Hmmm. So after all that, whether 16 bit or 24 bit, old or modern, it could still boil down to what my ears hear. Figures. Well time to put this to rest on this thread, at least. Again, thanks for your input and CD recommendations.
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Hmmm. So after all that, whether 16 bit or 24 bit, old or modern, it could still boil down to what my ears hear. Figures. Well time to put this to rest on this thread, at least. Again, thanks for your input and CD recommendations.
24-bit is useful mostly for recording mastering. Even on an uber-expensive stereo system, most human ears won't be able to tell the difference between 24/192 and the same file resampled to 16/44.1
When people rave about the sound quality of a recording from the 1960's, I don't know whether this is by 1960's standards of if they actually think that the sound quality and mastering rivals a well-mastered modern 2015 recording. If it's the latter, I'm pretty sure they have hearing loss or a bad stereo/speaker setup.
For any industrial junkies in the mix...
Just bought How to Destroy Angels' album "Welcome Oblivion". Superbly deft programming and instrumentation by Trent Reznor with his wife on vocal duty.
Also, Front Line Assembly's album "Echogenetic" is as equally well done.
This is the kind of stuff that you truly NEED a high quality stereo to fully appreciate the work that went into these albums.
Check them out.
Ben
PS~ Just thought of this, if you haven't checked out Serpent's Egg by Dead Can Dance, do so. Another amazingly detailed album.
Not really a music recommendation, but I think something all of us music lovers will enjoy....a virtual tour of Abbey Road Studios:
https://insideabbeyroad.withgoogle.com/en/welcome
Thanks for the tips dtsequoia. Not sure they are my style but I will look them up. Serpents Egg didn't thrill me back in the day - but maybe cause I was listening with substandard speakers. I will look into that one too.
How does your Athena center work with Ascends? I used to have Athena bs in my bedroom - pretty nice speakers for the price.
They do the job...But I have noticed that when watching movies now, the clarity of the CBM's really pull ahead of the Athena's, especially the center. I mean to the point where it is noticeable. But, they do the job...for now...Just saving up for the mother lode...Haha.
dt - Thanks for the suggestion. It's fun checking out checking out new stuff. 35-40 years ago, I would've been all over this. Good sonics, creative writing. Kind of hallucinogenic like in a witches dream. I bet it sounds pretty intense through a good system, from what I can gather on youtube. I don't know this genre of music, but I'm reminded of Crosses, another group I was introduced to recently.
Hey Curtis - I liked fooling with the mixing tool. I actually ended up liking my mixes better than the originals, but kept getting 83% or so. Was fun. Thanks for sharing this.
I also want to put out a couple of recommendations. I'm not a fan of Country music, but there are a couple of CDs that sound kind of country that I really like. Gillian Welch's "Soul Journey" and "Time (Revelator)". Her melodies are simple, haunting and mesmerizing. Perfect for that quiet night alone and contemplating.
Stravinsky and Bach by Kavakos and Nagy. Maybe the best cd I have listened to this year (although it is late and I just drank green tea - so it may be partially the caffeine). There is some breathing to be heard in the softer passages, but I can live with that.
On a Forbes list of starting a classical collection for under $100. Check out the whole list: http://www.forbes.com/sites/laursonp...brary-for-100/
4.9 out of 5 stars on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00076QG4G
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Hello to all you music fans, long time since I last posted, thought I would share a few new gems (or not so new) I have been enjoying immensely on my Sierra towers with raals. Mind you this is all vinyl records, analog rules, well most of the time anyway.
-Roger Waters, The pros and cons of hitch hiking. The sound is terrific, specially the end of side one with some great bluesy guitar playing by Clapton.
-David Bowie, Earthling. If you like bass you will be floored.
-Nine Inch Nails, Pretty hate machine, newly remastered copy, it will rattle your teeth and the clarity of this industrial rock masterpiece is unbelievable.
-Red hot chili peppers, Blood sugar sex magik, may be too offending to many by its lyrics but the music alone is out of this world. Upmost clarity with monster bass and drum rhythm will send your system into a frenzy.
-Dire Straits, On every street, not well known album, but the first song alone, "Elvis", makes it all worth it. One of the best quality sounding band of all times.
-Joe Jackson, Body and soul, one of the early digital recordings that sounds as good as anything done digital on vinyl.
-Beck, Morning phase, pure.
-Johnny Cash, American IV, the man comes around, double album, the first side alone is worth the admission, specially Trent Reznor song "Hurt". Fabulous sound. But of course the reason I am listing these albums is because not only they are great music but the sound is as good as it gets.
-John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola, Paco De Lucia, Friday night in San Francisco, flamenco influenced acoustic guitars that will make your raals sound better than you ever thought they could.
-Michael Jackson, Thriller is a winner sound wise.
-Most of JJ Cale's albums are beautifully recorded, even so often recorded on his front porch or in his bedroom. A recording genius.
-Stanley Clarke, School days, he was never that good again, what a record.
-Some classics with out of this world sound: Steely Dan, Aja. Supertramp, Crime of the century. Mettalica, the black album, oh yes it is that good even so a bit distorted.
I have also enjoyed quite a bit of classical music lately but there might be another time for that.
Whatever your tastes are, there is plenty of music out there to make you wonder why you didn't get a serious sound system earlier. Enjoy!
Pierre