High quality CD recordings


Over the last 55+ years I've spent significant time and effort trying, as we all do, to get the best sound from our systems as practicable. I'm quite happy with my current setup so the weakest link many times is the quality of recordings themselves.

I was reminded of this while using a test CD that I've used off and on for about 15 years to evaluate some recent changes I made. On this CD, after the more technical part of frequency testing is ended, examples of various instrumental and vocal presentations are given. While listening I was reminded of just how significant a difference in recordings themselves can make.

I've used advice given on these forums regarding superior recordings but these have been recommendations for specific single CD's like, for example, "Jazz at the Pawnshop" and many more. What I'm looking for, though, are recording entities that are dedicated to producing high quality recordings across the spectrum of music genres. It would be nice to have a source of recordings that we could generally depend on for good quality. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
128x128broadstone
Ptss, I also grew up in the country so, for the most part, experienced the same serene quiet that you mentioned. On the other hand, though, because it was a working farm there were many times when machinery noise was overwhelming for hours on end, day after day, and on and on, which probably started my hearing decline. I, too, had a crystal radio which I could only listen to in one exact spot in my room. Another parallel is that one of our most memorable vacation experiences was in Nova Scotia at a particular Scottish Highland games which featured music over field competitions.

Anyway, by now I've received quite a few CDs that I've been ordering since the beginning of this thread. Listening to them has been enjoyable and the recordings that I've ordered most of are under the Chesky, RR and Gramophone labels; they're all good and I appreciate the advice. As it turns out, quite a few of my existing recordings were also under these labels; I just hadn't previously paid attention to that aspect of my choices.

Just to make sure that I stay true to form and deviate from the subject of this thread, Ive noted your obvious considerable appreciation of great artists' genius based on your list of future chat partners. Because my education and work background has been in the sciences, my appreciation of genius was was relegated primarily to works in physics and mathematics. I've come to the realization, though, that genius in music composition is at least as remarkable and, possibly more rare.
Hello again Broadstone. My choices were influenced by the fact I'm on this forum on music and reproduction art. I think you're right about it being more rare; and to me it seems especially so these days, but I don't think it's more remarkable. I find Physics fascinating but math is simply out of my reach (especially since a head injury in an '89 car accident :-( I feel lucky I can still appreciate the arts!) Cheers!
For Redbook AM+ has never disappointed.
Supertramp,The Police,Joe Jackson.AM+ Cd's just
sound good.
Amina Alaoui
"Arch Iris" 2011 (ECM)
Anouar Brahem
"the Astounding Eyes of Rita" 2009 (ECM)
Jazzfan, both are excellent and feature instrumentation matching my personal tastes. In the process of auditioning I also discovered another artist on ECM, Ralph Towner, that I enjoy and just ordered his "Anthem" album with which I imagine you're familiar. Thanks