Anything Re-Mastered by Bob Ludwig Portland,Me. He has won 2 Grammy's and those in the know have him take anything from the Analog version and convert it into the Digital Format, Do a search as he has to many to his credit to mention. I know people who know him and I'd take any of his recommendations as for Audio Equipment.
People, best engineered is not the same as best sounding audiophile recording. Record engineering is the creative aspect of making the recording. Sound quality is only part of the equation.
I'm not going to put a lot thought into my list because I don't have the time or patience. I'm sure I could come up with a better list if I really thought this out. These are all predictable and nothing is surprising here. But I think these are hard to argue against (well maybe #5 doesn't belong but WTF ;) Having said all this, here goes:
1. Revolver - Beatles 2. Pet Sounds - Beach Boys 3. Abbey Road - Beatles 4. Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd 5. Exile on Main St - Rolling Stones (this is a "curve ball" selection I'm throwing in just because this is the ultimate "anti-engineered" album ... it sounds so murky, it is absolutely wonderful!)
All 1st editions, all done in the pre-digital era #1 Metallica - "Metallica" aka "the Black Album" - it's my reference disc when I audition new gear - it's a masterpiece in so many ways. #2 Dire Straits - Brother's in Arms #3 Pink Floyd - DSOTM and The Wall - tie? (does anyone have any idea how difficult it would be to make an album like DSOTM without today's technology??? #4 U2 Achtng baby - not even a u2 fan but I will listen to this album to make my brain tingle #5 Kind of want to say Def Leppard Hysteria...or not. Maybe a Genesis album, Police or hmmm lots of #5s
1) This Heat: Deceit 2) Stooges: Fun House 3) Sightings: Through the Panama 4) Fleshesters: A Minute to Pray, A Second to Die 5) John Philips: Wolf King of LA
I have avoided this thread for a awhile because of the word "best" in the question (and fellow 'goners know how I feel about that Pandorian word). Without a desire to change the direction of this thread, had I been asked from a "favorites" point of view I would have answered it in terms of some of my favorite rock engineers, those that I feel truly pioneered new directions and approaches to the craft, they would be, in no particular order:
Eddie Kramer John Leckie Glyn Johns Geoff Emerick Butch Vig Andy Johns
I have to disagree about the Thin Lizzy and Ozzy albums. The best sounding Thin Lizzy is 'Chinatown,' and the best sounding Ozzy is 'Diary of a Madman.' Go for the original LPs for both of these titles...
Thunder and Lightning - Thin Lizzy Powerage - AC/DC ( Highway To Hell had slicker production but Powerage has the best/clearest bass I've heard on a rock album.) No Rest For The Wicked - John Osbourne I, II or Zoso - Zepp. Bad To The Bone - George Thoroughlygood
Arkio, You are correct about In Absentia and Deadwing being excellent recorded cds. What about some of Porcupine Tree's earlier work, such as, Up the Downstair, The Sky Moves Sideways, and Signify. All are great music and all superb recordings. Steve Wilson from Porcupine Tree also helped produced Fish's (ex-frontman from Marillion) Sunset's on Empire album from '97. Steve W. basically revived Fish's career with his production and guitar playing on that album.
Some great Marillion cds are Clutching at Straws, Brave, and Afriad of Sunlight.
ghost rider. I lost my Ultrazone CD and found it yesterday. Man is it well done. All Steve's other recording are mostly horrible, so I didn't even try this one in my hifi system. You are right - very good recording.
