My 20 Best Sounding Albums (all formats)

[Pau]

Originally Posted by cma29

Thanks for starting this thread, Pau. It was a good exercise to identify the most satisfying discs in my collection.

I'm sure there are better sounding discs out there, but for me the formula is:

great disc = great music + great performance + great sonics.

Great sonics by itself will not do it for me.

Yes I agree, and the beauty of this all is that if/when I will update my list, it might look completely different, thanks to the good suggestions given here by fellow forum members.

[bart]

Here I go with 5 of my favourites, in random order:


Melody Gardot -My Worrisome Heart

Her voice is fantastically recorded, she really IS in the room. Sounds better than the live concert I attended.





John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman



Every time I hear this album, I just melt.
And you can choose mono or stereo. I can be in either mood.



Bach - Cantatas through the liturgical year
La Petite Bande, Sigiswald Kuijken



There are 18 SACDs so far in this series, and they all sound very good to even glorious.
In stereo as well as in surround.



Huelgas Ensemble - 40 Voices



This is music that gives me goosebumps every time.
The voices come in waves from all sides (please try to listen in surround, but stereo will do nicely too).
This is how we experienced the ensemble once in the concert hall: they were around the audience. Marvelous!!



Mikkel Ploug - Sissel Vera Pettersen - Joachim Badenhorst - Equilibrium



This SACD is awesome, in stereo as well as in surround.
Very experimental music, but it grows on you, and has quite some layers.




I notice now that 4 of my picks so far are artists/ensembles that I have seen live.
There is surely some bias, but it all went very spontaneously, I was just drawn to them...

[cma29]

Thanks for sharing these interesting discs, Bart.

I know you have a ton of music and very good taste, so I will definitely check these out.

[tunes]

Originally Posted by cma29

Bach, C P E: Cello Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Wq. 170 (H432) Cello Concerto No. 2 in B flat major, Wq. 171 (H436) Cello Concerto No. 3 in A major, Wq. 172 (H439) Hidemi Suzuki (cello) Bach Collegium Japan Another CPE Bach disc from another Scandinavian label, BIS. I've never heard a cello sound as good as it sounds here.

Picked this up after reading your post. Awesome cello. Many thanks for the list. I'll likely pick up another selection.
Chris

[cma29]

Originally Posted by tunes

Picked this up after reading your post. Awesome cello. Many thanks for the list. I'll likely pick up another selection.
Chris

Good to hear, Chris. I'm glad you discovered that gem. It's a good disc.

[Pau]

Originally Posted by cma29

Thanks for starting this thread, Pau. It was a good exercise to identify the most satisfying discs in my collection.

I'm sure there are better sounding discs out there, but for me the formula is:

great disc = great music + great performance + great sonics.

Great sonics by itself will not do it for me.

That's it.
Great sonics with bad music, is making the bad music/performance even worse.

[Handlebar]

Little Feat's Waiting For Columbus, alb.. recorded (LIVE)

[cma29]

An addition to my list...

Handel: The Musick for the Royal Fireworks / Concerti a Due Cori
Zefiro, Alfredo Bernardini



The famous Royal Fireworks are played with splendor and charisma. The Concerti per due cori were arranged by Handel for two choirs of woodwinds and brass. It is in these latter pieces that the disc really shines. The Concerti per due cori are played splendidly and the recording is remarkably good. I like this one!

[Pau]

Andre Heuvelman's After Silence is a stunning prove that he is one of the worlds foremost trumpet players. I only have this download for a few weeks now but it is so convincingly recorded and produced that I had to put it in the top 3.

youtube link;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6L7PdCueEpE

[Pider]

Originally Posted by Handlebar

Little Feat's Waiting For Columbus, alb.. recorded (LIVE)

+1