Which albums sound best with your Grado? - Page 4

Quote:

Originally Posted by GravitySmacked 


Colour me impressed!

Me too. Big fans of theirs - pretty sure I have just about everything they've recorded. They are great live too. China Forbes has great presence, and Tom Lauderdale is a magician on the piano. The linguist in me always smiles when they change up into something esoteric and sing it like native speakers... 

On my 225i's -

Nike Cave - Murder Ballads (also Abbatoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus)

Tom Waits - Alice

Billy Taylor Trio - Live at IAJE, New York

Gogol Bordello - Super Taranta

Csokolom - May I kiss your hand.

Good progressive Rock band called Anathema. I do not know their older stuff but their latest Album called Falling Deeper is pretty good and well recorded.

Finally got to listen to this album and I have to admit that I'm not a big fan of Bluegrass / country rock style but I enjoyed this album very much last night. Like you said the recording is very good. Her previous work with Robert Plant was also excellent. Thank you for the recommendation.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grado77 

Alison Krauss and Union Station Paper Airplane

 

Some of the best Bluegrass finger pickers in the world. And of course the all time Grammy winner with 26, Alison with an angel's voice.

 

Paper Airplane was released in April 2011. The mastering of this 16/44 redbook CD is top notch rivaling some of my very best 24/96 material. Absolutely brilliant in every way with PS500.

 

 

There are a couple albums going through my rotation that jump immediately to mind.

The first is O by Damien Rice -- you can literally feel every string attack during the intro to "Cannonball."

Another great album to listen to on any headphones (for a multitude of reasons) is Agaetis Byrjun by Sigur Ros, which is an ambient post-rock masterpiece.  "Svefn-g-englar" is a standout track here; although truly enjoyed in headphones with a larger soundstage than most Grados, the sound of Jonsi's angelic falsetto and heavily distorted guitar played with a viola bow seem to have true palpable texture.

I also really enjoy listening to Tom Petty's Damn the Torpedoes on my Grados.  The instrument separation is really good and everything seems so lively.

Also in the Tom Department, I enjoy listening to just about every Tom Waits album ever recorded on my Grados; most recently I've been listening to Small Change and Rain Dogs.

+1 on Damien Rice album. I can't get enough of the intensity and dark emotion that transpire from this album.

+2 on the Sigur Ros too. Very unique group and amazing music.

Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by dirkgently 

There are a couple albums going through my rotation that jump immediately to mind.

 

The first is O by Damien Rice -- you can literally feel every string attack during the intro to "Cannonball."

 

Another great album to listen to on any headphones (for a multitude of reasons) is Agaetis Byrjun by Sigur Ros, which is an ambient post-rock masterpiece.  "Svefn-g-englar" is a standout track here; although truly enjoyed in headphones with a larger soundstage than most Grados, the sound of Jonsi's angelic falsetto and heavily distorted guitar played with a viola bow seem to have true palpable texture.

 

I also really enjoy listening to Tom Petty's Damn the Torpedoes on my Grados.  The instrument separation is really good and everything seems so lively.

 

Also in the Tom Department, I enjoy listening to just about every Tom Waits album ever recorded on my Grados; most recently I've been listening to Small Change and Rain Dogs.

 

 

All Acoustic Alchemy, a Smooth Jazz band that specializes on acoustic guitar, albums sounds great on any Grado. I haven't heard their new album, Roseland, but I'm sure it'll sound great as well.

I particularly like their albums that were released by Higher Octave and GRP. Both record excellent quality music on CD. And since I mentioned GRP, I would also like to recommend also, David Benoit's Fuzzy Logic and Professional Dreamer. They were both recorded under that record label and of course sounds great on my 125i's.

I can tell you that Roseland is very good too. I've got it in 96Khz/24bit from HDtracks and it's one of my favorite album..

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kiddomike 

All Acoustic Alchemy, a Smooth Jazz band that specializes on acoustic guitar, albums sounds great on any Grado. I haven't heard their new album, Roseland, but I'm sure it'll sound great as well.