I agree with blackie about Baja Sessions and anything Radiohead, although I can't get behind the Radiohead one b/c of the digital-back-to-analogue thing. I also concur with Massive Attack and Roxy Music, but no one has mentioned Art of Noise - especially "The Seduction of Claude Debussey" - what's up with that? The new Mission of Burma "ONoffON" on 180g LP direct from 2 reel master is better even at 33rpm than the Radiohead LP's at 45rpm, I think. I will go along with the Pink Floyd/Dire Straits one as well, loathe as I am to admit it. I frankly disagree about the Peter Gabriel stuff - it seems to take him a long time to make something and unlike another very slow person, Tom Waits, it seems that his style of recording is less organized (or method maybe if looking at Waits) - for instance "Bone Machine" is probably my top pick for this spot from the top down to the end of the album where he actually put wear on the master tape to achieve that final "time wears us all down" effect. Inventive and so surprising and one of those moments of, oh of course... But maybe Tom Waits doesn't count as rock...? Frank Black and the Catholics self-titled is an amazing engineering job - one of those few "you are there" experiences. Probaly four ribbon mic's a cardiod for the bass drum and an 8 channel tubed mixer. Ridiculously simple - great equipment and talented people. Dinosaur Jr.'s "Without A Sound" and Magnapop's "Hotboxing", the latter produced by Bob Mould, and infact you could say this about most everything Mould has done. Jesus and Mary Chain's "Stoned and Dethroned". Anything by the group Idaho. My Bloody Valentine's album "Isn't Anything" also springs to mind. Trying to think of something less obsure... Bjork's "Vespertine"? Man, I gotta buy some pop music... But actually most of the albums I truly love - Ramone's (self-titled), Germs, Circle Jerks "Group Sex" or the Velvet Underground's albums aren't actually recorded all that well. In fact that warts and all thing about rock is why it's still appealing to me.
Pink Floyd: "Dark Side of the Moon" or "The Wall" Fleetwood Mac: "Rumours" or "Tusk" Many ABBA albums Buddy Guy: "Blues Singer" (OK, not quite rock, but I couldn't resist) Most Steely Dan albums ("Gaucho" comes immediately to mind)
I cheated--there are more than 5 here--but, hey, so sue me. :)
You're kidding about Steve Vai's the Ultra Zone right? All of Steve's recordings are done in his "home" recording studio and all his other recordings that I've tried on my system very mediocre to terrible. But, I don't think I've even tried Ultra Zone on my hifi since I was assuming it was like the rest of his recordings. I have it and will have to give it a listen.
Dear Tvad, this thread is about amps and preamps, not engineering. I like to talk about music and sound engineering too, but the music or miscelaneous section will suit this subject better.
"brothers in arms" is a digital recording with little or no deep bass and it sounds artificial - not sure how anyone could have it on their top five list - "lover over gold" is a lot more dynamic and lifelike recording. Anyway my list for now is Leftfield - Leftism, Pink Floyd - The Wall or Final Cut, Grace Jones - Slave to the Rythym, Eagles - The long run, Prodigy - fat of the land
1. Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms 2. Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon 3. The Beatles - Abbey Road 4. REM - Automatic for the People 5. The Eagles - Hell Freezes Over
How about Supertramp - "Crime of the Century" Steeley Dan - "Aja" Beatles - "Revolver" Queen - "Night at the Opera" CSNY - "Deja Vu" Jethro Tull - "Aqualung" Gerry Rafferty - "City to City" 10 CC - "The Original Soundtrack"
"On Every Street" dire straits "Nick of Time" Bonnie Raitt "Tunnel of Love" Bruce Springsteen & E St. Band "Moving Pictures" Rush "Surfing with the Alien" Joe Satriani
Dark Side Of The Moon UHQR MOFI.I use to own this sealed up and ,then I sold it to Chad years ago.I wonder what its worth now? Crime of The Century The Beatles White Albumn Sgt Peppers Beatles UHQR Mobile Fidelity Funny I can only think of 4 right now
Agree w/ Oh, Mercy by Dylan; also Dire Straights' Love Over Gold, the first Black Sabbath album, the first 2 Led Zeppelin albums; finally the live Clash album of several years ago...
The Beatles "Let It Be... Naked" The Alan Parsons Project "Stereotomy" or anything with his name on it! Derek & The Dominos "Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs" the re-mastered and re-engineered 20th Anniversary Edition. Art Garfunkel "Scissors Cut"
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