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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
n80 OP
2,116 posts
 
jafant, will do! 

Slightly off topic but not really.  As I've been learning about hifi sound and going through all my CDs there are a few that seem like standouts in terms of SQ and one of them that has kind of become my test CD and which I keep coming back to is Sting's Soul Cages.

This CD was bought when the album came out, the original release from A&M Records dated 1991, catalog number 6405, barcode is 07502-16405-28. It gets high numbers on the Dynamic Range DB.

It is also marked as recorded in "Q Sound". Looking that up it seems it is not something that caught on. I'm not sure why because it really seems to work. The SQ is so rich, the bass is deep without being muddy or boomy (except on one track, Why Should I Cry for You, where it is clearly intentionally boomy with in your face timpani drum). The CD draws me back as much for the SQ as the songs themselves. 

Anyway, just thought I'd throw that out there for folks who might want to give it a listen or might have some thoughts on Q Sound.
gosta's avatar
gosta
839 posts
 
N80, I agree with your view of the quality of Soul Cages except for that the timpany drum (or what it is) is far away back in the soundstage and that the bass is actually perfect in balance. Not muddy or boomy at all :-).
Interesting what different speakers and room can do to the sound....

However, I would wish Sting used his bass more offensively after he left the Police. It's mostly playing very low and hard to hear at all and in my opinion rather boring to listen to. Actually you don't listen to it at all. Suppose he wants it that way. But besides that I agree most of the songs are really well recorded with layers of instruments and a very deep soundstage. So reference quality and also a fine test what the speakers can do with the bass.
n80 OP
2,116 posts
 
Agree with you about Sting's use of his bass. I may be wrong about this but I never thought Sting was a standout bass player. He is certainly a world class singer and writer but I always felt his bass playing was good but not amazing. Certainly Soul Cages could have benefited from more up front bass playing, like with the Police, but I do get the impression that he wanted it more subdued.

As for the timpani drum, I just meant it sounded boomy in a good way, the way a timpani is supposed to sound. The emphasis in that song is 'boom-boom" . With my system it sounds like someone is hitting it right there in the room right in front of you.
gosta's avatar
gosta
839 posts
 
I'm in my apartement now and can't play very loud but will pump up volume in the weekend to find that tympani in my room :-)
jkingtut's avatar
jkingtut
28 posts
 
N80 King Biscuit up the road from Clarksdale in Helena Ark. really good blues festival in Oct. every year right on the levee. One of the best CD collections I own is the last remaster of Robert Johnson (every song he recorded). It was a box set with also a bunch of 10" vinyl as the originals would have been and some other music recorded at the same time. The 2 Robert Johnson CD's are spooky good, like he is in the room. Especially with a little firewater.........
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