What is the best sounding vinyl?


Please post your recommendations.

:thumbsup:

klimt

Another vote for Sheffield Lab and Ian Janis Breaking silence. If I may add Kraftwerk The Man Machine German OG 1978. A 'killer', like Michael 45 would say. Mofi are hit and miss for me. Analogue productions yield better results generally.

Another vote for the ’Breaking Silence’ lp. I got it when it came out and it is quite masterfully recorded.

Otherwise, Reference Recordings label, recorded by Keith O. Johnson. Quite a number of albums on that label are superb sonically, but, as someone else noted, more for sound that any particular genre, although Dr. Johnson’s Astounding Sound Show is pretty cool, what with one cut being African drummers entering the rear of the room, moving forward and around the microphone and then exiting at the back of the room again.

And, of course, Mercury Living Presence Records (Hi Fi A La Espagnola is a killer album). 

(Harry) Belafonte at Carnegie Hall (originally issued on RCA), which was reissued some time ago by Classic Records (the original is still every bit as good). Ella Fitzgerald, Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie (if you can find it anywhere. Verve Records. Good Luck with that!) And, the awesome, impossible-to-find Casino Royale album from 1967, with Dusty Springfields penultimate version of ’The Look of Love.’ Even harder to find than Ella. Was an audiophile favorite of good ol’ HP (The guru of The Absolute Sound).

The best sounding vinyl, to me, is what I have in my collection. Carefully curated and collected over the years. Some albums are not the best fidelity-wise, some are muted, some are new vinyl, some are 60+ year old pressing that have been listened to for decades with scuffs, wear, and skips. Yet all are the best sounding to me - even considering that I might have duplicate copies on CD or higher-res digital versions.

Unfortunately the guy in charge of MFSL had a hearing/taste impediment that cocked up many of the reissues.

I used to buy them from the used bins and then trade them back in when they didn't hold up to the original issues.

 

DeKay

 

 

I have the original RCA Belafonte at Carnegie Hall and the Returns to Carnegie Hall and the recording quality is superb.  I've heard the Classic Records reissue and that too is good.  The Ella "Clap Hands Here Comes Charlie" is another original that I have that is good sounding, but I like the sound and music from Ella Fitzgerald and Marty Paich and his Orchestra: "Whisper Not" even more.

Another late 1950's stereo recording that is shockingly good sounding is "Satchmo Plays King Oliver."  I don't have the rare original, but, the reissue I have sounds great.  This has a great version of "St. James Infirmary" on it.