Vinyl and CD Recommendations for the Planar Fan

[squeegy200]

Well,

squeegy200 has a good idea. Lets start a music corner! Share your musical experience with the rest of us planar fans. List your some of your records and what your fav. label is etc...

CD is welcome too ;-)

-End of Florian's bugging in of Squeegy200's Post :-)

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For the first time in a long while, I purchased a brand new LP. My entire collection has been sourced exclusively from the used marketplace and its been years since I've purchased any new vinyl.

It was refreshing to find so many pressings of recent releases available at audiophile stores and online.

So I bought Norah Jones first album. It sounds great! Been spinning the turntable ever since.

[squeegy200]

With a positive experience, I ventured into a mainstream record store. Its been sometime since I've been into a retail outlet and found it educational.

The different platforms offered demonstrated how long I've had my head in the sand regarding the progress made in Audio reproduction.

Fortunately, this particular outlet allows you to scan the barcode of any CD and you can listen to each track before purchasing. Brilliant marketing.

I settled on a CD from Dave Koz "The Dance" in HDCD. Being unfamiliar with that platform, I had to look it up.

My CD Player is not HDCD capable so it replays back the soundtracks in traditional 16bit, however the 20bit resolution does have an incredible enhancement to resolution, especially on the Magneplanars.

The space is open and position of instruments is clearly evident. Decay off the back walls adds depth to the soundstage far better than most programming I currently own in my collection.

I know this would be better suited to the digital audio forum but Planar speaker owners are a well educated bunch. So here is my question:

Q: I am curious to look further into HDCD capable players. Apparently the HDCD platform has been around for a few years and many current releases are already using the 20 bit recording platform. Would there be marked improvement in playback if I used an HDCD capable player? Any recommendations?

[Feanor]

http://www.apogeeclub.de/music.gif


Some CD and SACD favorites of mine. The SACDs are all outstanding for multichannel as well as stereo sound, (IMO). Note that I've only heard the HDCD recordings on an non-HDCD machine.

Moussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition. Lorin Maazel/Cleveland Orch. Telarc CD 80042 -- an oldy but goody
Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade. Jose Serebrier/London Philharmonic. Reference Recordings RR-89CD -- HDCD
Rutter: Requiem. Timothy Seelig/Turtle Creek Chorale. Reference Recordings RR-57CD -- HDCD
Haydn: The Seasons. Rene Jacobs/RIAS-Kammerchor & Freiburger Barockorchester. Harmonia Mundi HMC 801829.30 SACD (2 discs)
Haydn: The Creation. Andreas Spering/VokalEnsemble Koln & Capella Augustina. Naxos 6110073-74 SACD
Dvorak: Symphonies 8 ("New World") & 9. Ivan Fischer/Budapest Festival Orch. Philips 478 617-2 SACD
Jennifer Higdon: City Scape. Robert Spano/Atlanta Symphony. Telarc SACD-69620 -- pure DSD

[JoeE SP9]

Any old CTI vinyl is a good listen. Most of them were recorded in Creed Taylor's living room in North Jersey. In general they have very good sonics. Sometimes the bass seems a little recessed but that was the way they recorded then. A lot of them have been re-issued on CD with 20-bit mastering done by the original engineer (Rudy Van Gelder). If you ever wanted to hear George Benson Really play get Body Talk. I have never heard a CTI recording I didn't like. Now you've done it. Time to play some music. I think I'll start with Stanley Turrentine; Pieces Of Dreams, Fantasy Stereo F-9465. Talk to you folks later. The music is calling.:cool:

[Rick Vansloneker]

Bashin' Jimmy Smith, Recorded 1962 at Van Gelder Recording Studio.
I'd recommend any Blue Note or Verve recording with Jimmy Smith.

[Florian]

Crime of the Centaury by Supertramp on Vinyl is incredible!

:-)


http://gallery.audioreview.com/data/audio/500/medium/244261DSCN0473.JPG

Keep this section going guys.... ;-)

[squeegy200]

Crime of the Centaury by Supertramp on Vinyl is incredible!

