Music and Video to choose system by (Part III)
Jul 09 '06 (Updated Jul 11 '06)
The Bottom Line To evaluate the equipment use familiar music or video, which will help in comparisons for you to select the right component for listening and/or viewing pleasure.
Rather than beating about the bush, allow me to get to the point right away with the albums that I have acquired since my last write-up on the subject more than three years ago. The selection that I have picked are worthy of being in anyone’s collection not just because they are of high quality, audio and video wise, but, also because of the superb performance from the artists in question.
The first in the series of articles was Music to choose system by! http://www.epinions.com/content_1766760580 which only included CD’s, the second article Music (and Video) to choose system by – Part II http://www.epinions.com/content_3194855556 included the DVD’s, this time have decided to add yet another format – SACD.
So here goes……..
CD’s
GETZ/GILBERTO [ORIGINAL RECORDING REISSUED] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]
Do you really believe that music is a universal language? If you are not sure about the notion, get this album and you will really know what they mean when they say music is a universal language. The first track is rendered initially in Portuguese, not a very common language, but the heart and soul Gilberto had put into this song gives one the feeling that each word is understandable. The translation follows in English by an unusual voice of a female and one would recognise the words rendered to be same as in Portuguese. Later Getz comes in and plays the same melody with his saxophone. Finally, Jobim with his piano rendering the same melody. Astrud, wife of Gilberto, who at the time was just a housewife and no more, was paid $120 for her services. The song is none other than “The Girl from Ipanema” Who would predict at that time that this song written by Antonio Carlos Jobim, the most respected Brazilian musician would go on to become the most famous song to originate from Brazil. Excellent sonics and vocals.
MARCUS MILLER – M2 (M-SQUARED)
Bass guitar the way it should be played and recorded. I have heard many recordings in which the bass guitar has been featured prominently but this album beats them all. The quality of performance and reproduction is such that it will not only rattle your equipment (speakers in particular) but your household as well if you have the right equipment to handle the really low frequencies. This is the test disc to check how low your speakers can really go and if they are upto the task.
CLARE TEAL – DON’T TALK
Talking about imaging and sound-stage, this album is the best that I have had the pleasure of listening to on many systems. Even on mid-fi systems, the imaging is really good, however on good hifi, it is incredible. Speakers if kept six feet apart, the illusion that the recording will give is as if the stage in front is twelve feet wide and twelve feet deep from the front of the speaker, which is amazing feat on the part of the recording engineer. The music is vibrant and reminiscent of the music from the 40’s and 50’s which sounds like just yesterday in its full glory. Clare Teal’s singing is extraordinary as well.
DAVE GRUSIN – GERSHWIN CONNECTION (24K GOLD VERSION)
This disc is all about dynamics and separation of instruments, you can hear everything and/or any particular instrument in the mix if you so desire. This is excellent music from the Gershwin repertoire. If you have heard the music of Gershwin before and somehow did not like it, try this one, it may change your mind.
PATRICIA BARBER – CAFE BLUE
A versatile disc that is so well recorded that almost singly it can serve as a reference for evaluation, it offers stunning vocals, dynamics, and great low bass on some of the tracks. This recording is always next to my player not just because it is a great recording, but, because it is also very listenable album from the point of view of musical content. Ms Barber shows her real vocal capabilities in track 9 “Too rich for my blood”and later in track 11 “Nardis”. The lady has tremendous stamina which oozes out in spades in these two tracks.
DOMINIC MILLER – SHAPES
Moonlight Sonata was written for Piano and most versions feature the piano and not any other instrument. I was pleasantly surprised when I found out that Dominic Miller decided to do this melodious piece of music using the guitar. Sometimes it is difficult to accept the change, but here it was very pleasant and welcome change to say the least. The album is very well recorded and has great imaging and clarity. Excellent for checking out if the tweeter is to your liking or not. Lesser quality of high frequency driver will tend to be gritty.
KEB MO – SLOW DOWN
An album to evaluate powerful male vocals and dynamic music, Keb Mo may be a blues artist but in this album he does not remain within the confines of the borders which define the music known as “Blues”. This album would prove to be very appealing to any music fan. Wonderful recording which will give any subwoofer a run for the money.
CASINO ROYALE ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK
The best version of the classic “The look of love” no one can come close to this and the way Dusty Springfield has rendered it. Beware the other disks of Dusty Springfield does not have this particular version, you must get this disk to really appreciate it. This was an audiophile disc when released and now it is a classic. For me it is not just nostalgia but an ideal track for evaluating the midrange resolution.
DVD
ROGER WATERS – IN THE FLESH
If you virtually want to throw bricks on your music room walls this is the version to get. Very impressive performance from Doyle Bramhall II. I have the Roger Waters – Live in Berlin as well ( a beautiful concert in its own right and features some great artists) which is slightly lacking in terms of sonics.
