Mycenius Posted October 29, 2010 Posted October 29, 2010 Okay – so – question for the hive mind – if you had to pick just one album to be your demo album for new equipment, cables, etc; from any genre; preferably in optical audio format (i.e. CD, SACD, DVD-A) but not compulsory; what would it be and why? My current choice is: Eleanor McEvoy’s "Yola" – and has been for some time – it’s an album with a good variety of sound on it, including strong vocals, distinct complex keyboards & guitar in places, some heavy complex bass (that can highlight inadequacies as per my Nordost Blue Heaven Interconnects thread), and the production quality & engineering is very high ensuring a good source that doesn’t bring inherent flaws. It’s also got a bit of natural warmth and varied tempo as well to help highlight equipment that slows things down or cools the sound... And I’m nostalgically attached to it too! I’d love to hear other peoples top picks, especially why they chose a particular album. Plus I’m hoping to demo a few assorted toys in both the full size and headphone arenas over the next couple of weeks and giving much thought to what to use for demoing, so anything that gets me thinking further afield for a playlist will be a great catalyst...
bizzar Posted October 29, 2010 Posted October 29, 2010 When I first demonstrated my first LP12 to friends in the early 80's, I used Amanda McBroom on a Shefield Labs pressing because the slam and impact was fantastic and lifelike. I also used a Shefiel Lab pressing of a Canadian guy named Peter Applegate, this was on white vinyl, and was a direct to disc recording, the effect on guests afet the listen was for them to stand and applaud the performance, plenty of brass, drums etc, brilliant stuff, LP12, M&K satellite-subwoofer system at the time. As for digital, I now use a BluRay of "Yes" live at Montreaux, big big sound that can be wound up and up. I am more into music BD and DVD than movies, even MJ's "This is it" has a first class SQ. Cheers.
Mycenius Posted October 29, 2010 Author Posted October 29, 2010 Cheers Bizzar - but if you had to pick just ONE - which one would it be? If you went to demo some gear and were only able to physically take 1 album?
aarond1553552714 Posted October 29, 2010 Posted October 29, 2010 Emiliana Torrini - Fisher Man's Wife, female vocal to die for.
damocles Posted October 29, 2010 Posted October 29, 2010 Jennifer Warnes - Famous Blue Raincoat. It is a bit of a reference standard (is the 20th anniversary edition better?)
stephennic Posted October 29, 2010 Posted October 29, 2010 Hi, I would listen to Eva Cassidy - Live at Blues Alley. You have her beautiful voice, a live event where you can hear the depth of the stage. You have tracks that can highlight bass, hihatts and guitar work. You have slow and faster up tempo tracks. You have some no 1 songs on there. Its all beautifully recorded too for a live album and a little raw in places too. Its a good album for romance too -my wife loves it too. :eek: Cheers Steve
Beeman Posted October 29, 2010 Posted October 29, 2010 Roberta Flack - Killing me softly - vinyl (not CD)
Guest Posted October 29, 2010 Posted October 29, 2010 Damocles;137106 wrote: Jennifer Warnes - Famous Blue Raincoat. It is a bit of a reference standard (is the 20th anniversary edition better?) What format ? The 20th Anniversary CD is the best CD version I have heard but the 20th Anniversary vinyl is bettered by both the illegal Classic Records and a good US or Canadian copy. It's been a while since I took any music to a demo, vinyl is too much hassle so it's been CDs. Usually an audiophile sampler freebie I picked up years ago or Tarantino soundtrack (Kill Bill 1 is particularly good), both for having a good variety of music on one disc.
kiwi_1282001 Posted October 29, 2010 Posted October 29, 2010 Damocles;137106 wrote: Jennifer Warnes - Famous Blue Raincoat. It is a bit of a reference standard (is the 20th anniversary edition better?) If you are referring to the CD format - the 20th anniversary (24k Gold) Limited Edition (2008) is the best i've heard of releases to date. However, as a demo disc Warnes "The Well" in SACD format eclipses this though i'm probably alone in prefering her "The Hunter" album best of all. I have the later in 24k Gold and it is awesome. Various tracks on this disc including Way Down Deep and Somewhere Somebody are widely used where i live as demo material.
Colin^ Posted October 29, 2010 Posted October 29, 2010 My "new gear" favourate demo CD is Touch by Yello. I have to admit I start at track 2 and listen to the end. It has delicate highs and amazing warm vocals, incredible slow jazz trumpet in some tracks. Every track is different, even a different genere of music. The bass is tight, and deep. The guest female vocalist shines in her tracks, the guest trumpet player is mind blowingly good. I own Yellos entire albulm output and Touch I'd say is their Techincal Master Class on how to produce a full range modern recording. Some tracks are just stunning.
Colin^ Posted October 29, 2010 Posted October 29, 2010 aarond;137101 wrote: Emiliana Torrini - Fisher Man's Wife, female vocal to die for. I Have Fishermans Woman as well and it is a great album, but if you like her voice have you heard... "Love in the Time of Science"? She is in amazing voice on this album and I find it musically far more appealing, it is far more full range, with a variety of styles on it.
Luis1553552738 Posted October 29, 2010 Posted October 29, 2010 aarond;137101 wrote: Emiliana Torrini - Fisher Man's Wife, female vocal to die for. This would be up there for me too. Have you heard the new Olof Arnalds album? Also Icelandic. She sings at a higher pitch but also in that sweet plain way with great acoustic backing. If I had to pick 1 album I'd probably go for Pictures and Paintings by Charlie Rich on CD. Good songs, great voice and a mix of acoustic and electric instruments played and recorded extremely well.