:-)


http://gallery.audioreview.com/data/audio/500/medium/244261DSCN0473.JPG

Keep this section going guys.... ;-)


I have that somewhere in my collection of LPs. Ill have to find it and clean it up so I can give it a listen.

( I need to get myself a Nitty Gritty!)

[squeegy200]

I recently became aware that a close friend of mine records and produces records. I've known him for years and knew of his passion for high end audio. I also knew he was a performer himself, but I didn't know he recorded and produced records.

Recently we attended one of our local audiophile club meetings and he gave away two of his most recent recordings to all of the attendees.

There were many enthusiasts as well as critics, engineers, designers, and manufacturers in attendence.

What has since happened is a flurry of positive feedback regarding his recordings. The reaction I saw was at the www.audiocircle.com(Check the Music Circle "Best Piano recordings I have ever heard")

So I've been listening to the two most recent and I have to agree they are very well recorded. These are up and coming new artists with exceptional talent. And my friend's recording of their performances captured the moment very well.

Im currently listening to:

David Fung "The Piano-evening conversations"
and
Janaki Sting Trio -"Debut"

So I'll give him a shill for his efforts and hopefully give some promotion to these fine young talents
:
The CDs are available from Amazon or from
www.Yarlungrecords.com

I wish they were available in vinyl but for now only available in CD format.

[Rick Vansloneker]

I like piano to. It makes my Apogee Stage shine. I played Liszt' Venezia e Napoli by Lazar Bergman to demonstrate them to my neighbour and she was crying. It sounds so wonderful I am almost afraid to play it. It's like a dream and I don't want to wake up.

[squeegy200]

From what I understand, the piano is the most recorded instrument of all time. But I also find that the piano is most often poorly recorded. I feel badly when I purchase a recording and find a great performance that was poorly recorded.

So when someone gives a piano recommendation, I'm searching for it for my own collection.

There are several recordings of Lazar Berman performing Liszt. I'm not familair with the above named piece so I'm not sure which CD to purchase. Which recording do you recommend?

[Rick Vansloneker]

I can only speak for myself, to me it sounded good and I don't know how you will experience it.


Deutsche Grammophon 415839-2


FRANZ LISZT
Catalog No.: 415839-2
Label: Deutsche Grammophon->
1 CD (ADD)
Total time: 61:39

Franz Liszt->
Piano Concerto No. 1 in E flat, S124->
Vienna Symphony Orchestra->
Carlo Maria Giulini-> Conductor
Piano Concerto No. 2 in A major, S.125->
Vienna Symphony Orchestra->
Carlo Maria Giulini-> Conductor
Venezia e Napoli->
Lazar Berman-> Piano


Tracklist

Franz Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E flat, S.124
1 1. Allegro maestoso 5:46
2 2. Quasi adagio - Allegretto vivace - Allegro animato 9:47
3 3. Allegro marziale animato 4:19
Franz Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 2 in A, S.125
4 1. Adagio sostenuto assai 5:48
5 Franz Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 2 in A, S.125 2:08
6 3. Allegro moderato - Allegro deciso - 5:23
7 4. Allegro deciso 4:09
8 5. Marziale un poco meno allegro 3:08
9 6. Allegro animato - Stretto 1:53
Franz Liszt: Venezia e Napoli, S.162 (rev. version 1859)supplement to Années de Pelerinage, 2ème année: Italie (S.161)
10 1. Gondoliera 6:00
11 2. Canzone 3:59
12 3. Tarantella 9:19

Did not find many links (http://www.musicabona.com/catalog/415839-2.html.en) for this particular CD. If you can't find it send me a PM and we'll work out something.

[squeegy200]

I got a copy of an LP by Jennifer Warnes "Famous Blue Raincoat" .

It is an older recording but its recording quality is excellent. Voice, placement, and space are all present as well as some delicate precussion instruments in the background. Its lush and wide open and her voice has a beautiful midrange tone which lights up my Magneplanars.



I'd never heard of this album before and now that I've searched, there seems to be a lot of buzz on various forums on the recording quality of this album. It truly is an exceptional recording.

