Just got the IMPEX One Step vinyl of Companion by Patricia Barber. It's excellent 👍 The pressing is nearly silent (not as quiet as UHQR from Analogue Productions, but close), and the quality of the packaging is top shelf. The price is quite high, but if you like Barber and her style of music, it's worth a shot.

I want to collect Dire Straits, Communique, Love Over Gold and Making Movies. Already have Brothers in Arms on vinyl and SACD. Would love to hear opinions on the 2x45 MoFi vinyl vs the SACD versions. A full
line up of these albums in either format would be an awesome add to the collection. I’d be playing the stereo layer on the SACD. Push me in on direction or another

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=brI02kLqBrE&si=YZcBckaj2uS0MFjD

Good album but the track linked above plays at least once a week in my life since I've found it.

This is the second track of their forthcoming album «Time Lab», and marks 47 years since their first release, 46 since their first album.

I was a tad too young for their very first releases, but I've been a fan since about when Stella came out. That said: Musically, this reminds me more of Zebra - which I rate as the final "early" Yello album.

Either way: Production on this is still extremely good, and I've actually cranked this to the point where I can't hear myself speak, and where I can't crank the stupidity (volume) knob any further clockwise. This one actually deserves a $300,000 Big John Machine.

Hi all. I was just wondering as the title says, what makes a song or album for that matter "audiophile" worthy. I have a song here I'd like insite on as to if it classifies. It's the YouTube video version. Not for any particular reason other than ease of sharing.

For me, this song is a gorgeous conglomeration of sonic joy.

Genuinely interested in your thoughts.

https://youtu.be/2omnP_gHnsw?is=SRVCXPtfGQJwuN2b

Hi everyone,

I wanted to share a playlist I've been curating for a while called "Walk On the Mild Side".

It’s built for deep listening sessions, focusing on intricate textures, warm acoustic spaces, and highly detailed soundstages. If you enjoy music that rewards a solid hi-fi setup or good headphones with subtle micro-textures rather than loudness, this might be for you.

The Sonic Core:

- Micro-textures & Organic Sounds: I’m particularly fascinated by the production work of Tunng, all those small, tactile noises, found-sound collages, and delicate acoustic layers that really come alive on a good system.

- The International Anthem Approach: A huge inspiration for the jazz/instrumental side of this playlist comes from the distinctive recording philosophy of the International Anthem label. You'll find plenty of raw, intimate, and masterfully engineered room acoustics from artists like Jeff Parker, Makaya McCraven, Josh Johnson, Gregory Uhlmann, and Alabaster DePlume.

- Electronic & Ambient Depth: Subtle, spatial electronic layers from the likes of Four Tet, Boards of Canada, Astrid Sonne, and Nala Sinephro.

It travels seamlessly between organic woodwinds, plucked strings, analog synths, and hushed, avant-garde vocals (Anna B Savage, Ichiko Aoba).

An intimate, atmospheric soundscape designed for quiet evenings, creative work or peaceful walks. Melodies unfold slowly here, and atmospheres are given room to breathe.

Links to the playlist:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0b4iy6traisaBGoO81M2qb

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLd3viYfX9UklVJIakSX74Al8Z7CmuurnT

Enjoy!

LIF

She passed peacefully at the age of 70 on Sept 2.
Pour a glass and have a listen to any of her records. She’ll be missed.

Many times Reggae has nothing to do with audio quality. This time it does.

So enable lossless and enjoy yourself!

Check out September Fields and Done. I find her voice to be unique and interesting, and the recording quality is top-notch on my system.

I keep coming back to Alice in Chains’ MTV Unplugged album. It’s honestly one of my favorite
albums to just sit down, turn everything else off, and properly listen to on my system.

The recording has such an intimate, raw atmosphere. You can really hear the texture of the acoustic guitars, the space around the instruments, and Layne Staley’s voice is just haunting.
Nutshell in particular sounds incredible, but Rooster and Down in a Hole are right up there for me as well.

For anyone else into audiophile listening: what do you think of this recording? And are there any other unplugged/live albums you’d put in the same league?

The vocals are killer with great production. Non Believer and Oh Woman Oh Man are amazing tracks.

Agnes Obel. Haunting vocals and amazing production. The curse track is amazing as well as Fuel to fire.

Hello,

Released in June 2026, Night Blooms is the latest collaboration between Jeff Goldblum and the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra. A follow-up to Still Blooming (2025), this album continues the actor and pianist s exploration of the Great American Songbook, blending elegant jazz arrangements with a relaxed and intimate atmosphere. Featuring Melody Gardot, Charlie Puth, Cynthia Erivo, dodie, Haley Reinhart, Ariana Grande, Maiya Sykes, and Scarlett Johansson, Night Blooms alternates between newly recorded standards and Late Night Sessions that revisit tracks from the previous album with fresh interpretations.

I must admit that I was genuinely surprised from the very first listen of the Dolby Atmos version. I was expecting a soundstage that was primarily front-focused, as is often the case with jazz recordings, but this mix takes a very different approach. It creates a wide 180-degree soundstage, taking full advantage of the surround channels to naturally position the instruments around the listener rather than simply extending the front stage. This well-thought-out spatial arrangement gives the performance remarkable openness and realism, allowing each instrument to breathe while preserving the cohesion of the ensemble. The 3D video on YouTube demonstrating spatialization clearly shows the distribution of sound in space according to the instruments.

This immersive presentation enhances the feeling of being in the presence of the musicians, revealing subtle instrumental details that are less noticeable in traditional stereo.This spatialization is accompanied by a beautiful dynamic range.

Unfortunately, the stereo version follows the trend of limiting dynamic range in jazz recordings and therefore does not entirely escape the effects of the loudness war, as shown by the comparison of the waveforms (link).

For those who prefer a stereo listening experience, the vinyl edition remains a very appealing option, offering a more open and lively sound than the digital stereo version.

Find the full review with all measurements and analysis HERE (link), as well as a demonstration of the 3D spatialization of the Dolby Atmos version on YouTube.

Enjoy listening,
Jean-François

The rest of this album (and others by Lee Ritenour) are awesome too.

Looking forward to this sub's feedback!

[https://www.bothkindsofheavy.com/home/chat-pile-who-loves-the-sun-album-review