[WoodyLuvr]

The thread is about the best sounding albums. Albums that have been artificially made louder and compressed do not sound all that good. I'm sorry if anyone is offended. But when the recording doesn't sound good because it's loud and flat, it doesn't belong in this thread.

Now that is a friendly and very reasonable response with a thoughtful and appreciated argument.

I understand your perspective totally... as per Katz average volume increased over 20 db in twenty years with CDs compared to only 4-5 db over forty years with vinyl (which is shocking!!!)... however, should we really use the "loudness/compression wars" as a blanket criteria (reason) to not consider a recording? Especially a potentially very good recording and nicely mastered despite loudness or compression?

 

[JWolf]

Now that is a friendly and very reasonable response with a thoughtful and appreciated argument.

I understand your perspective totally... as per Katz average volume increased over 20 db in twenty years with CDs compared to only 4-5 db over forty years with vinyl (which is shocking!!!)... however, should we really use the "loudness/compression wars" as a blanket criteria (reason) to not consider a recording? Especially a potentially very good recording and nicely mastered despite loudness or compression?

I find recordings that are artificially compressed can be hard to listen to. I cannot push the volume on them. But on a recording that's not been artificially compressed, I can push the volume and still be able to listen. An example is ABBA. The original recordings are not great, but 'they are very listenable because they have proper dynamics. The current versions are remastered and compressed and they sound awful. I cannot listen to the newer versions.

The problem I find is that the instruments are all mashed together and you don't get the details. It can sometimes sound like a wall of noise more so than music. The other problem is when they push the volume, sometimes they push it too much and it comes out distorted. So not only do we have almost no dynamics, we have distortion as well. So if you get a recording that's overly compressed with distortion, it's unlistenable. And if you are seeing on of your favorite recordings remastered in hi-res, you don't always have a way of knowing if it's still good or if it's been compressed. It's not good when you remember the dynamics of recording that you've enjoyed and you then hear a remastered version and you notice the lack of dynamics. The Billy Joel song Piano Man is a good example of this. The hi-res version is compressed and version noticeable.

For this thread, I feel that only music that's not had the volume bumped up and/or the dynamics compressed are candidates for this thread. Recordings where the volume cannot be upped and they cause fatigue don't count. They aren't good. Given the title, it's not about the music as it is about the sound. You don't have to like a recording for it to be mentioned because it's all about how well it's recorded.

Anyway, I started a thread asking for pop/rock recordings and it's not been replied to other than one overly volume raised/flat recording. It's shameful how much good music is ruined there days.

 

[bigfatpaulie]

Now that is a friendly and very reasonable response with a thoughtful and appreciated argument.

I understand your perspective totally... as per Katz average volume increased over 20 db in twenty years with CDs compared to only 4-5 db over forty years with vinyl (which is shocking!!!)... however, should we really use the "loudness/compression wars" as a blanket criteria (reason) to not consider a recording? Especially a potentially very good recording and nicely mastered despite loudness or compression?

Ummm... yeah. If an album has a dynamic range of 6 (like in this case) that's a poorly recorded album. It just is. You may love the music, it may be the best music ever, but it would still be a poorly recorded album.

 

[MisterMudd]

The thread is about the best sounding albums. Albums that have been artificially made louder and compressed do not sound all that good. I'm sorry if anyone is offended. But when the recording doesn't sound good because it's loud and flat, it doesn't belong in this thread.

Or, maybe he is simply not aware of the loudness war and DR Database. Give him the benefit of the doubt.

 

[protoss]

Unless you can find an original 1994 version, it's going to sound awful. The current version is very loud and compressed.

It is very easy to find the original? You mean the original CD? Theres so many on Ebay. Also I have it in FLAC. it sounds pretty darn good to my ears.

 

[JWolf]

Or, maybe he is simply not aware of the loudness war and DR Database. Give him the benefit of the doubt.

It's fairly obvious of the loudness and compression. Just run a dynamic range check and you'll see the numbers.

 

[Whazzzup]

Old school albums surprisingly come to mind
Allan parsons project
Xtc from late 80- early 90

 

[Ingo]

A newer entry that blows me away (especially the LP through my system) is Ray LaMontagne - Ouroboros.

 

[Mython]

A newer entry that blows me away (especially the LP through my system) is Ray LaMontagne - Ouroboros.

Yeah, although the recording is a bit patchy, I also like his album 'Trouble', and his album 'Till the Sun Turns Black' often gets played at hi-fi shows (e.g. the track 'Barfly')

 

[balek]

10cc - how dare you and
Sheet music

 

[Ingo]

Yeah, although the recording is a bit patchy, I also like his album 'Trouble', and his album 'Till the Sun Turns Black' often gets played at hi-fi shows (e.g. the track 'Barfly')

I'm a big fan of all his singing and I like all of the albums but I listen to 'Till the Sun Turns Black' most.

As a recording/producing achievement, I think 'Ouroboros' is pretty great, though. It's obvious Pink Floyd inspiration extended beyond the musical composition, imo.

 

[fbarberis]

I justa want ot thanks for let me know the Macy Gray album. I'm listening it non-stop.

I think that "Little Crimes" from Melissa Menago is really good also.

 

[KopaneDePooj]

Check this out > https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/prog-rock.211107/page-92#post-13555378
This is a MUST listen!

 

[Whazzzup]

I wonder how much a confounding variable of how much you like a tune or album influences what one considers well recorded. For example Macy grey irritates me, while I'm sure it is well recorded, I couldn't vote for that. While I enjoy Diana krall live in Paris is it really better recorded than her latest album where her voice seems more intimate, meanwhile I don't own any krall, but many other jazz singers.
Is dark side of the moon, which I would concur, the best recorded album? Or is it?

 

[Erkan]

Salena Jones - Audiophile selection
Ruthie foster - the phenomenal
anya singleton - not easy to forget
mario suzuki - masterpiece
lena willemark - nar som graset det vajar