The Most Realistic Sounding Solo Piano Recordings on CD

Started by George, December 07, 2010, 08:02:46 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.


Bachtoven


Bachtoven

Channel Classics and Cobra records each release consistently wonderful sounding piano recordings, and Hannes Minnaar has fantastic recordings on both labels:




I have very hi-res download versions, but I imagine the CDs sound great, too.

Todd

Quote from: Bachtoven on November 26, 2022, 12:52:30 PMI have very hi-res download versions, but I imagine the CDs sound great, too.

What is "very hi-res", a new marketing phrase?
The universe is change; life is opinion. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

People would rather believe than know - E.O. Wilson

Propaganda death ensemble - Tom Araya

Bachtoven

Quote from: Todd on November 26, 2022, 01:08:34 PMWhat is "very hi-res", a new marketing phrase?
No, just a phrase that I used to avoid getting into technicalities--so much for that idea. They are DSD files with a sampling rate 128 times that of a normal PCM recording.

Todd

Quote from: Bachtoven on November 26, 2022, 02:47:26 PMThey are DSD files with a sampling rate 128 times that of a normal PCM recording.

Ah, DSD, the dead and worthless format.  Got it.  I guess that counts as a "technicality".

Why not go for DSD 1024?  It should sound oodles better.  Oodles is a technical term.
The universe is change; life is opinion. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

People would rather believe than know - E.O. Wilson

Propaganda death ensemble - Tom Araya

Bachtoven


Spotted Horses

Quote from: Bachtoven on November 26, 2022, 02:47:26 PMNo, just a phrase that I used to avoid getting into technicalities--so much for that idea. They are DSD files with a sampling rate 128 times that of a normal PCM recording.

PCM recordings are made with sigma-delta ADCs that also sample at a rate hundreds of times higher than the output sample rate of a normal PCM recording.
There are simply two kinds of music, good music and the other kind. - Duke Ellington

Bachtoven

Quote from: Spotted Horses on November 26, 2022, 07:49:22 PMPCM recordings are made with sigma-delta ADCs that also sample at a rate hundreds of times higher than the output sample rate of a normal PCM recording.
Yes, I'm very aware of other sampling rates. I was referring to the one used for CDs. Now, perhaps we can get back to recommending piano recordings?

Bachtoven

BIS usually has fine sounding piano recordings, and this is certainly no exception.

Todd

Quote from: Spotted Horses on November 26, 2022, 07:49:22 PMPCM recordings are made with sigma-delta ADCs that also sample at a rate hundreds of times higher than the output sample rate of a normal PCM recording.

DSD marketing focuses on the unique, special, purportedly more analog sound (whatever that means, aside from hiss - check out PS Audio's site) that this now dead technology brings to recording and playback. Not content with the special benefits imparted by the original tech, it has become more advancedwww.nativedsd.com sells all flavors of DSD, from DSD 64 (the original) to DSD 1024.  No recordings are made above DSD 256, but that does not prevent the sale of DSD 1024 downloads - for $50 a download.  Including DSD 1024 transfers of analog recordings.  (And you know you are on an audiophile approved site when you see the latest Patricia Barber recordings.)

Comparison charts claim that both DSD 256 and DSD 1024 have a noise floor approaching -200 dB and have resolution equivalent to 32-bit PCM.  (Let that -200 dB figure sink in.)  Never mind that humans can't hear and no playback gear or listening environment, consumer or commercial, can exploit that noise floor or a dynamic range above the physical limit of 21 bits. 

Audiophiles are marketing connoisseurs.

The only reason the FTC has never become involved in the snake oil business that is high end audio is that the goods sold are niche, luxury products.
The universe is change; life is opinion. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

People would rather believe than know - E.O. Wilson

Propaganda death ensemble - Tom Araya

Bachtoven

These two box sets have very realistic sound. Both are Hybrid SACDs.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - The Piano Sonatas

Kodama's are available separately, but not Silverman's.

Brian

Quote from: Bachtoven on November 26, 2022, 09:42:23 PMBIS usually has fine sounding piano recordings, and this is certainly no exception.

One of the many reasons this album is astonishing.

Bachtoven

Quote from: Brian on November 27, 2022, 07:32:33 PMOne of the many reasons this album is astonishing.
Absolutely! I haven't been commenting on the playing since the OP just asked about sound quality. His brand new recording is amazing, too. Contains Beethoven-Liszt Symphony No.3 and Mozart-Alkan Piano Concerto No.20. The playing and sound are both wonderful.

The playing on all of my suggestions is top-notch.

Klavierman

Lots of great suggestions. I'd like to add these two:

(I have the LP set, but based the the Berman CD above, I imagine Audifon's CD sounds great, too.


Klavierman

#75
This is quite a realistic recording, and the playing is spectacular. (Granados' "Goyescas" in case the title is hard to read!)

Spotted Horses

Maybe the sound is too good to be "realistic" but the audio that Louis Lortie gets from Chandos is uniformly exceptional.
There are simply two kinds of music, good music and the other kind. - Duke Ellington

Mandryka

The best piano sound I've heard has been on recordings produced by Manfred Dahlhaus for Telos. This guy's a real genius and clearly Telos value sound quality enough to give him what he needs.

https://www.discogs.com/artist/4054152-Manfred-Dahlhaus

I just noticed that some of it's streaming, the Mahler songs for example, if anyone's curious about what it sounds like.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

MickeyBoy


Take a  peek at this review of Dahlhaus's work with Schickedanz in Brahms:

https://tinyurl.com/34stffud

It is hard to remember a more virulent put-down of audio quality. Mandryka, please tell us your audio system components.
...the sound of a low whisper

Mandryka

#79
Quote from: MickeyBoy on December 02, 2022, 01:26:00 PMTake a  peek at this review of Dahlhaus's work with Schickedanz in Brahms:

https://tinyurl.com/34stffud

It is hard to remember a more virulent put-down of audio quality. Mandryka, please tell us your audio system components.

Ha, well I haven't heard that one. It is on Centaur, not Telos - but nevertheless review like that is a very good sign.

(actually I just found it so will listen - it's on Qobuz.)

 I have three systems at the moment - Quad ESL/Krell KSA50; Rogers JR149/Radford STA25; Spendor SP1/ Conrad Johnson solid state (forget the model number!)
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen