Familiar CDs that are transformed

[SteveR750]

Who has had any mind blowing "re-discoveries" of ole favourites that a new system has given a new lease of life tyoo, or simply changed your perception of the music/recording?

I'm listening to Boston More than a Feeling for about ther zilionth time, only this is the first time I have heard it on my current system and am frankly blown away by it. I always thought the production was a bit thin and harsh...oh no it aint! Its a massive wall of big stadium sound and for the first time I can easily follow the kick drum rhythm which is a bit slicker that I recall.....I've just played it twice to check! It's not even a majorly favourite song of mine, just one that I like and appears on every single rock compilation that was ever made

 

[Tonya]

I have to confess that after hearing an old 5.1 demo disc from A&M records years ago, I've gone out of my way to aquire almost any audio CD presented on this format.
Almost all of the Elton John back catalogue, Queen, Santana, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, etc are all out there.
The instruments and vocals appear so much clearer and better defined when the remix engineers have 6 channels to play with instead of shoe-horning the entire soundfield into just left and right.
Band on the run by Paul Mc & Wings takes on a whole new depth with surround sound.

Just been listening to most of the Pink Floyd albums again and it's like hearing them all for the first time.
Even the Robbie Williams Greatest Hits album sounds good ;-)
Some of my favourites right now are Hotel California, and most of the stuff by Sting.

To remaster these classic albums, engineers usually have to resort to the original multitrack tapes thereby ensuring you get to hear the best available source.
There are several websites dedicated to the format who can keep you informed on what is available and I'm astonished at the vast back catalogue already out there.

I'd advise anyone who hasn't heard one of these albums yet (they play on any DVD player) to give it a try - you'll be hooked!

I will go so far to say that any album heard on this format will be transformed!

 

[the record spot]

I found a combination of two things worked some degree of wonder: plugging in, as a last resort, my old 3020A NAD amp from 1986 to give some much needed life to a formerly overly analytical set-up and discovering versions of my favourite recordings (and more) that I'd never known existed.

Two watchwords - synergy and mastering. The latter being an all too often overlooked element in a recording (or more accurately, who worked their magic on an album) and the former being something no good hifi system can do without. It won't sound right if the components don't gel together well.

 

[bretty]

There's loads of albums that revealed extra detail when I played them through my existing set up. Off the top of my head:

Pearl Jam - 'Ten'. In particular, the track 'Jeremy'. I'd played that track hundreds of times on previous systems, but it wasn't until I played it on my current gear that the acoustic guitar track was revealed.

Damien Rice - 'O'. Extra, background guitars revealed on most tracks, which had sounded like just a single guitar and Damiens voice, previously.

Bjork - 'Vespertine'. All tracks were given a goosebump-enducing realism to the instruments, especially strings.