Truly Stunning Vinyl Album
Hey friends, I'm relatively new here, first topic post but I read Audiogon topics daily. I'm a total neophyte with a not-inexpensive mid-fi system (Rogue Cronus iii Dark amp, Michel Gyro SE TT, Maggie 3.7i speakers, and a single Perlisten D15s sub, and an Eversolo DMP A8 streamer), and a growing vinyl collection that I'm partial to over streaming (unless I'm working and can't bother to flip the record). I love classic rock, Neil Young, the Stones, and the Grateful Dead, but really I like almost all genres (not into rap or thrasher metal) and since setting up my system I routinely play jazz and classical albums, and artists I never paid much attention to but now listen to quite frequently because their albums sound great on my system (e.g. Jethro Tull, Santana). So with all of that context, what I'm interested in is any TRULY STUNNING vinyl albums you can recommend, in any genre. I'm not asking for a desert island list, or any list of your favorite albums. I have those lists too, but they're dominated by musicians/groups I love and aren't necessarily "stunning" beyond my own subjective tastes. I'm interested in hearing about the one or two albums in your collection that just blow you away for whatever reason (and please explain). I'll kick it off with the Impex reissue of chamber music by Jascha Heifetz in mono, called The Lark. If you had told me that one of the top 3 records in my collection would be a mono chamber music album, I'd have laughed you out of my house. But it just blows me away. I listen to it daily. Why does it blow me away? Mostly it's the opening piece, Heifetz and an organist playing Vitali's Chaconne. It starts off with somber organ tones that I feel in my soul thanks to the Perlisten D15s sub, and then all of a sudden Heifetz comes crashing in with his piercing violin, and it is so darn stunning and beautiful I could listen to it daily until they plant me. And I don't even have a mono cartridge! So that's the type of album I'm looking for, in any genre. Something younwould play for anyone, and regardless of what genre they prefer, they would likely agree this album is truly stunning. Can you recommend anything like that? And in case you're interested, here's a great review of the Heifetz album:
https://positive-feedback.com/reviews/music-reviews/jascha-heifetz-the-lark/
Thanks for any recommendations!
Great thread!! I have it bookmarked. For me it’s easy, Monk’s Dream by Thelonious Monk pressed with Mofi Ultradisc One Step. This is a pricy album, but I have listened to it with three different phono cartridges and it always sounds nothing short of fantastic. The spare arrangement, unique timing and room acoustics of the original recording just draw me in. kn |
I haven't heard the Monk Mo-Fi one step, but, if it is like other such albums it would be terrific sounding. Mo-Fi has taken a lot of heat because they have made most of these albums from digital masters. Analogue purist hate the very idea that digital is part of the chain because they believe digital is inherently bad. I am beginning to think that what is loved about analogue sound is what the medium does to the sound, not that it is a superior way to preserve the original signal. I have a number of early digitally recorded music issued on vinyl (because CDs had not yet been invented) that sound very good. They sound very much like analogue-recorded vinyl. A similar observation has been made with analogue tape. I read an interview with three recording engineers and they all agreed that high resolution digital recording sounds closer to the native microphone feed than does an analogue tape recording of the same feed. But, they all agreed that they preferred the sound of the analogue tape version even if it was not as "accurate." Perhaps vinyl works the same way for vinyl fans. |
"Not an "audiophile" sounding recording, but "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder (on his Talking Book album) is a track that is very "punchy" sounding. One of the best drum sounds I've ever heard- " bdp24- You probably know the story-that intro was Jeff Beck noodling on the kit and Stevie walks into the studio? https://nypost.com/2023/01/11/how-jeff-back-made-stevie-wonder-go-no-1-with-superstition
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i’m not a huge Black Sabbath fan, but the Rhino Numbered remaster of their self titled debut that came out a few months ago might be the best sounding vinyl record I’ve ever heard. The Doors - Analogue Productions 45 RPM from a few years back (still available and better than the more recent UHQR) 2009 Pressing of Hotel California Shelby Lynne - Just a Little Lovin’ 45 RPM Analogue Productions Steely Dan - all of the Analogue Productions UHQR The Beatles - 2014 mono reissues
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