[Zithras]

Hi - I'm looking for some extremely well mastered, audiophile-sound-quality classical CDs so I can really listen to how good my sound system sounds. Unfortunately, there's tons of classical recordings out there, and 99% of them are cheaply made crap, even if they are performed by wonderful orchestras.
Please could you all suggest some CDs or point me to an appropriate thread? (I tried searching on the forums, but only got a few, mostly non-classical results) - someone should make a reference CD compilation thread.

Thanks!
Zithras

 

[Duggeh]

If you stick to the respected labels like Deusche Grammophon, Telark, MFSL, etc then you generally wont go far wrong. Sorry I cant give any particular reference CDs, almost all of my classical is on vinyl.

 

[wakeride74]

Hahn's Bach concertos on SACD sounds pretty damn good.

 

[Zithras]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wakeride74 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hahn's Bach concertos on SACD sounds pretty damn good.

- Also, Duggeh, did you mean Telark or Telarc? (They are different companies, right? Or is one just a typo? I know Telarc is supposed to be good, but haven't heard much about Telark)

Unfortunately, I don't have a SACD player (yet) - just a CD player.

(Currently, I have a Sennheiser 650 with Cardas cable, and a HeadRoom micro amp and DAC - nothing amazing by the standards of this forum, but far better than anything I've ever had before

Given how much I just spent on these, I'm trying REALLY heard to resist the upgrade bug as long as possible...

)

Any other suggestions of brands, or (especially) of individual CDs would be much appreciated - (is there a website which ranks these cds or anything? I couldn't find one - I know stereophile reviews CDs, but it doesn't seem to have reference CD lists)

Thanks!
Zithras

 

[mbhaub]

I know what you mean: great sounding disks with great orchestral sound, from the deepest lows, to shimmering highs that can really show off a great system. Here are some that I use to demonstrate to people. BTW: I, for one among many, DO NOT agree that DG usually has great sound. In fact, I avoid that label because of its less than state of the art sound. There are many companies (Decca, BIS, Chandos, Hyperion, RCA, Ondine, CPO, Telarc, Teldec) that routinely turn out better sound than DG.

Demo disks:

1) Atterberg, Symphony no 6 on BIS. Crank up the volume and wallow in the orchestral splendor. The end of the symphony is glorious.

2) Mahler, Symphony no. 2 on Telarc. Just wait until the bass drum enters!

3) Stravinsky, Firebird Suite, on Telarc in the Atlanta SO/Shaw version. Packs a punch.

4) Elgar Symphony no. 1 on Telarc with Zinman/Baltimore.

5) Ravel, Daphnis and Chloe, on Decca/London with Dutoit and Montreal.

6) Respighi: Pines of Roman, ROman Festivals, Fountains of Rome. Dutoit and Montreal on Decca.

If these don't knock you down sonically, nothing will. I hope you don't live in an apartment with thin walls!

 

[BAwig05]

Some of the best sounds are remastered material, RCA living stereo, and Mercury Living Presence, are both now on SACD

 

[golgi]

Also, Reference Recordings has an excellent catalog of extremely well recorded music. The ones that I have that I highly recommend to you are Mephisto & Co. (RR82) , Stravinsky (which was 1997 Grammy® Nominee "BEST ENGINEERED, CLASSICAL" RR-70), Berlioz Symphonie fantastique (RR-11). There are many many more on this label but these are the classical ones I have so far. I also have other genre of recordings on this label and every single one is fantastic. I have yet to be disappointed by anything on the RR label.

 

[PSmith08]

The Mahler 2nd recordings by either Michael Tilson Thomas (SFSO) or Gilbert Kaplan (DGG) are really splendid. They are SACD/hybrid, but the redbook layer is reference-quality. Barenboim's Ring from Bayreuth on Teldec/Warner is very good, too.

As to Deutsche Grammophon, they can get a bit over engineered, and spotmiking is a problem, but there are some discs that are simply very, very good. Philips is a label that has always impressed me, not least for unforced and reasonably natural sound. Of course, I could just have tin ears.

 

[Bunnyears]

The SACD recordings of Andrew Manze seem to have an incredibly life-like sound, the CPE Bach Symphonies and Concerto, the Mozart Nacht Musik and his Mozart Violin Concertos have incredible sound quality. I also love the David Fröst Brahms Clarinet Sonatas and Mozart Clarinet Concerto recordings as well. The Osmo Vänskä Beethoven symphonies, (3 cds) are the best sounding Beethoven recordings I know of (again they are hybrids).

For Mahler, I'm really impressed by the Ivan Fischer Mahler Symphony No. 2 (hybrid) as well as the Slatkin M2 mentioned by mbhaub, it needs the volume bumped up slightly but just has the most incredible sculptural quality and dynamics that are perfect.

Btw if you enjoy opera, the René Jacobs recordings of Le Nozze di Figaro (hybrid or stereo) and Cosi fan Tutti (stereo) are also real winners.

The sound quality on the recording of Bach's Psaume 51 and Cantate 82 by Les Violons du Roy is also immaculate; definitely reference quality (also a hybrid).

 

[Doc Sarvis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PSmith08 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Mahler 2nd recordings by either Michael Tilson Thomas (SFSO) or Gilbert Kaplan (DGG) are really splendid.

I second the Kaplan as a great-sounding recording.

 

[Zithras]

Thank you all for the suggestions! Now to go pick some of them up

Zithras

 

[majid]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doc Sarvis /img/forum/go_quote.gif I second the Kaplan as a great-sounding recording.

I have them both on SACD, as well as Abbado and Boulez, but Ozawa and the Saito Kinen on Red book CD blows them all clear out of the water in terms of artistry and recording quality. Strange this wasn't issued on SACD since it's a recent (2000) Sony album.

 

[MattKT]

I find the Decca opera sets from the late 80s and 90s are pretty good for editing and balancing.