Please list some well-mastered CDs

[luckybaer]

Hello,

I'm really getting into this headphone stuff, but as I get better and better equipment, I'm noticing that there are some CDs that just sound worse with my new stuff. I'm pretty sure this is due to mastering the CD at really loud levels, compressing it, and giving us the listeners a clipping pile of crap.

Anyhoo, I like all kinds of music, and here is a list of recording artists of which I own multiple CDs:

Roxy Music
King Crimson
Steely Dan
The Police
Beck
Pink Floyd
Dire Straits
Foo Fighters
Pearl Jam
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Frank Zappa

I also like Beethoven's piano concertos and his symphonies.

With my goofy tastes in mind, I'd like the community to chime in with music you think I might enjoy THAT IS MASTERED VERY WELL.

I listen to CDs on my PC, and I rip to Apple Lossless for my iPod, and I rip to FLAC for just listening on another one of my PCs.

I don't have an SACD player or anything fancy.

Thank you.
Luckybaer

 

[nelamvr6]

Click the link in my sig.

You won't regret it.

 

[eduj]

Steve Hoffman forums have all your answers

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums

 

[nelamvr6]

Quote:

Originally Posted by eduj /img/forum/go_quote.gif Steve Hoffman forums have all your answers http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums

 

[Asr]

Porcupine Tree's In Absentia and Deadwing aren't too far off from those CDs and are both very well-mastered.

 

[J-Pak]

Deadwing is a fantastic album, but I question its mastering. The entire album sounds really good, but in my opinion it's not up to Steven Wilson standards. The entire album is recorded very loud (very obvious on the tracks Deadwing and Shallow).

I think if it was recorded at a lower volume he would have been able to achieve an even better dynamic range.

Still it's very good when compared to most modern rock albums.

 

[SickMouthy]

Go here; http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articl...97-present.htm

 

[clarke68]

Digital mastering engineer Bob Katz maintains a list of well-mastered CDs on his website.

 

[VicAjax]

i think you should pick up Rickie Lee Jones's eponymous debut album. it is exquisitely recorded and wasn't fckucked up when it was transfered to CD.

i constantly come back to it for its sweet, intimate and immediate sound. she'll appeal to the side of you that digs Dire Straits, Steely Dan and Roxy Music.

 

[GlendaleViper]

If you like Beethoven and have SACD capability, you MUST hear:

LSO Live w/ Bernard Haitink: Beethoven 1-9 (includes Triple Concerto and Leonore #2)

Recorded live in DSD and it's a hybrid too. Couldn't tell you how the Redbook layer sounds. I have no reason to listen to it!

 

[TKO]

Luckybaer,

Just a couple that I have that have fantastic mastering:

Jennifer Warnes - Famous Blue Raincoat

Madeleine Peyroux - Dreamland, Careless Love, Half The Perfect World

Alison Krauss - Forget About It
Alison Krauss & Union Station - Lonely Runs Both Ways

Def Leppard - Vault (Def Leppards Greatest Hits)

Fleetwood Mac - Greatest Hits (1998)

Elton John - Sleeping With The Past

Bryan Ferry - Slave To Love (The Best of the Ballads)

Rush - The Spirit of Radio Greatest Hits

David Bowie - Let's Dance

The Cars - Greatest Hits

Dire Straits - Money For Nothing (Remastered)

Peter Gabriel - Hit

just to name a few safe bets

Also, I try and research the CDs before I buy them to see who mastered them. For example, anything by Steve Hoffman, Bob Ludwig, Bob Katz, etc.

Hope this helps a little. Cheers.

 

[luckybaer]

Thank you, Tony, and all the others who have replied.

Vic, I'll give the Rickie Lee Jones album a shot. Your recommendations for Frank Zappa albums nailed it for me a few months ago.

 

[VicAjax]

Quote:

Originally Posted by luckybaer /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thank you, Tony, and all the others who have replied. Vic, I'll give the Rickie Lee Jones album a shot. Your recommendations for Frank Zappa albums nailed it for me a few months ago.

excellent! again... let me know what you think after you've given it a spin. have you listened to her before?

 

[tedpon]

alison krauss union station, last 4 albums,the best master n mixes in any kind of music,i always use them as a reference when mixing n recording,specially for acoustic stuff,...if any of you people havent heard or tried these cd,s, do yourself a favour,even if you dont like the music,.its great to hear quality instruments well set up and expertly played with soul n feeling n captured so clean n natural,.... tedpon.

 

[luckybaer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by VicAjax /img/forum/go_quote.gif excellent! again... let me know what you think after you've given it a spin. have you listened to her before?

I haven't spent any time listening to RLJ, but I have heard some of her stuff before - when I was a kid.

I will have to order online, since I went to the local Best Buy and didn't have any luck.