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!

phillyspecial

Great question and remarkable suggestions!  A few LP’s that fit the “play it for anyone” category:

Grant Green - Idle Moments, Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series. Truly remarkable performance captured by Rudy Van Gelder.

Dvorak - Piano Quintet in A, Op. 81 + Bagatelles, Op. 47 for Two Violins, Cello and Harmonium. Rudolf Firkusny and the Juilliard Quartet. Who can resist Bagatelles with a Harmonium! All kidding aside, one of my favorite chamber recordings.

Vaughan Williams - Elgar's Enigma Variation and Vaughan Williams’s Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis.  William Steinberg conducting the Pittsburg Symphony.  My version is labeled “Capital STEREO The Full Spectrum of Sound”.  A beautiful recording.

So many great recordings, so little time!

Great question and remarkable suggestions!  A few LP’s that fit the “play it for anyone” category:

Grant Green - Idle Moments, Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series. Truly remarkable performance captured by Rudy Van Gelder.

Dvorak - Piano Quintet in A, Op. 81 + Bagatelles, Op. 47 for Two Violins, Cello and Harmonium. Rudolf Firkusny and the Juilliard Quartet. Who can resist Bagatelles with a Harmonium! All kidding aside, one of my favorite chamber recordings.

Vaughan Williams - Elgar's Enigma Variation and Vaughan Williams’s Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis.  William Steinberg conducting the Pittsburg Symphony.  My version is labeled “Capital STEREO The Full Spectrum of Sound”.  A beautiful recording.

So many great recordings, so little time!

I always get goose bumps when I listen to my original vinyl album Faith by the Cure. Once you start side one you will need to finish the album. Everything was done so well. :)

One of the best sounding records I've got is ABC's 'Lexicon of Love', with Trevor Horne's masterful sonic production....

How do the albums sound compared to a digital master of the same album?

LPs make me cringe.

If I were to go vintage, it would be reel-to-reel, but finding music would be difficult - so I’d have to record it from a digital source.