 

I particularly like their albums that were released by Higher Octave and GRP. Both record excellent quality music on CD. And since I mentioned GRP, I would also like to recommend also, David Benoit's Fuzzy Logic and Professional Dreamer. They were both recorded under that record label and of course sounds great on my 125i's.

Pretty much anything by Rodrigo Y Gabriella. The acoustic guitars come alive with a good Grado and the percussion has a wonderful kick to it. I love their albums on the RS1 -it seems like they were made for Grado's particular strengths,

One of my favorite albums to listen to on Grados is Steffen Schackinger's ElectriGuitartistry. It really does feel like nothing else does that album like a Grado does. 

I have to report that I'm really disappointed in the She & Him albums that I've got when combined with the RS1. I expected her voice to be even more immersive, but instead the RS1 is revealing that her vocal tracks are pushed WAY forward and seem to have been badly damaged. I'm not getting any texture, it's nearly clipping. 

Wow! I'm gonna look for it on our local stores. I want to collect their albums. :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twinster 

I can tell you that Roseland is very good too. I've got it in 96Khz/24bit from HDtracks and it's one of my favorite album..

 

 
 

 

I would also like to add to my first suggestion these albums:

1. Beatles Jazz by Modern Gustin Trio

2. The Very Best of Diana Krall by Diana Krall

3. Any Dave Matthews Band album (I noticed that they are well recorded. I'm not an uber fan but I just enjoy listening to their music with my Grados)

4. Mothership by Led Zepplin

5. What a Difference... by Eldissa

6. The Hi-Fi Sound of Candid Jazz by Various Artists

7. Buckcherry (album) and 15 (album) by Buckcherry (I also noticed that these albums are recorded better than any other hard rock albums that I have.)

8. Live in Manchester (live album) by Slash (It's a live album. I love the punchy bass of the drums here. It sounds like I'm there.)

9. Some Devil by Dave Matthews

10. Sweet and Dangerous Jazz Blues by Various Artists

11. Smooth Jazz with a Twist of Summer by Various Artists

12. Thug Stories by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony (OK. Bass not enough? Maybe. This album features the sound of Bone Thugs going back to its roots, which is very harmonic rap / vocals. Grado really brings out this sound.)

Happy Listening! :D

I totally agree with that.  I find the vocal production work on every one of their albums to be awful.  Sounds like their running her voice through a guitar compressor or something giving it a hideously bright tangy sound.  The echo additions are equally as bad on some tracks.  
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercuttio 

I have to report that I'm really disappointed in the She & Him albums that I've got when combined with the RS1. I expected her voice to be even more immersive, but instead the RS1 is revealing that her vocal tracks are pushed WAY forward and seem to have been badly damaged. I'm not getting any texture, it's nearly clipping. 

Great thread. Keep 'em coming!

Here's an eclectic grouping of aural yum:

Album -- Band -- Description

Secrets -- Feldman, Caine, Cohen, Baron -- 'Hassidic spiritual themes as jazz'. The drums are incredible, and the piano and upright bass have 'mass' in the Grados. Produced by John Zorn.

Cords -- Synergy (Larry Fast) -- Early electronica (late '70s, early '80s). Large dynamic range, and while not overly sophisticated, just all around fun.

Sky Blue Sky -- Wilco -- Crisp drums, nice separation. Not Wilco's best album (although, still darn fine), but this one sounds really nice through the 325is.

Oversteps -- Autechre -- New electronica, but not in the typical vein. Organic analog sounds, fractured rhythms, never the exact same phrasing twice. These guys 'broke' Radiohead.

Goat -- The Jesus Lizard -- Steve Albini recorded alternative rock. The remasters are sublime.

Beggars Banquet -- Rolling Stones -- Yeah. Not much to say here.

Legion of Mary (jerry Garcia Band circa '74-'75).  The commercial vol 1 & 2 are amazing with Grados,  but the Bob Menke's recordings in 24/96k transfer probably capture the essence of the electric guitar better than anything I have ever heard.  Fusion jazz guitar at it best and only Grados can portay the magic.