Head-Fi.org › Forums › Misc.-Category Forums › Music › Audiophile Metal
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Audiophile Metal

post #1 of 148
8/25/07 at 1:42am
Thread Starter 
Hi. I'm a newbie audiophile (wannabe) trying to test my headphones with what I have and like to listen to, that is, Death/Black/Heavy/* Metal.

Besides the headphones I'm also testing for diferent bitrates and mp3 vs ogg vs flac.

I'm looking to compare detail, looking for something I may not have eard with my $10 headphones.

What songs do you advice for this on the mentioned genre? What should I look for?

P.S.: I'm hoping that the $2 headphones from chinese stores from 15 years ago haven't done any permanent damage
Reply
post #2 of 148
8/25/07 at 6:09am
there are not many metal albums that can really be classed as audiophile quality. unfortunately they tend to be mastered rather hot so a lot of them have clipping/distortion.

albums that sound good enough to use for comparisons.
Opeth; Still Life, Deliverance
Tool: Lateralus
Pig Destroyer; Phantom Limb (binaurally recorded)
Gojira; The Link (re-release remaster)
Meshuggah; Nothing (re-release remaster)
Reply
post #3 of 148
8/25/07 at 6:43am
Type O Negative- October Rust
Reply
post #4 of 148
8/25/07 at 7:14am
I've always felt that Opeth's albums were of good quality. Tool was also known for the sound quality of their albums (save for their most recent).
Reply
post #5 of 148
8/25/07 at 9:41am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vul Kuolun View Post
Type O Negative- October Rust


Excellent recording quality!


But as said earlier, there are not many audiophile-grade recordings on metal. But quite a lot of albums work as excellent stress-tests how headphone handles speedy bass and overall detailing in the chaos. I use Hate Eternal - I, Monarch album for testing if headphone blurs out the double bass drums too much and does it cover riffs and such under the mayhem of Roddys drumming.
Reply
post #6 of 148
8/25/07 at 9:46am
Thread Starter 
Opeth was my first thought. Which is excelent has I have all their CDs.

Will do a couple of attention++ listens.
Reply
post #7 of 148
8/25/07 at 11:57am
If you're also into thrash metal, later Metallica (1991+) is also very good.

Edit: Metallica's next album is being produced by Rick Rubin, someone infamous for ruining good music with dynamic compression. So, make that 1991-1999 as St. Anger also seems to have been hit by the "we hate music" bug.
Reply
post #8 of 148
8/25/07 at 12:11pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by MCC View Post
If you're also into thrash metal, later Metallica (1991+) is also very good.
Yes, I'm into thrash metal and I'm not into later Metallica Pre black album (inclusive) I like it (that is <=1991).
Reply
post #9 of 148
8/25/07 at 12:35pm
You'll definitely want to listen to the black album again then, the unforgiven sounds especially good.

I feel your pain... newer metallica might sound great, but the music itself just isn't the same.
Reply
post #10 of 148
8/25/07 at 12:45pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by MCC View Post
You'll definitely want to listen to the black album again then, the unforgiven sounds especially good.
You didn't understand, I said I like it The last one from them that I enjoyed.

Quote:
I feel your pain... newer metallica might sound great, but the music itself just isn't the same.
Nopes
Reply
post #11 of 148
8/25/07 at 1:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MCC View Post
Metallica's next album is being produced by Rick Rubin.
I can't wait. Now my ears will bleed twice as much (the combination of painful mastering and more painful songwriting).
Reply
post #12 of 148
8/25/07 at 1:53pm
IMHO, the following bands can be considered as close to being Audiophile quality when it comes to recording/mastering:

- ISIS - Panopticon, Oceanic & In The Absence of Truth
- UNSANE - Visqueen
- King Diamond remasters
- HURT - Vol.1
- GODFLESH - Hymns & Messiah
Reply
post #13 of 148
8/25/07 at 2:10pm
If you're interest in the stoner Rock vein, Kyuss Blues for the Red Sun.
Reply
post #14 of 148
8/25/07 at 3:09pm
I have always felt that Opeth - Still Life actually has a horrible production. So bad that it's really a nuisance when listening to the album. By far the worst sounding modern Opeth record imo.

My personal favourites for audiophile metal are :

Arcturus - La Masquerade Infernale
Cradle of Filth - Dusk And Her Embrace
Silentium - Altum
Covenant - Nexus Polaris
Ava Inferi - Burdens
Saturnus - Paradise Belongs To You
Reply
post #15 of 148
8/25/07 at 8:02pm
Looking for well-produced in black metal is like looking for atheists in church- you'll find a few, but they don't really belong.

Sadly, I'm just (as of this month) purchasing a basic Hi-Fi setup, so I can't tell you what to look for in the way of nicely recorded heavier albums.
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Music
Head-Fi.org › Forums › Misc.-Category Forums › Music › Audiophile Metal