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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
2,112 posts
 
Thanks gosta. I'm still working out all the pros and cons of Tidal. If it is worth it to pay $20 a month ($240/year!) for the hi res stuff then it seems to me it would be imperative to have the equipment to listen to it at the highest quality level and I'm still just not sure how to do that or even if I want to spend that much more money for that additional equipment.

I might even consider the low-res subscription just to find music I like and then find good recordings of it on CD.

I'm re-listening to my earlier Zep CDs and maybe they'e not as bad as I thought. I think more volume (they way it was intended I suppose) would probably help. 

Replacing the equipment I have (which was all free) is not really an option. I'm fairly sure I cannot afford higher quality than what I already have (Aerial Acoustic 7Bs) unless I started trading and selling which is a rabbit hole I am not going down at this point since I really don't know enough to do so.

As I've been listening to my CD collection again (it has been years, only about 100 CDs) there are some standouts. I mean obvious, immediate standouts. The original release of Sting's Soul Cages is just amazing. I keep going back to it over and over. It is one of those situations where even though none of the songs on the album are my favorites, the sound is so lush and bright that I keep wanting to hear it again. The same with Pink Floyd's Animals and Wish You Were Here.
gosta's avatar
gosta
839 posts
 
Hi again!
Yes if the record was med loud I think it needs to be listened to loud if you want to have the right feeling of it. The human hearing functions that way (the loudness curve). And I'm sure they played rather loud...
Thank you for the tip. Sting is an artist that always have a very balanced and highquality sound. Today actually I happened to find another for me unknown record when seaching around on tIdal. I thought I would have a look at the production of Lynyrd Skynyrd. And I found some live recordings that really sounded live and also with a good well-balanced sound that don't hurt your ears at higher volumes.
And - I found an acoustic record of Lynyrd "Endangered Species" that really stands out. And I mean REALLY. It's absolute top quality. In the same league as Eric C. or Nirvana MTV or Nils L. Maybe better if you prefer LS songs (I do). Why isn't this recording more well-known? Never seen any comments about it. But seen a lot of recommendations on rather dull audiophile acoustic recordings... This is what you sometimes will find exploring Tidal or similar services. And well worth 20 a month. Thanks.
n80 OP
2,112 posts
 
Sting's Ten Summoner's Tales sounds good too but I really dislike a lot of the songs on that album.
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,403 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
2,112 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.
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