[rock222]

Free Harmon Kardon CP25 Home Theater System - "try this -

L I N K (http://dal.maddsites.com/h000410.html)

they say they will give Harmon Kardon CP25 home theater system -

anyone else tried this before?"

[Dusty Chalk]

:spam:

[squeegy200]

Currently spinning David Benoit's "Every Step of the Way" GRP Records 1988

I'm listening thru a modified Micheal Yee Audio Pfe-1 and a Denon DL103.

Recording quality on the vinyl LP is excellent.

[squeegy200]

I've recently picked up Diana Krall's "The Look of Love"
and Carol King's legendary "Tapestry"

Both were bought on SACD. The recording quality of the Diana Krall album is superb. The sound quality is amazingly three dimensional and lifelike.

However, the Carol King album was a bit less appetizing from a recording quality perspective. The music and performance was revolutionary however, this 1970s recording is seemingly a waste in the SACD format. The original engineering was typical of that era and the SACD does not improve its recording quality. It would have been more prudent of me to purchase this album in the conventional CD or Vinyl LP format. Despite the recording quality, Im still enjoying her music.

[blackraven]

For all you blues fans check out Mighty Sam Mcclain- Sledgehammer Soul and Down Home Blues. Its an excellent recording and sounds great on maggies.

[lewburgh]

I am not a planar owner as of yet but I owuld imagine that Dianna Krall's- Love Scenes would sound incredible on Flo's system. Sounds amazing on my budget Acoustech fronts with my Marantz CD5001. Piano, bass, and her vocals are perhaps some of the best recorded tracks I have heard thus far playing back old favorites with my new CD player.

[jamesbos]

I like listening to Tokyo Getto Pussy-Disco 2001- Sony Music-EPC 481724 2. Thro' my home made full range planars, driven by my home made SE universal valve amp, at the moment I am using Mullard EL38's as the output tubes at 50ma. 6J5GT's take care of the input side. I use a meter to set the current for the different valves I can use about 14 at this moment in time. The bass is really tight on this CD. I also like playing The Wall, Dark Side of the Moon, Wish you were here, all by Pink Floyd. Special EFX, Dave Gruisin also sound great.Anthony

[meltdown]

Dire Straits' Telegraph Road. Stevie Ray Vaughns' Tin Pan Alley. Steve Miller Bands' Fly Like An Eagle album. Nothing like Mac and Maggies,

[secretguy]

The new KD Lang CD is great and sounds wonderful too. Watershed. It's HDCD encoded.

[squeegy200]

Lately I've been listening to Chick Corea Acoustic Band on GRP label vinyl. Also been listening to Earl Klugh on Columbia Records and Hiroshima on both the CD/vinyl platforms

[squeegy200]

A friend loaned me his collection of Alan Parsons on Vinyl. He meticulously stored them and they are pristine in the original jackets. He's asked me to convert to CD so that he can listen to them. I'm saddened that I will one day return the vinyl versions since they are well recorded.

Currently listening to Vulture Culture 1984 on Arista Label.

[squeegy200]

I dug out a collection of old Earth Wind and Fire albums from the 70s-80s. After a thorough cleaning, I've found the recording quality surprisingly good on almost all of them. Brings back memories listening to these albums! Dynamics and orchestration are noteworthy. I've found that there is a lot of low register tones captured in these recordings that my cartridge (Grado Reference Platinum) reproduces well to my delight. Their orchestration and arrangement was unique combining vocal, horns, traditional orchestra, and digital synthesizers. I doubt there is a pop star today who could compose and arrange pieces such as these today.

Label: Columbia on early recordings and ARC on later ones.

Currently listening to "Raise" on ARC label

[jimmyc4420]

Hi everybody - jimmyc4420 here. Nice site. I have a few sacd titles and also hdcd titles. Eric Clapton records in hdcd and it sounds great! Sacd? Try Telarc's Stravinsky Firebird Suite, Miles Davis " Kind Of Blue." Also Steely Dan's " Gaugho."