Establishing a common analog listening bias


Maybe it is possible to establish a widely accepted common ground in terms of listening bias by choosing and agreeing on 10-30 LPs all readily available new to all audiophiles for decent price.
If all listening tests and personal comments regarding the sound of components and systems in the various threads and posts would refer to any of these LPs mainly, everyones comments and experiences would much easier be understood by their fellow Audiogoners.

How about an "Audiogon baker's double-dozen"?

This would create a solid ground for all of us.

How do you think about this ?
dertonarm
Hi Axel,
Whilst the full set of The Royal Ballet is good, for some reason side 1 of record 1 is better than the others and as you so rightly claim, it is perhaps the most realistic, sublime and convincing recording of the full symphonic orchestra able to be reproduced in one's listening room?

Dear Daniel, all my suggestions are readily available for under $50 (allowing for double LPs). I specifically do not go for the 200gm 45RPM re-issues.

I've never been convinced by the much admired Harry Belafonte at Carnegie Hall and his Return album, nor the Weavers Reunion at Carnegie Hall (all of which I have).
Whilst not being my taste in musical genre, I find the voices and instruments (though undemanding), to be well recorded. However for me, the true worth of a 'live' recording is hearing a realistic recreation of the 'space' and the audience.
On these albums I hear little of the actual 'space' of Carnegie Hall and the audience is simply an ill defined sometimes distorted screech of nebulous applause.
Compare these to the Simon and Garfunkel Concert in Central Park where you can 'hear' into the night........where the location of a surrounding audience is palpable and individual members of that audience are able to be located.
For that matter, listen to the 'space' and the audience of the Greek Theatre on Neil Diamond's Hot August Night?
Far more difficult instruments to combine and record well than those at the Carnegie Hall concerts.
Even Eric Clapton Unplugged manages a realistic capturing of space and audience.
Hi Halcro, side one on the Royal Ballet set is dead on perfect phase - the other 3 sides are not. A common problem with many major classical recordings in the period from 1958 to 1963 - the first movement of Reiner's Scheherazade (well - not Reiner's but Rimsky-Korsakoff's....) and the "Heldenleben" by Thomas beecham are other good examples.

Agree on most everything you wrote, but the Weavers as well as Belafonte's first Carnegie album do indeed live up to their reputation with correct applied groove-compliant VTA. Then the space opens up and the audience becomes an audience and is no longer a waterfall.

But this is not about sonic differences in pressings and VTAs - sorry for the discourse.

Keep up the good work - I think we are doing fine.
Have a great weekend,
D.
Halcro, D.
>>> side one on the Royal Ballet set is dead on perfect phase - the other 3 sides are not...<<<

I follow this with great interest :-)
The one (for me) most important short coming of side 1, the stereo double album, (I also have the single 1st disc in mono), the cutter left that 'nasty' 50Hz buzz 'marking/trace' on the groove.
It can be clearly heard subsiding when going into dead wax.
There are a number of older recordings (period from 1958 to 1963) that seem to have that exact problem also, I'm thinking DG.

Maybe we can get 'Atmasphere' to comment on this, as he seems the one contributor most closely knowledgeable of cutting-lathes, and their problems.

Axel

Hi, one more?
"Ma Mère L'Oye" by Ravel with Ansermet and OSR?

Any comments on that one's 'PHASE'?

Another that's 'too good' by any chance?
A.
Hi, in general the DECCA-engineers had a more lucky hand regarding absolute phase in the recording equipment than their collegues at RCA and EMI.
Thats why on the best DECCA SXLs you will have - once your VTA is 100% (...99%) groove-compliant - a extremely convincing recreation of the actual recording location, its proportions, separation and localizing of individual voices and the sense of real air.
Ma mère L'Oye is good - but on a par with another 30-35 DECCA recordings.
Then the OSR is first rate rarely.
But this DECCA too may serve well.
Cheers,
D.