Top 5 Demo Albums - What Are Yours?

[allen_bh]

Everyone has their favorite few discs they use to "demo" their gear with. Either because they evoke a characteristic they like in their gear, they love the artists, love the recording, etc., etc.. What are your top 5 albums, and why?

Here are mine
Artist, Abum, Format, & Why:
1. Lincoln Mayorga & Distinguished Colleagues - Volume II - Vinyl - The Missing Linc - Just an incredible recording that was done in one take direct to disc (vinyl).
2. Counting Crows - August & Everything After - MFSL Ltd, numbered, SACD. It's a great quality recording and has a ton of instruments. Is still a good time to kick back and listen. The song "Perfect Blue Buildings" has such a great presence on SACD; the snare drum sounds so clean and the acoustical guitar. David Immergluck's mandolin sounds so real, live, it's scary. I have the vinyl and the SACD, but I'm mostly fond of the SACD. It's a close call between the two as they're incredibly high-quality recordings.
3. Roxy Music - Avalon - SACD (out of print) Another incredible recording job. This is probably the best recording I've heard. The music is typical of the generation, but the recording is incredible; smooth, analog sounding but very crisp and quiet. Even though this SACD is out of print, you can get it used on Amazon or Ebay but be prepared to shell out some cash; the cheapest I've seen it is around $150 and the price just goes up from there. It's eerie how this recording sounds. It gets to the point you're expecting some harshness to come up when the music builds, but it just never comes. The managed to walk the line on gain very well.
4. Miles Davis - Kind of Blue - SACD. Incredibly quiet recording with great presence. Needs no introduction/explanation.
5. Terence Blanchard - Let's Get Lost - SACD (out of print, but you can get it used). A Great recording with a variety of artist including Diana Krall, Jane Monheit, Cassandra Wilson, Dianne Reeves. One of those "albums" that you can listen from beginning to end -- every track is great and Terence Blanchard's trumpet has great imaging and location in the sets.

My list is mostly hi-rez, but there are always exceptions on quality recordings. An example would be "Elastic" by Joshua Redman. It's a great redbook recording and beats a lot of scarletbook recordings I've heard.

So what's your top-5, or even 10 or 20? I'm always interested in new hi-rez music and SACD's and would love to hear your recommendations.

[allen_bh]

Bump... care to share?

[Masterlu]

I'll post some of my demo tracks from previous parties when I get on my computer.

[o0OBillO0o]

Pink Floyd - DSOM - "Money"

Nils Lofgren - Live Acoustic -"Keith Don't Go"

Stevie Ray Vaughn - "Riviera Paradise"

Ray Lamontange - "You can buy me flowers"

Metallica - Black album "Enter Sandman"

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[Masterlu]

Flim & the BB’s – Tricycle
Journey – Any Way You Want It
John Mellencamp – Justice & Independence 85’
Oleta Adams – Circle of One
Gordon Goodwin – Count Bubba’s Revenge
Audio Excellence – My Bass – Brian Bromberg
Rolling Stones – Under Cover of the Night
Richard Elliot – Stiletto Heels
Basia – Cruising for a Bruising
Acoustic Alchemy – Reference Point
Phil Collins – Sussudio – Extended Version
Elton John – Honky Cat
INXS – Suicide Blonde
Tom Petty – Don’t Do Me Like That
Van Halen – Right Now

[Volks]

Originally Posted by o0OBillO0o

Pink Floyd - DSOM - "Money"

Nils Lofgren - Live Acoustic -"Keith Don't Go"

Stevie Ray Vaughn - "Riviera Paradise"

Ray Lamontange - "You can buy me flowers"

Metallica - Black album "Enter Sandman"

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Nice 2 of those are also mine "Pink Floyd - DSOM - "Money" and "Metallica - Black album "Enter Sandman"

[Stereo-head]

Air- Pocket Symphony
Beck - Sea Change
Etta James - Songs of Billie Holiday
Everything But The Girl - Amplified Heart
Angus And Julia Stone - Down The Way
Groove Armada - Music For Pleasure

[allen_bh]

Some good one's that I've completely forgotten about.

Journey -"anyway you want it" -- (and fond memories) -- nice one.

Beck's sea change was such a direction change for him as an artist - it was recorded in response to a breakup with his girlfriend and right around the time of his father's death. Very haunting recording. Good, but tough to demo to visitors without bringing them down. But hey, music is not all about happiness and birds singing now is it. I personally love the album. I have the SACD.

I have the DVD-A of the Black Album and found it very harsh. Are you talking about a different recording?

[Stereo-head]

Bryan...thanks for the info on Sea Change. Explains a lot about the mood of the album, which I love. I looked into amazon and I see that the price for the SACD is $80.00. Steep. Sounds a lot better than the redbook?

[o0OBillO0o]

Originally Posted by allen_bh

Some good one's that I've completely forgotten about.

Journey -"anyway you want it" -- (and fond memories) -- nice one.

Beck's sea change was such a direction change for him as an artist - it was recorded in response to a breakup with his girlfriend and right around the time of his father's death. Very haunting recording. Good, but tough to demo to visitors without bringing them down. But hey, music is not all about happiness and birds singing now is it. I personally love the album. I have the SACD.

I have the DVD-A of the Black Album and found it very harsh. Are you talking about a different recording?

That journey song makes me think of Caddyshack.

I use the original CD release for Metallica.

http://www.allmusic.com/album/releas...a-mr0000109181

I wonder how the 45RPM release sounds..

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