[SlimDevices: Audiophiles] The return of the Super LP List

[ralphpnj]

The latest issue of The Absolute Sound (issue 264, July/August 2016)
features the triumphant return of long dead LP Super List ad I for one
could not be happier since now I have a very handy list of audiophile
dreck that is to be avoided at all costs. Thank you TAS!!

The present list, as well as all the past lists, is so bad that it makes
a list of Grammy winners and American Idol winners seem like a treasure
trove of great music. Just more proof that most audiophiles won't
recognize good music if it jumped out their speakers and hit them over
the head.



Living Rm: Transporter-SimAudio pre/power amps-Vandersteen 3A Sign. &
sub
Home Theater: Touch-Marantz HTR-Energy Veritas 2.1 & Linn sub
Computer Rm: Touch-Headroom Desktop w/DAC-Aragon amp-Energy Veritas 2.1
& Energy sub
Bedroom: Touch-HR Desktop w/DAC-Audio Refinement amp-Energy Veritas 2.0
Guest Rm: Duet-Sony soundbar
Garage: SB3-JVC compact system
Controls: iPeng; SB Controller; Moose & Muso
Server: LMS 7.9 on dedicated windows 10 computer w/2 Drobos
'Last.fm' (http://www.last.fm/user/jazzfann/)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ralphpnj's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=10827
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105731

[ftlight]

Post by ralphpnj
The latest issue of The Absolute Sound (issue 264, July/August 2016)
features the triumphant return of long dead LP Super List ad I for one
could not be happier since now I have a very handy list of audiophile
dreck that is to be avoided at all costs. Thank you TAS!!

Here it is, for anyone who wants to compare notes:

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/tas-super-lp-list-2016/

I'll just copy the Best of the Bunch sections here:

"In keeping with Harry’s practice, each and every new entry on the list
is marked with a dagger (†) symbol, and those recordings that are still
available new or re-issued are marked with a double dagger (‡). LPs with
particularly natural, as opposed to hi-fi spectacular sound have been
awarded an asterisk (*)."

BEST OF THE BUNCH: Classical

• Arnold: English, Scottish, & Cornish Dances. Lyrita SRCS-109
• Brahms/Debussy/Bartók: Sonatas/Abel, Steinberg. Wilson Audiophile
W-8722*
• Gerhard: The Plague. Decca Head 6
• Gershwin: Porgy & Bess complete/Maazel. Decca SET 609-11*
• Herold-Lanchbery: La Fille Mal Gardée. Decca/ORG 0109-45 (45rpm)*‡
• Hi-Fi a la Española. Mercury/Classic SR-90144*
• Holst: The Planets/Mehta, LA. Decca/ORG 122-45 (45rpm)*‡
• Prokofiev: Scythian Suite. Mercury/ORG 118-45 (45rpm)*‡
• Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3. Mercury/Speakers Corner
SR-90283*‡
• Ravel: La Valse/Paray. Mercury/Classic SR-90313*‡
• Respighi: Feste Romane/Maazel. Decca SXL-6822
• Stravinsky: The Firebird/Dorati. Mercury/Classic SR-90226*‡
• Widor: Symphony No. 6, Allegro. Mercury SR-90169

BEST OF THE BUNCH: Popular

• Bachrach: Casino Royale. Colgems/Classic Records 5005Q‡
• Balalaika Favorites. Mercury/Classic Records SR90310-45 (45rpm)‡
• Belafonte At Carnegie Hall. RCA/Analogue Productions LSP-6006 *‡
• Ellington: For Duke. M & K Realtime UMK&K101
• Ralph Hunter Choir: The Wild, Wild West. RCA LSP-l968*
• Dean Martin: Dream with Dean. Reprise/Analogue Productions 076-45
(45rpm)*†‡
• Music for Bang, Ba-room and Harp. RCA/Analogue Productions LSP-1866‡
• Peter, Paul & Mary: In The Wind. Warner Bros./ORG 071 (45rpm)*†‡
• Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon. EMI Harvest SHVL-804‡
• The Sheffield Track Record. Sheffield Lab-20*
• Don Shirley: Water Boy. Columbia CS-9196*
• The Weavers Reunion at Carnegie Hall, 1963. Vanguard/Analogue
Productions 005*‡


------------------------------------------------------------------------
ftlight's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=5294
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105731

[ralphpnj]

So tell me is there a worse record than • Bachrach: Casino Royale.
Colgems/Classic Records 5005Q‡ ? Which unfortunately does not come with
an air sick bag.



