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.)
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Hey Orpheus10,

Yes, Shadowfax sure counts in my book. I just posted the details for their first album - I've been replaying it and the detail and atmosphere on that recording is superb. Bassist Phil Maggini has been very active lately posting lots of links to music.
Yes, these recordings in my opinion are "Audiophile" quality (and I have quite a few). The musical content is another matter, however. The last time I listened to any WIndham Hill release had to be at least 20 years ago.
Another vote for the excellent Tuck & Patti albums.
And..... this is no elevator music !
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.