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How to find the good CD recordings?

I'm new to high end audio but have a decent system. One of the things I've noticed with this new (old) system, is that some of my CDs which I used to think sounded fine just don't sound all that good anymore while some of them sound great. A lot of these CDs are 30 years old and came from CD clubs (remember those?) and typical record stores.

I've noticed in particular that some of my Led Zep CDs just sound a little flat and a little shallow while some of the Pink Floyd and Rush CDs sound quite good. 

Is this just a matter of Floyd and Rush having higher production quality from the beginning? 

Would later "remastered" Zep CDs sound better? Is "remastered" always an indication of better or superior quality? Is it just marketing hype sometimes?

Anyway, with this new system I am inclined to buy the best quality recordings of any newer music I buy and possible replace some of my old favorites.

So is there a place on the internet where one can go to get reviews of the actual recording quality and not just the music itself. I don't see iTunes or Amazon as particularly useful here. At this point I am not interested in pursuing vinyl or high end audio files. I'm still just getting my feet wet and CDs seem like a cheap way to do that.

Any assistance much appreciated,

George
n80
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,417 posts
 
@n80,
since you like the hard rock blues that Zeppelin is known for, I suggest you pick up the BBC Sessions Remaster (1997) CD. It's 2 CDs with side one containing blues performances in the BBC studio. And it's outstanding SQ; raw with great studio ambience.
Side two is LZ performing live in 1971.

And if you'd like to know which versions of the Zep CDs you own, feel free to PM me. I'm sure I can identify them.

n80 OP
2,116 posts
 
I will look into that. I may have some of that on vinyl. When I was in college in the early 1980’s I bought a used double album called Led Zeppelin BBC Broadcasts. It cost me $20 which was crazy money for me back then. It was my understanding that it was bootleg and it looks it. On the back it says "Taken from BBC Broadcasts in 1971 and 1972 recorded at the Royal Albert Hall and at the BBC studios in London. Under that it says, " Due to the unavailability of some master recordings and transcription disks, some surface noise may be evident on certain tracks."

If I remember correctly the SQ is not too good but some of the performances are great. The back of the album lists Whole Lotta Love including "Minnesota Blues" which is really Elvis’s Mess of the Blues. Plant is fantastic with this. I need to put it on the TT and see what it sounds like.

Here it is on eBay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/LED-ZEPPELIN-BBC-Broadcasts-NM-Sunburn-Eva-2x-double-LP-Royal-Albert-Hall/1...

I also have what you are referring to via iTunes. It includes Traveling Riverside Blues and The Girl I Love She Got Long Black Wavy Hair. I think those are the best two songs out of the whole bunch.

I need to get that CD. I’m pretty much done with iTunes.
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,417 posts
 
Hi n80,
  There are many LZ bootlegs. BBC Sessions and The Complete BBC Sessions are official Atlantic releases remixed by Page.
https://www.amazon.com/Complete-BBC-Sessions-3CD/dp/B01IOAAZSE/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_15_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&...

This may be what you have on iTunes. Disk one was recorded in the BBC studios and is very good quality. These were live to tape recordings for broadcast.

The latest release is a bootleg called How The West Was Won. Jimmy cleaned it up and released it as an official remaster. The performances are really exciting, the band is young and really into it. Disk one is compressed but it doesn't matter because the band is so good. The SQ on disk two (at the LA Forum) is quite good.
  Just don't make the mistake of buying the original bootleg which is still for sale.

shadorne's avatar
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shadorne
7,477 posts
 
I have How the West was Won and the BBC sessions. Everything LZ put out is so great musically. Everything is enjoyable due to the superb playing and chemistry. Of course they ripped off a great deal of music from others but that is not so important because it really is the performances that shine - playing on a level that really stands out against anything before or since. The individual skills are not as important as their combined chemistry - this is what makes LZ unique, IMHO.
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,417 posts
 
Right on @shadorne .

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