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Ash View Drop Down
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Points: 4334 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ash Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Sep 2019 at 7:50pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNtyGuZndZc
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miT View Drop Down
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Originally posted by patientot patientot wrote:

If you like Stevie Wonder, try to get your hands on the original Motown CD mastering of Songs in the Key of Life. It's much better than the 2000 remastered version (I have both). 

Another great one for soul music is the 2fer CD of Marvin Gaye's LGIO and WGO albums done in the mid 80s. Sounds better than later remasters also IMHO.

For electronic music, there is a Aphex Twin side project called Polygon Window. Anything off the sole album "Surfing on Sine Waves" should be interesting test material. 

Some others:

The Blue Nile : Hats (warning - all early CD editions have pre-emphasis - must be properly decoded)

Stevie Ray Vaughan: Couldn't Stand the Weather

Bobby Bland: Dreamer

I could list stuff all day but can't guarantee it'll be your cup of tea...
I have Stevie's back catalogue which are mostly special Japanese versions. Brainwashing from my dad probably helps but I love his stuff.

I shall look up the others as apart from Marvin Gaye, I am not too familiar with the them. Thanks.

Bear in mind that I am specifically looking for music to highlight specific aspects of SQ (especially soundstage and stereo imaging); if I enjoy it too much I'll forget to focus. LOL

Head-Fi co-created a compilation a few years ago with Chesky Records called "Open Your Ears" which is great, but none of the songs are particularly good for imaging. I also have a binaural (and soundfield) album called Explorations in Space and Time but it would be nice to know there are more enjoyable options out there...

The reason for the Beatles song on my list is the sound mix seems like it could be pretty good (different sounds in each channel but mixes to sound like stereo), but I have not had a decent setup for a few years so cannot be sure.
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Ash View Drop Down
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Points: 4334 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ash Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Sep 2019 at 10:22pm



This track clearly revealed the upper bass emphasis of my AKG K1000 and the neutral upper bass of the HD540II. The MySphere 3.1 upper bass performs like the HD540II; at an even level without emphasis.
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Chris Firth View Drop Down
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Points: 1532 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Chris Firth Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Sep 2019 at 10:42pm
Originally posted by miT miT wrote:

I have Stevie's back catalogue which are mostly special Japanese versions. Brainwashing from my dad probably helps but I love his stuff.

Thanks for making me feel even older.
Stevie dropped onto my radar good and proper with He's Misstra Know-It-All in 1973, when I was all of 11 years old.
Rue Louvrex, Liege, Belgium.
On a Grundig radio the previous tenant had left in the kitchen.
It was a wonderful sounding radio, and it was a wonderful song to listen to first time around.
It remains a favourite to this day.

Which is why I scratch my head at your tinkly bits comment.
It's a rolled off top end recording (ie the tinkly bits sound quite sat on), and always has been.
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patientot View Drop Down
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Points: 1525 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote patientot Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Sep 2019 at 8:42pm
Originally posted by miT miT wrote:


Bear in mind that I am specifically looking for music to highlight specific aspects of SQ (especially soundstage and stereo imaging); if I enjoy it too much I'll forget to focus. LOL

Head-Fi co-created a compilation a few years ago with Chesky Records called "Open Your Ears" which is great, but none of the songs are particularly good for imaging. I also have a binaural (and soundfield) album called Explorations in Space and Time but it would be nice to know there are more enjoyable options out there...


Yep, I think I understand what you mean. I generally fall back on music that I know well. I have thousands of albums and many of them are things I've been listening to for a long time. I have never really cared for audiophile demo discs and such. To me, that kind of stuff just doesn't have what I'm looking for. 

You really need to consider what you'll be listening to day to day. If a piece of equipment is only tuned to sound good with an audiophile demo disc at a industry event or something like that, it's not a piece of equipment for me. I try to focus on music I'll actually listen to even if it's not "audiophile approved" or whatever. Fortunately I think GS designs his equipment with this in mind. Not everyone is listening to audiophile approved recordings of classical music all day long every day, for example. 

The reason I mentioned those specific versions is because they have good dynamic range and were made before the loudness war started to infect CD mastering. I'm sure there is more than one version besides the specific ones I mentioned that sounds good as those albums have been pressed up many, many times. There is no way I've heard every single version out there - there are far too many. 

My 2 cents. 


Edited by patientot - 25 Sep 2019 at 8:43pm
SL-1200 MK7 (modified) + Reflex M + PSU-1 used with AT150-40ML, AT VM95ML, Stanton 680mkII + Ogura, and Shure M35X cartridges.
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Chris Firth View Drop Down
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Points: 1532 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Chris Firth Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Sep 2019 at 4:24pm
A CD copy of Innervisions dropped through my letterbox today, and it's the 2000 remaster.
The remaster is very good - it's a little louder than the earlier CD release, but not overblown so as to kill the dynamics and suck all the life out of the music.

The EQ has been tweaked subtly and the HF addressed.
It's a tad more open, and it's a welcome touch Smile

Tim, if your CD was a 2000 remaster I now understand your "tinkly bits" comment.
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patientot View Drop Down
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Points: 1525 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote patientot Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Sep 2019 at 4:36pm
Originally posted by Chris Firth Chris Firth wrote:

A CD copy of Innervisions dropped through my letterbox today, and it's the 2000 remaster.
The remaster is very good - it's a little louder than the earlier CD release, but not overblown so as to kill the dynamics and suck all the life out of the music.

The EQ has been tweaked subtly and the HF addressed.
It's a tad more open, and it's a welcome touch Smile

Tim, if your CD was a 2000 remaster I now understand your "tinkly bits" comment.

It's been awhile since I played that remaster. The best sounding copy of Innervisions I have is an old U.S. LP pressing with the "KENDUN" mastering stamp. Unfortunately there are a few crackles on my copy and finding a mint one is nearly impossible IME. If I could get a CD that sounded similar to that I would be very happy. I may try a couple other versions down the line and see if I like them better than the 2000 remaster. For SITKOL I definitely prefer the older 80s U.S. edition over the 2000 remaster. 
SL-1200 MK7 (modified) + Reflex M + PSU-1 used with AT150-40ML, AT VM95ML, Stanton 680mkII + Ogura, and Shure M35X cartridges.
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