Surprised by quality?

The opposite is also true. Once you get decent components you will be very disappointed in the quality of many CDs. The same recordings remastered on differant labelsis quite the eye-opener!

For instance there is a box set released by Motown of all of their hits that I really liked and then a fellow audiophile gave me a box set of many of the same recordings released on Rhino. The differance is quality is such that the Motown release is relegated to my car's CD player and I doubt i will ever again play it on my main system only because of what it could be but is not.

Oh, I was just given the box set of Martin Scorsese presents 'The Blues' which is all of the music from the recent PBS documentary. The quality, especially on the last three disks, is truly outstanding!

Unclejeff:

That box set of "The Blues" was on my Christmas list, but alas, Santa must have missed it. It it worth picking up? I would think so from your comments and from what I saw on PBS. I managed to tape all but one night of their 7 night special. Truly, some amazing stuff. As is "Standing in the Shadows of Motown", which I may also have to pick up on DVD.

Midficollege:

I, too, was very impressed by the digital remasters of Glenn Miller. Great stuff. Another disk that I recall having a greater appreciation for after a system upgrade was Pearl Jam's "Ten." Specifically, the harmonic overtones on the 12-string bass part to "Jeremy." I doubt that most people who listen to that disk have heard 90% of the sonic nuances on that one. Dishwalla's first disk, "Pet Your Friends," is the best mix of any rock band that I know of. Somehow, each instrument is very present and rich, but none get drowned out. Good tunes, too. One last "surprise" disk to mention is Jars of Clay (I think it's a self titled disk - it has their one big hit on it). The acoustic guitars are really excellent, and the drums and vocals are also outstanding.

A disk that did not surprise me (because the first time I heard it was in a high end audio store through a large pair of Martin Logan's) was Dean Peer's "Ucross." This is the best imaging of any disk I own by a long shot. Absolutely fantastic recordings. Even though Dean is a solo bass player, his recordings make extensive use of harmonics, nylon stringed experiments, and a variety of techniques. The result, is a full-frequency ranged instrumental journey. Great stuff!

Tom.

Go ahead and treat yourself to "The Blues'. I really am a bit too picky when it comes to quality CDs. Not that i don't really mind the average quality CDs; it is just that I can really appreciate the good ones.

One of the greatest things about being an adult, even around Christmas: If you are not given what you want, you can still have it.

Just go get it.

Well, since you said so... ;^)

It is good to be an adult, sometimes.

Tom.

Re. quality of recorded music on CD or vinyl: I went to the Underground Atlanta, which is 3-level shopping plaza right in the middle of Atlanta. Was walking around & came upon a 2-man band playing some old Jazz numbers. One fellow was playing the saxophone (sounded like tenor) & his buddy the drums. I was standing atleast 20 feet away & that saxophone had some bite (& then some)! There was a clear harshness to its sound & the 2 were playing completely unmicrophoned. The music was excellent to listen to so I stood there a long time.

This made me realise that a real, live saxophone has bite. Any recording (or SACD treatment) that removes this bite is creating distortion! If the music is correctly recorded then any music system softening this saxophone bite is, again, creating distortion! If you don't like the harshness of brass instruments, don't listen to brass instruments (better than murdering the recording to remove the harshness!).

What is the point of getting an accurate recording when you are going to play it on an inaccurate (or distortion producing) system???? Money totally wasted, I say!! IMHO.