The best sounding (produced/mastered) tracks/albums

[SeanyD]

MC Bodge said:

NDA said:

MC Bodge said:

"In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins sounds much better than I remembered it

Yes, I thought the same recently too.

I have some fairly sizeable new speakers - which, with a sub, means I have 14 drive units belting out 1400 watts. A bit excessive!

I was listening to some Phil Collins recently on the new system and was very impressed - immaculately recorded and a huge sound.

I hadn't realised that it was from 1981. It sounds more recent than that. They made good use of the available toechnology.

Good call. There's also a remastered version available on youtube, which boosts some of the clarity and makes it a bit more dynamic. Probably a bit 'marmite' if purists prefer this or the original.

[MC Bodge]

SeanyD said:

Good call. There's also a remastered version available on youtube, which boosts some of the clarity and makes it a bit more dynamic. Probably a bit 'marmite' if purists prefer this or the original.

The remastered version certainly sounds good on my 2.1 garage system and in the house.

[Timothy Bucktu]

Grace Vardel doing Wicked Game is a proper hairs on the back of the neck haunting rendition. There's a few others she's done that were equally as good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSaHgAYcLyc

Edited by Timothy Bucktu on Thursday 2nd November 10:25

[rjfp1962]

Hadn't spun this CD in years, or even on my current system! - Wonderful production and sounds great!

Boston - Third Stage

[S600BSB]

Recommend Peter Gabriel’s stunning new album i/o. Really good.

[NDA]

S600BSB said:

Recommend Peter Gabriel’s stunning new album i/o. Really good.

I have been listening to this... I suspect it's a bit of a grower. Nice production.

[tdm34]

Just listening to I/o The Atmos mix is unreal.

[thebraketester]

NDA said:

S600BSB said:

Recommend Peter Gabriel’s stunning new album i/o. Really good.

I have been listening to this... I suspect it's a bit of a grower. Nice production.

It really is very well produced. I really need to take some time and listen to it on my atcs. Sound great on my air pods pro.

[StescoG66]

Check out

Spotless by Zach Bryan featuring Lumineers
Forever Young by Becky Hill
Starchild by Level42 on the 12” and remixes album
A Case of You by Diana Krall from live in Paris
Stick Season by Noel Kahan

Edited by StescoG66 on Friday 22 December 16:06

[Lucid_AV]

I am really enjoying this thread.

Merry Christmas to all.

[NDA]

thebraketester said:

It really is very well produced. I really need to take some time and listen to it on my atcs. Sound great on my air pods pro.

I've been looking at ATC speakers recently - whilst I have a serious pair of KEF's, I'm always looking! Which ones do you have?

The SCM40A actives are the ones I've been tempted by. https://atc.audio/hi-fi/loudspeakers/entry-series/...

[findtomdotcom]

Lucid_AV said:

I am really enjoying this thread.

Merry Christmas to all.

Same mate. Merry Christmas to you (all) too.

[thebraketester]

NDA said:

thebraketester said:

It really is very well produced. I really need to take some time and listen to it on my atcs. Sound great on my air pods pro.

I've been looking at ATC speakers recently - whilst I have a serious pair of KEF's, I'm always looking! Which ones do you have?

The SCM40A actives are the ones I've been tempted by. https://atc.audio/hi-fi/loudspeakers/entry-series/...

SCM40 v1 passive. They are epic.

[Z4monster]

Not going to be everyone's taste but came across Make Us Stronger by Ghost Rider.

Really tests the speakers at volume. Some serious cone movement on my 12" Tannoys which usually barely move on lots of tracks.

Also listening to Izo Fitzroy - Day By Day after her appearance on Jules Holland. Liking her voice and style.

[toasty]

Does anyone not into hifi like Diana Krall? She only ever seems to be mentioned in thee circles.

[NDA]

thebraketester said:

SCM40 v1 passive. They are epic.

I have yet to hear them, but hear really great things about them.... I am very tempted by the active version, but would need to take a bath on my moderately new LS60's. Ho hum, such is the price of chasing audio nirvana.


For those into jazz, do try Manu Katche and his album Third Round. An ECM production and superbly done. Stellar musicians playing with restraint, combined with perfect production.

ETA - The Boom Boom Bap, a track by Scritti Politti (White Bread, Black Beer album) is worth a listen. Not in high res, but there are some very subtle sounds along with a boomy bass.

Edited by NDA on Saturday 23 December 03:01

[rugbyleague]

I've just added a Rega P3 anniversary turntable to my audio system.

Wow what a difference in comparison to streamed audio.

On the look out for vinyl to play on it.

REM Automatic for the People, Human League Dare and I think I'm going to pick some Random stuff from this excellent thread too!

[NDA]

rugbyleague said:

On the look out for vinyl to play on it.

One of the nicest vinyl recordings that I used to enjoy was Sheffield Steel by Joe Cocker.... I used to have a Linn turntable and this was one of recordings where you could show off the capability of vinyl. I assume the pressings are still as good.

Supertramp, Steely Dan, Pink Floyd - all are worth revisiting on vinyl. Enjoy!

[AC43]

Bryanwww said:

AC43 said:

Ronstein said:

Anything by Alan Parsons (whether Alan Parsons Project or engineered by AP - Dark Side Of The Moon for instance)
Anything by Jellyfish (sadly only two albums)
Anything by created or re-mixed Steven Wilson (his own material is variable but the production is fantastic)
As others have said, Steely Dan or anything else that has Donald Fagen's obsessive fingers on it.

I've just had the final part of a £1.5k upgrade to my car audio done and almost immediately went to Fagan's New Fontier from his Nightfly album. Amazing production. The album was a vinyl staple demo in hifi shops in the early/mid 80s

Can you upgrade modern car audio systems? I thought with modern integrated headsets upgrading wasn't really a thing anymore

The amp stayed as was but I had the doors dynamat-ed and the stty factory speakers replaced. Also new tweeters. And a hidden sub in the boot.

Huge improvement.

[MC Bodge]

AC43 said:

Bryanwww said:

AC43 said:

Ronstein said:

Anything by Alan Parsons (whether Alan Parsons Project or engineered by AP - Dark Side Of The Moon for instance)
Anything by Jellyfish (sadly only two albums)
Anything by created or re-mixed Steven Wilson (his own material is variable but the production is fantastic)
As others have said, Steely Dan or anything else that has Donald Fagen's obsessive fingers on it.

I've just had the final part of a £1.5k upgrade to my car audio done and almost immediately went to Fagan's New Fontier from his Nightfly album. Amazing production. The album was a vinyl staple demo in hifi shops in the early/mid 80s

Can you upgrade modern car audio systems? I thought with modern integrated headsets upgrading wasn't really a thing anymore

The amp stayed as was but I had the doors dynamat-ed and the stty factory speakers replaced. Also new tweeters. And a hidden sub in the boot.

Huge improvement.

I made a very much less than £1.5K upgrade to my wife's car -new and used parts, modified and fitted myself.

Upgraded door speakers, tweeters, sound deadening in the doors and a small powered sub in the boot.

It sounds surprisingly good now compared to the OEM.