Most Realistic Recordings


I was recently listening to my daughter practice the piano and I was enjoying quite a full-body sonic experience. I later went to my system and picked out a few piano recordings that I suspected were recorded well, but as I listened, I just didn't have anything close to the same experience. The piano just didn't sound right, nor nearly as full as I had just experienced while listening to my daughter. I know what pianos sound and feel like. I grew up playing many different types and understand their differences. I've done some research on recording pianos and have learned they are particularly difficult to record well.

As I've delved deeper into this audio hobby/interest and acquired more respectable gear, the more general question that keeps coming to my mind is this: How did this music sound at the time it was recorded? (presuming it was a person playing an instrument, not something "mixed" or electronic). Meaning, if I had been in the room, would I have heard or felt the same? Or is there something about the recording setup/micing/mixing/etc. that has failed to capture the moment? Or has the audio engineer intentionally filtered some of that out?

Now, being an audiophile (i.e., a music lover) has many paths and many goals. For me, I love lots of different kinds of music and am not too caught up in the ever changing landscape of audio gear and the need to try something new. I hope to get to the point where a well-captured recording sounds realistic in my room on my system. I like full-spectrum sound (i.e., if the note/sound is in the track, I want to hear it). I know that accurate, realistic reproduction through any system is depends a great deal on the equipment and the room it's being played back in. I don't expect my system to give me that jaw-dropping "I'm there" experience (yet), but some day I hope to get there.

So, to my question above, I would very much love to hear if anyone feels they have heard an album, a track, a recording of some kind that could be used to test out the "realism" of one's system. What would you say is a recording that more accurately captured the sonic hologram of the moment it was performed. Any genre is ok. And if you think a particular studio/company does this well, I'd love to hear about it!

And, please, I don't want the conversation to about gear or room treatment. This is about the recording itself, the source material, and how accurately the entire moment is captured and preserved. I respect everyone's personal experiences with your system, whatever it's comprised of. So, please don't argue with each other about whether a recording didn't sound realistic to you when it sounded realistic to someone else. Let's be civil and kind, for how can you deny what someone else's ears have heard? Thank you! I'm excited to learn from you all!

tisimst

@bdp24

Yeah, James Boyk --

I don’t seem to have his LP in my collection but I remember him showing up at Tower Classics when I was working there as a clerk in the early 1980’s. Or was it at the Panorama City store where I worked previously? Anyway, his LP was featured on a shelf at the front. I took the LP off the shelf and put it up next to him. I said, "good likeness." He graciously tolerated my hipster rudeness.

(1) I think this is probably my more realistic sounding recording:

Bach Cello Suites with Zuill Bailey from Octave Records

It's a solo instrumental, so there's nothing to be a distraction.

(2) If you enjoy piano and don't have this you're missing out:

Horowitz: Complete Recordings on Deutsche Grammophon Box Set

(3) One of my favorite CDs that has some excellent piano is:

Legends by James Galway and Phil Coulter

It's a favorite of mine.

 

David Wilson of Wilson Audio was an exceptional audio engineer IMO. If I recall correcdtly, he once stated that he made recordings as he could not find good examples of natural recording. Most of his catalog of recordings are on Qobuz. Treasure for Clarinet and Piano by Charles West and Susan Grace is one of my go tos. This is the catalog and from there you can find on Qobuz. https://wilsonaudio.com/wilson-audiophile-recordings When I look for realistic recording I ususally look by label. I sometimes go to Qobuz's website where you can search on label and from there once found, find using Qobuz thru Roon or whatever server software you are using.  19 - Wilson Audiophile Recordings
87 - Reference Recordings
6 - Chesky Records (mostly Sara K.) which is quite good.
No - Analogue Productions
No - Linn Records
Tons of RCA's Living Stereo
Tons of Mercury's Living Presence

Ton of Proprius (not sure if Jazz at the Pawnshop is a one off, need to research label). 

Vital Record, VTL is a label that is excellent and Todd by Todd Cochran is one of my go tos. Unfortunately, not on Qobuz.