Windham Hill an audiophile label?


I've been revisiting all of the early Windham Hill Records releases as part of a project detailing the Windham Hill Discography (you can see the site at http://windhaming.wordpress.com )

In my project I reprint all of the original liner notes and credits, and I've recently interviewed Harn Soper and Russell Bond of The Music Annex in Menlo Park where many of the classic Windham Hill albums were recorded (George Winston's Autumn, to name one.)

A typical Windham Hill album from 1980 to 1986 was:
- recorded direct to two-track, with minimal or no reverb at 30 inches per second
- Mastered by Stan Ricker at Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs
- Matrixed and pressed at RTI - Record Technology in Camarillo, CA
- Pressed using Quiex vinyl.

What do you think? Are any Windham Hill albums an important part of your audiophile collection? What are your observations on the sound?

(As an aside, I've also heard that they released original reel-to-reel recordings recording in "real-time" directly of the masters, and were a leader in chromium cassettes. Interesting details.)
128x128darkj
I counted 25 lp's on one shelf. Every now and again I get in this mode where I'll play many of them one after the other. I agree with others that they are of very good quality.
@ Russelrcncom -- you should dig them out again. First, of course, I've found that almost any music I loved once, I'll love again after laying off of it for a long time. Secondly, the music more than holds up, much of it is just as vibrant today as it was 25+ years ago.
Cool project & great posting's. Have to agree, certainly many of the WH are of audiophile quality and ahead of their time in some regards. I was on a spiritual quest to the east back in 80 and many a WH cassettes were copied & passed around. Many of those discs still take a spin in our house to this day. Winston's "Plains" in HDCD is one of the best recordings I've heard.
Scott Cossu's "Reunion" and "She Describes Infinity" are two of my oldest CDs that get regular play.
I just bought Fiona Joy Hawkins SACD, Blue Dream. William Ackerman produced it. Great CD for Windham Hill Fans...