The best sounding (produced/mastered) tracks/albums

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I wondered if there might be interest in putting in a list of tracks (or albums) that we've heard and thought 'wow' that sounds superb?

Here are a couple that are stand-outs for me in terms of really great production and mastering....

Nightshift - Commodores

I'm On Fire - Springsteen

Trouble's What You're In - Fink

Interestingly (well, to me anyway) the last track is 'only' 44.1/16 bit, but sounds just as good as 96/24 bit. I have a long list of other artists - Steely Dan, Zappa etc, but would be interested to see some music I don't know.

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Some interesting tracks... thanks. Have listened to all I didn't know. Enjoying 'Liberty'.

For jazz lovers try:

Silent World by Wolfgang Haffner. I discovered this recently - superbly recorded drums, no surprise, he is a drummer.


Bubbles by Yosi Horikawa is worth a try... it's like a speaker demo!

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StescoG66 said:

Digger said:

belleair302 said:

Rumors Fleetwood Mac
Hot Buttered Soul Issac Hayes
Slave to the rhythm Grace Jones
Private Dancer Tina Turner the single is an epic production played on the right system.

Yes - stunning.

Try the mix on The Compass Point sessions.. stunningly well produced.

The Nightclubbing album is 96/24 which sounds great....

An album that always sounded great on vinyl is Sheffield Steel by Joe Cocker - there's a connect to Grace Jones because of Sly and Robbie featuring.

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I will be at home tomorrow - quite a few more tracks to listen to.

You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To - by Coleman Hawkins and Ben Webster is worth checking out.

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said:

Avalon

I recall this is a Bob Ludwig mastered album - and sounds superb. Anything with Ludwig's name attached seems to sparkle.

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Deranged Rover said:

Chris Jones - No Sanctuary

Just listening again to this... some window wobbling bass.

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Deranged Rover said:

Chris Jones - No Sanctuary

Just listening again to this... some window wobbling bass.

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Funk said:

Check out 'Long After You're Gone' by him as well, great track. Most of the stuff on the Stockfisch label seems to be very well-produced and recorded.

Some recommendations which are reference tracks for me:

Midnight Blues - Snowy White & the White Flames
Blackest Eyes - Porcupine Tree
Detroit - Marcus Miller
Colour to the Moon - Allan Taylor
Raise the Roof - Bob James
Baby King - Marc Cohn
The Grave & the Constant - Fun Lovin' Criminals
Watercolour - Pendulum
Move On - George Michael
On Her Majesty's Secret Service - Propellerheads
Rainmaker - Keb' Mo'
Mona Lisa - Martin Taylor
Played Twice - Fred Hirsch Trio
Sweet Georgia Brown - Monty Alexander

Looking forward to checking out all the recommendations from others later on!

Some great tracks there - a few are new artists to me (Porcupine Tree, Allan Taylor). Interesting to read who is on the Bob James album - er, everyone! Hahahaha.

I am going through them, my tinnitus is bad today so I'm not getting the best out of them.

I will still peddle my new discovery - Wolfgang Haffner and the album Silent World. My current go to listening.

Manu Katché is a drummer worth following around, his Third Round album is superbly recorded - Pino Palladino on bass ...

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Anyway The Main Thing Is by Patty Larkin is an interesting recording - some cool little mid range things going on.

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Ronstein said:

As others have said, Steely Dan or anything else that has Donald Fagen's obsessive fingers on it.

Absolutely.

Zappa's production could be excellent too.

The recent Northeast Corridor live album by Fagen/Steely Dan is superb by the way.

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Analogue mixing into digital always sounded better - to my younger ears at least.

It has always been a bit frustrating that only 'some' albums sound great - and this was true with vinyl too. I recall some specific pressings/recordings that were a cut above everything else when played on decent equipment. I think I mentioned Sheffield Steel by Joe Cocker earlier - the vinyl of this was in a different league. Some of Coleman Hawkins was excellent too.

I am 100% digital these days (Qobuz/Roon) and I find most recordings are OK, but not exceptional.

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Barley - Liz Wright.

Comically low bass. You have been warned.

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Bunny is a Rider - Caroline Polacheck.... nice production.

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Byronwww said:

Blink 182 I Miss You came on after and it sounded like my hifi got massively upgraded between songs.

Not my kind of music, but that's very well produced.... very wide panning on the instruments - good microphones too!

The treble range sounds buttery smooth on that drum kit. It's good.

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legzr1 said:

RSTurboPaul said:

Interstellar soundtrack.

Absolutely phenomenal as a listening experience when up loud, and on a good, full range (20Hz or lower) system, the organ element will be amazing.

Shut yourself into a dark room and sit in the imaging sweet spot, as it feels a bit like a 'journey' IMHO

The 2CD limited edition box is double the goodness but hard to find for a reasonable price now!

I’ve yet to hear a poor production from Zimmer.

If you have Qobuz try the 24 bit version of the Interstellar soundtrack.

I mentioned Bladerunner 2049 earlier - definitely worth a listen then onto Inception soundtrack. Even Gladiator is a marvel of sound quality and dynamics.

I will give Interstellar a go later on - when the house wakes up!

I've been playing with HouseCurve a room correction app which can be used with Roon - I've had good results.

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Pepperpots said:

Not sure if it's been mentioned but Dire Straits 'Brothers in Arms' was the first DDD CD. Digital throughout the processes, no analogue. Sounds epic.

Was Bop Till You Drop by Ry Cooder not the first DDD?

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RSTurboPaul said:

NDA said:

I will give Interstellar a go later on - when the house wakes up!

I've been playing with HouseCurve a room correction app which can be used with Roon - I've had good results.

Let me know what you think!

I did listen - and it's lined up to have another go. Bad tinnitus yesterday (it varies in intensity) prevented me from enjoying it....

Just as an aside... I don't really love the whole track to be honest, but the opening of 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover by Paul Simon is worth a go. Steve Gadd on drums, superbly recorded.

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StescoG66 said:

Just back after the Oslo HiFi show at the weekend.

Take a listen to The Sound Of Silence by the Ghost Of Johnny Cash.....

The acoustic version? Johnny sounds pretty close to the listener!

Have you tried Fink and Trouble's What You're In? It's on a live album - very good.

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MC Bodge said:

"The Colour of Spring" album by Talk Talk has always sounded good to me.

Oooh! Nice.... I don't know this album, just listening to the first track now. Very well recorded and sounding good on 96/24.

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Daft Punk's 'Random Access Memories' (24 bit) still sounds pretty good.