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Frustrated with Bonamassa Live CDs

Several years ago the wife heard and liked Joe Bonamassa, and then we saw him in concert -- a talented guitar player with a solid band. We are very partial to live recordings and have his (i) Live at the Beacon in NYC and (ii) Live at Royal Albert Hall (the CD not DVD). Both are very good performances, but unfortunately both CDs sound bad in our system. Almost no separation of instruments, overall veiled and muddy, etc. Basically (and disappointingly) they sound like the many crap rock/pop recordings that just do not qualify for high-end listening. To be clear, great quality live CDs (e.g., Allmans, Pink Floyd, various Big Swing Bands) sound awesome in our room. Are these two Bonamassa CDs' just examples of a high-end system highlighting poor recording? Anyone else experience this with these two CDs? Alternatives or recommendations appreciated.
whitecap
ghosthouse's avatar
ghosthouse
4,316 posts
 
Whitecap - no expert on JB live sound quality and this is a bit off topic but gotta say thanks for your post. It prompted me to check out some of his live stuff on-line. I hadn't ever gotten in to him that much. Only owned Sloe Gin and probably listened to that to death but didn't explore much beyond. Just got done listening to A New Day Yesterday LIVE (Spotify Premium through headphones). Maybe SQ could be better but as for the music? All I can say is YEEOWWW! Lately there doesn't seem to be much that grabs and holds my attention all the way through. This one did. He's got a great band too...the bass soloing about 4 min in on "Don't Burnt that Bridge...." is just killer. Thanks again. Got a whole lot more of him live to listen to now.
rhanson739
269 posts
 
Ahhh, another convert!
rluthy57
35 posts
 
How true, Joe has so much awesome music and is outstanding to see live but the cds all sound like garbage. Same with Warren Haynes and Gov't Mule my other favorites. I have all of Joe's Blu-ray concerts and they are the only way I can listen to him. Invest in a high end TV and sound system and you will feel like you are at his concerts. The sound and video on his blu-rays is outstanding. I do it every weekend and love it. Just hoping the cds all come out in SACD or SHM someday.
chazro's avatar
chazro
635 posts
 
Interesting, so you think the audio of the same performance is different between the CD & DVD? I'm not saying it isn't, I'm just asking. My DVD player is part of my system, I've recorded music from DVD's onto CD via my CDR recorder. I'd do a test if it didn't entail having to get the CD and the DVD versions, maybe I'll check my library to see if they have the DVD. I already know they have a bunch of his CD's!;)
rluthy57
35 posts
 
Chazro, all I know with absolute certainity is the audio recordings on Live at the Beacon and the first Live at Royal Albert Hall concert cds that were made into blu-ray concerts are night and day compared to the sound of the cds. I have the blu-rays of the Tour de Force concerts, An Acoustic Evening, Live in Amsterdam with Beth Hart and Black Country Communion as well and they are all to die for audio and video wise. How most of these great artists allow such inferior cd production is beyond me. PS: I'm not saying all blu-rays are great they're not but everyone of Joe's without a doubt are stellar and a feast for the senses.
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