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Best vinyl purchases based on pressing, studio production, sound quality and enjoyment.

As you all know this question has been asked a million times on a million sites BUT each time it’s asked, it can be very helpful to those trying to find great vinyl that is quiet, produced well and touches the heart each time it’s played.

I’ve only been into vinyl for 6 months now and have purchased 250 albums, 99 percent new, recent pressings, reissues. So within the last year, what are 10 of your favorite album purchases based on pressing, studio production, sound quality and pure enjoyment??? Here’s my top 20:

1. The Wonderful Sounds of Female Vocals. (Various artists, 200 gram QRP)
2. Willie Nelson- To all the Girls (Various artists 180 gram Legacy)
3. Dead Can Dance- Into the Labyrinth (180 gram Mobile Fidelity reissue)
4. Rickie Lee Jones- Rickie Lee Jones (180 HQ Pressing Warner Bros reissue)
5. Stevie Ray Vaughn- The Sky is Cryin (200 gram Analogue productions 45rpm reissue)
6. Pink Floyd- Dark Side of the Moon (2016 reissue)
7. Renee Flemming- The Beautiful Voice (Decca 20th anniversary gatefold)
8. Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong- Ella and Louis (Analogue productions Mono reissue)
9. Eva Cassidy- Nightbird (Blix Street Records 180 gram)
10. Doors- All the new reissue 45’s from Analogue Productions, 200 gram
11. Cash- The Man Comes Around (American Records, QRP, 180 gram)
12. Shelby Lynne- Just a Little Lovin (QRP, Analogue Productions, 45 rpm, 200 gram)
13. Vanessa Fernandez- When the Levee Breaks (Groove Note, 45 rpm, 180 gram)
14. Nils Lofgren- Acoustic Live (Analogue Productions, QRP, 200 gram)
15. Neil Young- Live at Massey Hall (Reprise, 180 gram reissue)
16. Tony Bennett- I Wanna Be Around (Mobile Fidelity, 180 gram reissue)
17. Linda Ronstadt- What’s New (Analogue Productions, QRP, 200 gram, reissue)
18. Cat Stevens- Tea for the Tillerman (Analogue Productions, QRP, 200 gram reissue)
19. Muddy Waters- Folk Singer (Analogue Productions, QRP, 200 gram reissue)
20. Fleetwood Mac- Tango in the Night (Rhino, 180 gram, 2017 reissue)

Ps: You can go beyond 1 year if needed.


128x128knollbrent
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,927 posts
 
This is a freaking awesome thread
will need to spend hours and $$$ digesting this before I list mine
love that Folfreak linked to his Discogs collection - mine is pawltry but will endeavor to do same ....

i just got done done cleaning my newly acquired Eva Cassidy Nightbird 4 Disc set from
UK
so listening takes priority !!!


tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,927 posts
 

I took a thirty year hiatus from Vinyl, so I can somewhat relate to your journey Knollbrent... at retirement an audiophile/ fellow music lover gave me a Denon TT and I have since perhaps gone down a similar path...


Since your initial post parameters seem to have evolved a bit, so shall my compliance....


My $.02 is the snarky wisdom present in this thread is a hidden gem, your mileage will of course vary....


Recent stuff ( not in any preference order )

1.) Eva Nightbird- 4 LP/Blix/UK

2.) Peter Gabriel-US / pglpr7 

3.) Jacintha - Fire and Rain / 45 rpm grv 1099

4.) cowboy junkies -all that reckoning /latexlp55 

5.) Michel Legrand - Legrand Jazz/imp6028

6.) Dead Can Dance - Within the Realm of a Dying Sun/cad3629 

7.) London Grammer - If you wait/Columbia 

8.) Joe Jackson - Night and Day/ Intervention IR003

9.) Marianne Thorsen - Mozart Trondheim Solstene/2L038LP

10.) Chet Baker Quartet- Barclay 84017

And because every amp goes to 11!

11.) Grant Green - Matador /Blue Note MMBST 84442


Recent Bin scrounging scores.... I assume you have a high end record cleaning system to suit your collection???


A mix of  very recent and / or epic scores, in no order...all under $10

Mostly M-


1.) Ronald Thompson & Emma Lou Diemer - Trumpet and Organ music of the baroque/ WLA-WS-13

Echoing Eric comment + anything Water Lilly

2.) JJ Cale - FIVE /MCA SR-3163 just $1 at Goodwill 

3.) Jerry Garcia - Garcia / Warner BS 2582

4.) David Lindley  & El Rayo-X - Win This Record/asylum 60178

5.) David Lindley - Mr. Dave /WEA 252-161-1

6.) Valerie Carter ( RIP ) - Wild Child / Columbia JC 35084

7.) Marianne Faithfull - Dangerous Acquaintances/ Island 204-015-320

8.) Charlie Byrd - DD / Crystal clear records ccs8002

9.) Pink Martini - Hang On Little Tomato ( always a live show favorite-band ) Heinz Records HNZ002

10.) Al Di Meola - Elegant Gypsy / Columbia 34461

And for Spinal Tap

11.)) Christine McVie / Warner $2.99 in some Long Beach record dive.....




asahitoro
244 posts
 
This is a great thread everyone, thank you.

I'm just back into vinyl after 35ish years and these lists give my 16yo daughter and I some good things to treasure hunt with. She came to me about 6 months ago wanting a turntable and some records. That's all I needed to hear to ignite my inner wannabe audiophile again...lol. :) The great thing is she likes mostly the older stuff like me so we are seeking similar vinyl. Now we have some awesome daughter/father dates hitting the record stores, exploring restaurants (being foodies is another passion of ours) and coming back to listen to our found treasures. Hell, I even bought a new couch so the wife can't complain too much about us spending too much money...lol.
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,927 posts
 
 @asahitoro   You found the greatest treasure of us all !
asahitoro
244 posts
 
@tomic601 yes sir I did!
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