Where do you get your SUPER HIGH quality music?

[ShearMe]

EDIT: List your reference recordings pl0x.

 

I'm not talking about particular uncompressed/lossless file types, I'm talking good recordings/mastering in the studio. Are there any websites with good recommendations or lists of high quality music you know of, or is it just trial and error?

 

Lately I've been binging on Classical and Classical-type music with lots of wind/string elements and am becoming disgusted in recording/mastering errors like background static and clipping. You know, when you hear an instrument fade in by the static and not the notes it is playing? Or when the music gets so dramatic with lots of instruments playing at once and it just turns into a dirty mop bucket of sound sploshing around?

[Godlygamer23]

I get all my super high quality music from CDs.

[Irontheater]

If you want to listen to high quality classical music, your only safe bet is buying them online (usually Amazon is a great source). But be careful around the conductors and the orchestras playing them, choose someone whose style you already like, or else you might just waste your money into buying an unenjoyable symphony.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Leonard-Bernstein-The-Symphony-Edition/dp/B003Z9Q4WG/

http://www.amazon.com/Arturo-Toscanini-The-Complete-Collection/dp/B006VKKAWQ/

http://www.amazon.com/Vivarte-Collection-Various-Artists/dp/B00AOTZ156/

http://www.amazon.com/Wilhelm-Furtwängler-Das-Vermächtnis-Legacy/dp/B004JC16LC/

http://www.amazon.com/Rachmaninoff-Edition-Complete-Works-Horenstein/dp/B001PARX72/

 

These were some examples. For the quantity/quality considered, the price is very attractive.

[t0wer]

I get mine on vinyl.

[ShearMe]

If you want to listen to high quality classical music, your only safe bet is buying them online (usually Amazon is a great source). But be careful around the conductors and the orchestras playing them, choose someone whose style you already like, or else you might just waste your money into buying an unenjoyable symphony.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Leonard-Bernstein-The-Symphony-Edition/dp/B003Z9Q4WG/

http://www.amazon.com/Arturo-Toscanini-The-Complete-Collection/dp/B006VKKAWQ/

http://www.amazon.com/Vivarte-Collection-Various-Artists/dp/B00AOTZ156/

http://www.amazon.com/Wilhelm-Furtwängler-Das-Vermächtnis-Legacy/dp/B004JC16LC/

http://www.amazon.com/Rachmaninoff-Edition-Complete-Works-Horenstein/dp/B001PARX72/

 

These were some examples. For the quantity/quality considered, the price is very attractive.

But how do I know if what I get is any good? I use Spotify a lot, checked out john williams last night and the soundtrack for The Terminal and one of the star wars albums had a high pitch whine on every track. It may be just Spotify's version, but how can I be sure?

 

I get mine on vinyl.

  

I get all my super high quality music from CDs.

Vinyls and CDs make no difference if there's mastering or recording issues.

[Cheesebaron]

SACD's if you've got a player for them. https://www.hdtracks.com/ does also have a lot high-quality music. http://www.linnrecords.com/ does also offer some nice stuff.

[Aphexx]

I'm kind of curious at what you've heard that had bad recording work done. 

 

also spotify is only 190 bit or less for its free version. 

[Irontheater]

But how do I know if what I get is any good? I use Spotify a lot, checked out john williams last night and the soundtrack for The Terminal and one of the star wars albums had a high pitch whine on every track. It may be just Spotify's version, but how can I be sure?

   

Vinyls and CDs make no difference if there's mastering or recording issues. 

 

 

 

While I have tried some recordings, and while some are of very high quality (mostly those recorded by big studios.. ex: Sony), some do come with whine, unclear notes, non perfected recordings, or just some defect CDs (can't return a whole set box of 60 CDs if 2-3 are imperfect)

 

 

I could also suggest MOG (music streaming website), although I have not used myself it cz it's US exclusive, but some friends told me about it a while ago, and it streams exclusively at 320 kbps.

 

I would suggest giving them a try if you want , and it's not even expensive.

https://mog.com/

[h264]

the internet

[ShearMe]

I'm kind of curious at what you've heard that had bad recording work done. 

 

also spotify is only 190 bit or less for its free version.

I use premium when I use Spotify at all, which still isn't as good as CD, but good enough to hear flaws. I am just getting picky about minor flaws in the music that brings me out of a zen I suppose.

I really enjoy the music from the Halo games composed by Martin O'Donnell, but every now and then you'll hear static behind a drum track that comes in halfway though a piece, or someone moving around during a quiet choir bit.

While I have tried some recordings, and while some are of very high quality (mostly those recorded by big studios.. ex: Sony), some do come with whine, unclear notes, non perfected recordings, or just some defect CDs (can't return a whole set box of 60 CDs if 2-3 are imperfect)

 

 

I could also suggest MOG (music streaming website), although I have not used myself it cz it's US exclusive, but some friends told me about it a while ago, and it streams exclusively at 320 kbps.

 

I would suggest giving them a try if you want , and it's not even expensive.

https://mog.com/

That Rachmaninoff set looks tempting, and I'll check out MOG. :-)

the internet

All jokes aside, do you have a favorite set of reference recordings?

[h264]

All jokes aside, do you have a favorite set of reference recordings?

 

Whatever the artist thought was good enough to release.  That's their Picasso for better or worse.  The loudness war has certainly had a negative effect on the overall dynamic range of music released for the mainstream audience, which is why Tower has gone back to collecting LPs.  The sad part is that people still buy the industry's notion that "louder = better quality" both on source files and amplifiers. 