Colin^ Posted October 29, 2010 Posted October 29, 2010 beeman;137111 wrote: Roberta Flack - Killing me softly - vinyl (not CD) I have it on CD, used to listen in vinyl back in the 70's and 80's and I'd swear it sounded better.
Colin^ Posted October 29, 2010 Posted October 29, 2010 kiwi_1282001;137120 wrote: though i'm probably alone in prefering her "The Hunter" album best of all. I have the later in 24k Gold and it is awesome. Various tracks on this disc including Way Down Deep and Somewhere Somebody are widely used where i live as demo material. I prefer The Hunter as well. I have a US version of both Jennifer Warnes - Famous Blue Raincoat 20th anniversary edition, and The Hunter, and prefer to listen to The Hunter.
Mycenius Posted October 29, 2010 Author Posted October 29, 2010 Some great stuff guys - A couple there I've never heard so will have to look them up!
bigburner Posted October 29, 2010 Posted October 29, 2010 I faced this situation last week with the arrival of my new B&W 803D speakers. My choice of album was The Beatles "Love" CD. It is beautifully mixed and mastered. A point of interest... The Special Edition of this album includes a second disc which is a 5.1 DVD-Audio/DVD-Video hybrid. The audio is presented in high-resolution 96/24 5.1 surround on the DVD-Audio part of the disc. The DVD-Video part carries 5.1 surround in DTS and Dolby Digital as well as a PCM stereo mix. Nigel. Attached files
Omegaspeedy Posted October 30, 2010 Posted October 30, 2010 Fleetwood Mac 'tusk' It's a twin CD but I use the disc with the bonus material on it. The A side is just average and a little too polished. 'The bonus material/demos, Roughs, and outtakes is stunning', is beautifully recorded and not only makes a great test disc but a beautiful listen.
Hooster Posted October 30, 2010 Posted October 30, 2010 Interesting thread, I guess I would take a few killer tracks instead of a an album. I would like to hear Massive attack's inertia creaps a track of Zimmers thin red line soundrack and maybe something with yello. It's nice to hear Emiliana Torrini is well regarded, I shall have to give her a listen. I am from Iceland and I don't know her but I went to school with Björk. I can still remember a stunning performance by her when she was around 11.
bizzar Posted October 30, 2010 Posted October 30, 2010 Mycenius, I would take along my Sheffield Labs pressing of Amanda McBroom to demonstrate not only the gear, but also the talent of this woman and the shear quality of well engineered vinyl. Cheers.
Mycenius Posted October 30, 2010 Author Posted October 30, 2010 Hooster;137204 wrote: I would like to hear Massive attack's inertia creaps a track of Zimmers thin red line soundrack and maybe something with yello. That's cheating Hooster Do they exist on a single album of some kind (i.e. other than any home burnt compilation)? You know the story - the ships sinking in the Bermuda triangle, you have to swim for a nearby island, to survive on the island you are gonna have to demo some Hi-Fi gear to stay alive (don't ask me why okay :rolleyes:); and you only have a moment to grab ONE CD from the ship's music library before it goes down (and you have to swim for your life)! What's it gonna be: Massive Attack, Zimmers, or Yello...??!!!
Mycenius Posted October 30, 2010 Author Posted October 30, 2010 bizzar;137207 wrote: ...I would take along my Sheffield Labs pressing of Amanda McBroom... Ah, which album be that though Bizzar - she has many I believe, not trying to sneakily take all of them are you?
Mycenius Posted October 30, 2010 Author Posted October 30, 2010 So to date we have: Amanda McBroom - --?-- (Sheffield Labs Vinyl) Beatles, The - "Love" Charlie Rich - Pictures and Paintings Eleanor McEvoy - Yola (SACD) Emiliana Torrini - Fisher Man's Wife Eva Cassidy - Live at Blues Alley Fleetwood Mac - Tusk (disc 2) Jennifer Warnes - Famous Blue Raincoat (20th anniversary edition) Jennifer Warnes - The Hunter Quentin Tarantino soundtrack - Kill Bill 1 Roberta Flack - Killing Me Softly (Vinyl) Yello - Touch And while we are at it some mentions in despatches for almost being chosen: Emiliana Torrini - Love in the Time of Science Jennifer Warnes - The Well (SACD) Olof Arnald - Innundir Skinni Yes - Live at Montreaux (Blu-ray)* * not sure if this is/was a bit dodgy given the criteria or not?! Seems to be a bit of a clear pattern emerging in people's choices though... :eek:
bizzar Posted October 30, 2010 Posted October 30, 2010 Amanda McBroom - "Growing up in Hollywood Town"
mr.pharmacist Posted October 30, 2010 Posted October 30, 2010 I'd go for something I honestly couldn't bloody stand. If a system / component could still manage to make it sound good I'd have food for thought.
NeilNZ Posted October 30, 2010 Posted October 30, 2010 At the moment its probably The Bad Pus- These are the Vistas... but my musical tastes are too wide these days to limit it to one cd... so usually Massive Attack-Mezzanine, Björk-Homogenic, Pitchblack-Rude Mechanicals, Tenhi-Kauan, Cinematic Orchestra-Everyday, and My Dying Bride-Turn Loose The Swans all get used.....
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