My 20 Best Sounding Albums (all formats)

[Weirdcuba]

Sound Liaison > Paul Berner Band > Road to Memphis // this recording just blows me away. I've had it for about two weeks and can't bear to listen to anything else as it is so so good. I have several of the Sound Liaison recordings and this is by far my favorite. The recording is just magnificent - I could almost listen to a train if it was recorded this well.

[audio bill]

Originally Posted by Weirdcuba

Sound Liaison > Paul Berner Band > Road to Memphis // this recording just blows me away. I've had it for about two weeks and can't bear to listen to anything else as it is so so good. I have several of the Sound Liaison recordings and this is by far my favorite. The recording is just magnificent - I could almost listen to a train if it was recorded this well.

I agree, and not only is it an exceptional recording but the music is very engaging and enjoyable! That's unfortunately too rare a combination - more often some of the best recordings are of questionable musical content.

[Bavarian05]

Originally Posted by cma29

I did not have the original version for comparison, but to me the SACD version of "Amused to Death" is not very remarkable sonically speaking.

It is a very useful Test Disc. If you have true phase coherency and everything is setup correctly, it will image like you cannot believe.
I listened to this at my local dealers home last night and it is crazy good when it comes to effects and imaging. Just my two cents.

[Pau]

Originally Posted by Weirdcuba

Sound Liaison > Paul Berner Band > Road to Memphis // this recording just blows me away. I've had it for about two weeks and can't bear to listen to anything else as it is so so good. I have several of the Sound Liaison recordings and this is by far my favorite. The recording is just magnificent - I could almost listen to a train if it was recorded this well.

Originally Posted by audio bill

I agree, and not only is it an exceptional recording but the music is very engaging and enjoyable! That's unfortunately too rare a combination - more often some of the best recordings are of questionable musical content.

That whole serie; the Studio Showcase series is indeed exceptional.
If I HAD to pick just one, probably this would be the one but the Carmen Gomes and the Batik recordings are also outstanding sonics and musics.
The Bach Reflections has some great moments, I really like ''Pizzicanto'' with the beautiful cello solo, so very well recorded. But maybe the album is less complete in mood compared to the other 3.



And the whole philosophy behind the recordings helps to understand why the results are so satisfying;

...music were performed live in the studio in front of a select audience.The musicians were placed in front of a stereo pair of microphones with additional spot microphones on each instrument. The musicians were playing without headphones, the reason being that we believe that when we get the musicians to play together in the same room, without headphones, it creates a number of musical and technical benefits:

As they are not ''separated'' by the headphones, the musicians, in order to hear each other are forced to create a natural and musical balance, a balance which is then easily captured by the main stereo pair of microphones. Because of the natural and musical balance the need for compression to control levels is no longer necessary. Since everybody is in the same room, the boxed sound which is so common in many modern recordings is absent and the sound of the room helps ''glue'' the sound of the recording.

source;Sound Liaison Music Shop

[Weirdcuba]

Best stuff I can find to download. I agree with your write up - I'm trying to engineer a biz trip to Amsterdam and hear one of these recordings made. That would be cool.

[Pau]

This Chesky recording is a bit similar in concept. But is also a bit too... distant?
Good sense of space though.
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=1&v=BCmK3Q9XcyU"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=1&v=BCmK3Q9XcyU[/ame]

[Pau]

I find that this one has more focus, but still a bit distant. Headphones required. [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33G9YOQSs1A"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33G9YOQSs1A[/ame]

[Pau]

Originally Posted by Weirdcuba

Best stuff I can find to download. I agree with your write up - I'm trying to engineer a biz trip to Amsterdam and hear one of these recordings made. That would be cool.

Are there more Studio Showcase concerts/ recordings planned?
I did not see it on the website.

Originally Posted by Weirdcuba

Sound Liaison > Paul Berner Band > Road to Memphis // this recording just blows me away. I've had it for about two weeks and can't bear to listen to anything else as it is so so good. I have several of the Sound Liaison recordings and this is by far my favorite. The recording is just magnificent - I could almost listen to a train if it was recorded this well.

Originally Posted by audio bill

I agree, and not only is it an exceptional recording but the music is very engaging and enjoyable! That's unfortunately too rare a combination - more often some of the best recordings are of questionable musical content.

That whole serie; the Studio Showcase series is indeed exceptional.
If I HAD to pick just one, probably this would be the one but the Carmen Gomes and the Batik recordings are also outstanding sonics and musics.
The Bach Reflections has some great moments, I really like ''Pizzicanto'' with the beautiful cello solo, so very well recorded. But maybe the album is less complete in mood compared to the other 3.



And the whole philosophy behind the recordings helps to understand why the results are so satisfying;

...music were performed live in the studio in front of a select audience.The musicians were placed in front of a stereo pair of microphones with additional spot microphones on each instrument. The musicians were playing without headphones, the reason being that we believe that when we get the musicians to play together in the same room, without headphones, it creates a number of musical and technical benefits:

As they are not ''separated'' by the headphones, the musicians, in order to hear each other are forced to create a natural and musical balance, a balance which is then easily captured by the main stereo pair of microphones. Because of the natural and musical balance the need for compression to control levels is no longer necessary. Since everybody is in the same room, the boxed sound which is so common in many modern recordings is absent and the sound of the room helps ''glue'' the sound of the recording.

source;Sound Liaison Music Shop

[Weirdcuba]

Sound liaisons released another Carmen Gomes album yesterday - Little Blue. FYI.

[audio bill]

The new Carmen Gomes release of Little Blue was mastered in 24/96 resolution, so I see no justification in spending more for resampled DSD files. The album in 24/96 flac or wav format currently comes to under $12 US.