patricia barber - diana krall - holly cole

@tomcarr , right on, man. I didn’t take anything you typed before as being negative. Not at all.

You didn’t say what grade you gave the pressing(s?) of Cafe Blue?

As far as Cafe Blue, I bought that back when it came out on redbook (HDCD) (which I didn’t/still don’t have) after I heard her cover of "Ode To Billy Joe" on a public radio station. That was back when my gear was in the living room, and consequently I never listened to that disc much. Since I have moved my gear to The Room, and being a tad obsessive, I have acquired 3 more digital pressings. Now a days it is one of my go-to discs for "analytical/critical evaluation." Plus I’ve got to where I just really enjoy hearing it.

Oh well, my daily rambling is (hopefully) now complete.

Oh, but I must ask, by classic country, do you mean like Waylon and Willie and The Boys? No matter, that is some great stuff.

@immatthewj, It's been a minute, but I think I felt that Cafe Blue is A+.

I mostly listen to 60s, 70s rock, and 80s pop.

Yes, when I listen to country it's Waylon, Willie, Brooks & Dunn, Johnny, etc...

Just listened to a great Clint Black album.

Yessir, great stuff indeed!

@tomcarr  , and your grade (or grades if you have multiple pressings) of "Cafe Blue"?

@immatthewj , I think the SACD UN-Mastered version is class A+, the CD version is class A.

I think the SACD UN-Mastered version is class A+, the CD version is class A.

@tomcarr  , I'd put the SACD "Cafe Blue Unmastered" on the best-of-my-best list, for sure.  Have you heard the MFSL SACD of "Cafe Blue"  (not unmastered)?  I go back & forth on those two.  I think I am going to do the MFSL tonight.  (I've already got the CDs picked out in my mind for this evening.)

Did you know that Impex (sort of recently) released a gold reissue of "Cafe Blue" on red-book (not the original HDCD release that I believe you sere referring to)?  I hate to say it, but I haven't even taken the plastic wrapper off of that one yet.

On an aside, is HDCD a pretty noteworthy listening experience?