3". I bought this on vinyl when it came out. In fact I do remember buying this and Led Zeppelin III at the same time, and I liked them both. I don't think, on reflection, that this record was as good as their second album, and falls a fair way behind their first album. I haven't heard this on CD. I don't think MoFi or CBS MasterSound did this album.

Are we on the same page?

Regards,
Metralla

 

I would vote for William Walton's Facade... the Living Stereo (LSC-2285), Shaded Dog, recorded in 59, sounds very good, but the winner is the same record, but pressed by Decca (SB-2039) in New Malden.

Unfortunately I have "only" the LSC (A1/1s-A2/1s stamper... but I can live with this record. The other one is unpayable... probably 300 records exist worldwide... maybe someone can find someone for $3000 at eBay, but I doubt!

 

Richard Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen. George Solti conducting.
Das Rheingold (Decca SET 382-4/London OSA 1309) (3)
Die Walküre (Decca SET 312-6/London OSA 1509) (5)
Siegfried (Decca SET 242-6/London OSA 1508) (5)
Götterdämmerung (Decca SET 292-7/London OSA 1604) (6)

Powerful orchestral drama, phenomenal performance and superb sound on 19 records. Due to the length of the program (They perform one act per night at the annual Bayreuth Festival!), I found used sets out there in pristine condition, even with some being unplayed/sealed. Get the Decca or London (also pressed in England) original and avoid the Decca/London reissues, especially the dreadful digital remaster on 16 discs, which cost me more ($44.35 + tax in ~1992) than my London original ($35.80 + tax in 1997). King reissued Super Analogue Disc (distributed by Cisco Music) of the first two operas (KIJC-9152/4 and KIJC-9180/4) on very limited high quality 180-gram vinyl pressed by RTI, but Die Walküre has been out of print for a long time and at its end of run vinyl only sets were sold packaged in plain white jackets.

There is one drawback of these original Ring and any other old multi-record sets: sides are paired for playing on a record changer, e.g. 1/6, 2/5, 3/4 in a three-LP set. There are 38 sides in this Ring cycle!

 

On LP, I'd have to say it's The Palm Court Theatre Orchestra's album, The Picnic Party on Chandos...

On CD, it would have to be the same recording (although this one clearly demonstrates that analog is more natural sounding than digital).

 

Paul Chang:

Are you saying this is THE ring cycle to get? I always wanted a complete, consistent version, but either I have to settle for the individual opera's, or mix and match versions that have different interpretations of tempo and dynamics.

 

Al,

My response is: most definitely! The Solti Ring cycle produced by John Culshaw for Decca is THE all around champion. The cast was about the best in the era, even though changes were made while production spanned nearly a decade (1958-1965). Solti was not well known when the project began. But his was more than capable, bringing forth a powerful yet natural Wagner experience. This brilliant set received a rosette in the Penguin Guide. I would love to listen to Wilhelm Furtwängler's Ring in mono but it would be for the performance only.

In making the first commercially issued complete Ring cycle, Culshaw tried to produce the recording as Wagner would have intended. The result is the "Festival Hall" presented in a massive sound stage and an image of great precision, with singers placed behind the orchestra as in live performance. Some claimed to have heard the 3-D effect. The London OSA Das Rheingold and Götterdämmerung appeared in the operas section on The Super Disc List of the abso!ute sound.

I totally agree with you on wanting a complete consistent set. I don't know how difficult it is to find the Solti Ring for I haven't shopped for used records for quite a while. Having half of the cycle on the TAS Super Disc List certainly doesn't help. My suggestion is to grab an original when you see one and try to complete the cycle over time. I was lucky to find the first three operas at Rasputin's in Berkeley after being tipped by a friend who went there a week or two earlier. Then I picked up the other at Streetlight in San Francisco on the same day. The Super Analogue Disc Das Rheingold may still be available and you could order it from Tom Port or your SAD vendor of choice. Die Walküre could be harder to find but you just have to ask around.

Avoid the digital remaster with CD like catalog number such as 414 100-1. I was so excited to find the Solti Ring but I know better now.

 

Thanks, Paul for that cool post.
Although my name is derived from Wagner's Tristan and Isolde
ironically I have not listened to it! I'll heed your advice and find this Decca set. Thanks for the recommendation.

 

Tristan,

Is this your real given name? Are your parents Wagner enthusiasts? Cool! Have you found your Isolde? I mean it in the good sense without the tragic ending.

 

Paul,
My mother is an artist and musician. Yes, the name is taken from Die Valkerie. Yes, I have found my Isolde, but she goes by the name Doral (from her two grandmothers, DORothy and ALice)

Strangely enough, although I love classical music, I have not ventured far into opera, especially Wagnerian Opera! Perhaps I need some time....