 

There's lots of totally legitimate high quality files to be had in the indie scene that's totally free of all this.  Some of them are pretty amateur, but others are ok.  Soundcloud is the first site I've seen where the remix guys post pretty high quality streams, but I'm not a fan of streaming unless it's just to preview something somebody linked me to.  Like I posted in the FAQ, hdtracks is nice, but the selection is still lacking.  Obviously there are still OTHER methods, but It's been made clear we aren't allowed to even discuss them.  I honestly don't even use those methods much anymore, probably because I don't really listen to mainstream music anymore except for when I'm in a car.

[h3ll0]

Since you can't use Spotify or Pandora in Canada and I can't afford an album every time I want to get into a artist. I torrent 16 or 24 bit CD/Vinyl rips and when I have the money I'll buy the albums I like on Vinyl. If you think torrenting is stealing in my eyes its no different than using youtube or spotify for music its all sharing...... :)

[Aphexx]

this canadian right here is using spotify.   I think spotify only checks your location every month or so. I just use a VPN that I found for free to give me an adress from new york and blammo it unlocks spotify for all coputers in my house without the need for constant vpn 

I just found songza.com today. it I don't know if you can search via artist on it but it is an interesting program, I'll give it a listen with proper headphones when I get time. 

[ShearMe]

Justify torrents all you want, but it is still illegal to share copy written material without authorization and that approach should not be discussed as a legitimate method.

 

 

Whatever the artist thought was good enough to release.  That's their Picasso for better or worse.  The loudness war has certainly had a negative effect on the overall dynamic range of music released for the mainstream audience, which is why Tower has gone back to collecting LPs.  The sad part is that people still buy the industry's notion that "louder = better quality" both on source files and amplifiers. 

 

There's lots of totally legitimate high quality files to be had in the indie scene that's totally free of all this.  Some of them are pretty amateur, but others are ok.  Soundcloud is the first site I've seen where the remix guys post pretty high quality streams, but I'm not a fan of streaming unless it's just to preview something somebody linked me to.  Like I posted in the FAQ, hdtracks is nice, but the selection is still lacking.  Obviously there are still OTHER methods, but It's been made clear we aren't allowed to even discuss them.  I honestly don't even use those methods much anymore, probably because I don't really listen to mainstream music anymore except for when I'm in a car.

 

So there's typically a larger difference in volume within a single track on an LP because the industry standard is to level volume throughout a track when put on CDs?

I wade through the indie scene from time to time, but there's just so much to sample and so little to love.

[h3ll0]

 

Justify torrents all you want, but it is still illegal to share copy written material without authorization and that approach should not be discussed as a legitimate method.

 

Really its the same as using Youtube to MP3 just better quality, also if its illegal to share copyright material with authorization then why are Let Players and Commentators allowed to share gameplay without permission (a lot of the time) from the publishers and people allow to listen and download what ever music they want on youtube and other "legal" sites?

Artists get jackshit from album sales compared to tours and merchandise and the money you put into records is mostly going to the supporting engineers,producers etc.

Not trying to justify torrents just giving some perspective. :P 

 

[ShearMe]

Really its the same as using Youtube to MP3 just better quality, also if its illegal to share copyright material with authorization then why are Let Players and Commentators allowed to share gameplay without permission (a lot of the time) from the publishers and people allow to listen and download what ever music they want on youtube and other "legal" sites?

Artists get jackshit from album sales compared to tours and merchandise and the money you put into records is mostly going to the supporting engineers,producers etc.

Not trying to justify torrents just giving some perspective. :P 

 

Legitimate YouTube uploads are authorized by the copyright holder. YouTube "downloads" breach YouTube's terms of service (i.e. not legal).

 

Let's Players and Commentators are sharing modified gameplay with their own artistic additions. Some copyright holders do not allow these modifications of their IP to be shared, and take legal action against Let's Players and Commentators.

 

I'm not saying it's morally wrong to break these laws, nor morally just to follow them, but advising others that the legal repercussions of breaking these particular laws aren't dangerous is highly irresponsible of you.

[h3ll0]

 

but advising others that the legal repercussions of breaking these particular laws aren't dangerous is highly irresponsible of you.

 

I never said that taking copyright property for free isn't dangerous I know the risk. Im just giving some perspective from a pro-torrenting view. I look at it as sharing not stealing but the record companies are greedy and so its more illegal than using a youtube downloader. For every one rule the goverment makes there is 3 more than contradict it. You can download torrents they don't really care ,but when they confront you about it you won't win because they have the money even though it is legal to download/share material, its all how you look at it. Anyways this was a thread about where to get high quality music. So I say torrents and Vinyl!!!!

[notenoughtv]

 

1. Improve your source - Get lossless music files in formats like FLAC, Monkey's Audio, and True Audio by re-ripping your CDs or buying them from sites like HDTracks.com or Bandcamp.com.

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/18617-the-audio-boards-frequently-asked-questions-pre-answered/

 

I buy my mp3s on amazon or itunes and the torrent the FLACs (allegedly) 

[ShearMe]

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/18617-the-audio-boards-frequently-asked-questions-pre-answered/

 

I buy my mp3s on amazon or itunes and the torrent the FLACs (allegedly) 

 

I wannae know some reference recordings, not file/media types.

[Alex Dimitri]

Try this place:

http://avaxhome.ws/hraphile

 

They are nice enough to put in description where albums originated from (label/site etc.) !