STING - ALL THIS TIME
For two reasons, nostalgic is the word that best describes this DVD. First, this was recorded on 9/11 and a tribute is paid to those who lost their lives at the start of the concert. Secondly, the way the songs have been rendered. Actually the songs have been reconstructed from the bottom up, the tempo, instrumentation, rendering of vocals have altered from what the originals were, the melodies of course remain intact. It is a great recording of the acoustic instruments, the double bass of Christian McBride sounds really authoritative indeed. A very long documentary is included where most of the artists speak about the music of Sting. Some of the songs not featured on the original concert are included in the documentary. Each song is a gem with a fresh approach from Sting.
ELTON JOHN - ONE NIGHT ONLY (THE GREATEST HITS LIVE AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN)
A very lively recording which demands good video and audio equipment. Elton John may be old, but, here in this concert he clearly defies that notion, the way he exhibits the energy and sings songs like “Crocodile Rock” and John Lennon’s classic “Come Together”. If you have to have just one concert on video from Elton John, this should be on the top of your list.
ROD STEWART - ONE NIGHT ONLY (LIVE AT ROYAL ALBERT HALL)
Forever Young is what comes to mind when one watches him doing a live performance. He has the uncanny ability to transport his audience back to the 70’s with the way he renders the classics. I found this particular concert tad better than the American Songbook in terms of sound quality, performance and selection of songs. He is more at ease in this concert than when he was when doing the Live version of the American Songbook. Very good dynamic recording and crystal clear video to boast.
ERIC CLAPTON - CROSSROADS GUITAR FESTIVAL
A fabulous DVD showcasing the guitar greats! This DVD should be on the list of any guitar fan, whether listener or the one who knows how to play the guitar. The variety of guitars and the unique ability of each artist in the way the instrument is handled is mind-boggling. I would not hesitate to say that this concert is for the artists by the artists. The sound quality and video are nothing short of being exceptional. Word of caution: The peak levels are achieved few seconds before the end of the track “I shot the sheriff” make sure your system can handle it. I had my amp trip on two separate occasions as volume was set very high (If you want to shoot the sheriff, let it be with a bang! )
SACD
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: SCHEHERAZADE; STRAVINSKY: SONG OF THE NIGHTINGALE (RCA LIVING STEREO)
This is a true test for evaluating the dynamics of the system as a whole not just a particular component. Particularly the 4th track, the best war music one can wish for. It will increase your heart beat as you continue listening to the 4th track and after the climax you will feel you have been drained. Caution: Not for the faint hearted. Caution No 2: If your woofer pops out, or your amplifier starts to give out smoke during the session, remember, I cautioned you.
ELEANOR McEVOY – YOLA
Female vocals, as good as it can be. This album has a lot to offer, not just superb vocals, but, a pitch black background, spacious soundstage, low end to make one shudder, superb lyrics and lilting melodies. I would say this is more of a complete album in almost all respects.
STING – SACRED LOVE
All the recordings of Sting are truly audiophile grade in truest sense of the word. This disk has wonderful layering of the instruments in the mix, particularly the track “Book of my life” and on a good system it can overwhelm you. The better the system the better the sound quality. Great for imaging and vocals.
ROXY MUSIC – AVALON
This album sounds as fresh as I heard it first time in the early 80’s. No wonder it was categorised in the Avant-Garde genre. This album is a genuine Multi Channel gem as it was recorded that way back in 80’s. I have yet to hear a better six channel mix than this.
DIRE STRAITS – BROTHERS IN ARMS (20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION, LIMITED DIGI-PACK)
I own the LP and the CD from 80’s. I was not sure if I wanted to invest in yet another format of the same album. I would have be a fool if I had not made the decision to get the SACD version. In my opinion this is the best when it comes to older albums remastered. The screeching guitars in the track “The man’s too strong” is a treat to listen to since there is no hint of compression or lack of dynamics to speak of. Excellent recording to check if the speakers can sound muddy or crystal clear while they render this difficult part of the album.
CARPENTERS – SINGLES (1969 – 1981)
Velvety smooth vocals of Karen give a new meaning to the timeless classics that this album has to offer. I was floored when I heard the track “I won’t last a day without you” as if the body and soul have been resurrected. Great album for evaluating the vocals
PINK FLOYD - DARK SIDE OF THE MOON
Is there any true music lover out there who is not familiar with this album? I doubt it! I always thought this was a very well recorded album but not until I decided to get the SACD version. It was a big surprise, not only the recording is great but I hear details I was not aware of or did not give any attention to when I was listening to this album on other formats. I think I just bought myself a new cash register!
Whatever music you choose, it should help you to bring out the best in the component in question, if not, continue with your quest and find the component that meets your demands within your budget. I hope some of the albums listed above will help you select the right component or system that will give you musical pleasure for a long time to come.
Happy Listening!
Thank you for dropping by and reading what I write.
All text Copyright Quadophile 2006
Note: Have updated the article today (July 11, 2006) correcting the grammatical mistakes that I noticed, the contents have not been changed – Quadophile
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Member: Anis Jiwani
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