Living Rm: Transporter-SimAudio pre/power amps-Vandersteen 3A Sign. &
sub
Home Theater: Touch-Marantz HTR-Energy Veritas 2.1 & Linn sub
Computer Rm: Touch-Headroom Desktop w/DAC-Aragon amp-Energy Veritas 2.1
& Energy sub
Bedroom: Touch-HR Desktop w/DAC-Audio Refinement amp-Energy Veritas 2.0
Guest Rm: Duet-Sony soundbar
Garage: SB3-JVC compact system
Controls: iPeng; SB Controller; Moose & Muso
Server: LMS 7.9 on dedicated windows 10 computer w/2 Drobos
'Last.fm' (http://www.last.fm/user/jazzfann/)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ralphpnj's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=10827
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105731

[ftlight]

Casino Royale was, of course, a comedy with Peter Sellers, so perhaps
Bacharach went a bit over the top:

Wiki says "Bacharach worked over two years writing for Casino Royale..."


------------------------------------------------------------------------
ftlight's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=5294
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105731

[Apesbrain]

To be fair, I have that Rachmaninoff Piano 3 and it is an exceptional
performance. Byron Janis playing with the London Symphony Orchestra
under Antal Dorati recorded in 1961.

[image: Loading Image...]


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Apesbrain's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=738
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105731

[netchord]

the Mehta Planets is quite good too, assuming one likes The Planets of
course.



--
4 TB Drobo-->FW 800-->mac mini-->Ethernet
Transporter--> Wireworld Eclipse 6 coax-->Meridian G61
G61--> Nordost Red Dawn-->Primare 30.3
Primare-->Ocos--Vienna Acoustics Beethoven/Maestro
------------------------------------------------------------------------
netchord's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=21002
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105731

[servies]

So what's your problem with this entry:

Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon. EMI Harvest SHVL-804‡

I have to admit, I couldn't care less about the rest...



There are 10 kinds of people in the world - those who understand binary
and those who don't.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
servies's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=9496
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105731

[pablolie]

Curious - does anyone in here firmly believe vinyl LPs sound better than
CDs or a high quality digitized version of the LP at 16/44? For the
record, I have an LP player. I like quaint, traditional aspects of the
ritual of playing vinyl (or these days, for that matter, CDs - because
in my main rig as a rule I don't have either a vinyl or CD player
anymore), but as to sound quality... nah. And anyone that argues about
the importance of 120db dynamic range in playing hirez digital stuff,
but then claims vinyl sounds better, probably needs some prescription
for bipolar disorder. :-D

As to Casino Royale... wow. Sadly missing is this memorable song sure
to test your entire chain

...pablo
Server: Virtual Machine (on VMware Workstation 12) running Ubuntu 16.04
+ LMS 7.9
System: SB Touch --optical->- Benchmark DAC2HGC --AnalysisPlus Oval
Copper XLR->- NAD M22 Power Amp --AnalysisPlus Black Mesh Oval->- Totem
Element Fire
Other Rooms: 2x SB Boom; 1x SB Radio; 1x SB Classic-> NAD D7050 -> Totem
DreamCatcher + Velodyne Minivee Sub
Computer audio: workstation --USB->- audioengine D1 -> Grado
PS500e/Shure 1540
------------------------------------------------------------------------
pablolie's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=3816
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105731

[ftlight]

Post by pablolie
As to Casino Royale... wow. Sadly missing is this memorable song sure
to test your entire chain
http://youtu.be/dP9Wp6QVbsk

I see it also comes in a ten-hour version, if you really want to give
your system a workout!

------------------------------------------------------------------------
ftlight's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=5294
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105731

[Daverz]

Post by ftlight
• Arnold: English, Scottish, & Cornish Dances. Lyrita SRCS-109
• Brahms/Debussy/Bartók: Sonatas/Abel, Steinberg. Wilson Audiophile
W-8722*
• Gerhard: The Plague. Decca Head 6
• Gershwin: Porgy & Bess complete/Maazel. Decca SET 609-11*
• Herold-Lanchbery: La Fille Mal Gardée. Decca/ORG 0109-45 (45rpm)*‡
• Hi-Fi a la Española. Mercury/Classic SR-90144*
• Holst: The Planets/Mehta, LA. Decca/ORG 122-45 (45rpm)*‡
• Prokofiev: Scythian Suite. Mercury/ORG 118-45 (45rpm)*‡
• Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3. Mercury/Speakers Corner
SR-90283*‡
• Ravel: La Valse/Paray. Mercury/Classic SR-90313*‡
• Respighi: Feste Romane/Maazel. Decca SXL-6822
• Stravinsky: The Firebird/Dorati. Mercury/Classic SR-90226*‡
• Widor: Symphony No. 6, Allegro. Mercury SR-90169

Some great recordings here, though a few are are not to my taste. I see
no reason not to seek out the CD transfers (I think all of these made it
to CD, except maybe the obscure Wilson Audiophile recording?) Many of
the classic Mercury recordings have been collected together in cheap CD
box sets. I think most of the Lyrita catalog made it to CD, and many of
those recordings were made by Ken Wilkinson. Some of the best sounding
stereo recordings ever made.

Assuming a work, performance or recording is bad just because TAS
recommends it is pretty silly.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Daverz's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=32335
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105731