Best sounding albums ... mastering reference(s)

[Brooklyn]

I am curious to find out what albums (you mastering engineers of 10+ years of experience) sound good?

I'd be curious to see which albums from 2008 - 2009 are your tops?!!

(give a top 3 or top 5 or top 10) --since there are many genres.

Thanks!

[9th Ward Records]

Originally Posted by Brooklyn

I am curious to find out what albums (you mastering engineers of 10+ years of experience) sound good?

I'd be curious to see which albums from 2008 - 2009 are your tops?!!

(give a top 3 or top 5 or top 10) --since there are many genres.

Thanks!

anything john fischbach recently put out.
it sounds so good, it makes me mad.

/jealousy

[Dale Turner]

This list is pretty dang awesome:

http://www.digido.com/media/honor-roll.html

[Waltz Mastering]

I'd be curious to find out how the new Prince album sounds...

Haven't bought new music in a while...

Last album bought was Love - Cirque du Soleil - Beatles
Masterpiece imo..

[sammyp]

i'm a long ways from the 10 year mark but i love this question! I like:


Rammstein - Reise Reise
BRad Paisley - Mud on the Tires
Sons of the Desert - Change
Duran Duran - Seven and the Ragged Tiger
Van Halen - 1984

These albums are essential for me to evaluate a listening environment, headphones etc and other masters...

[RDMS]

The Glory of Gershwin.

[winrar]

may be little old but, still

Jeff Buckley Grace

[finetuner]

This year ? dunno...

1997: George Duke - Is Love Enough ?

One of my favorite refs; Both ends of the spectrum right on the edge.
mastered by Brian Gardner.

[Lagerfeldt]

Originally Posted by winrar

may be little old but, still

Jeff Buckley Grace

It's a great album with great songs. But great sounding? I think not.

[winrar]

Originally Posted by finetuner

This year ? dunno...

1997: George Duke - Is Love Enough ?

One of my favorite refs; Both ends of the spectrum right on the edge.
mastered by Brian Gardner.

i know its
i mentioned its old didnt i

[winrar]

Originally Posted by Lagerfeldt

It's a great album with great songs. But great sounding? I think not.

well, its a No:1 reference CD at many sound engineering colleges in UK...

EDIT: sorry lets not change the subject....

[Waltz Mastering]

JB's "My Sweetheart The Drunk" is a fave ref for me. Disc 1 has some pretty amazing low end. "Grace" not so much.

[24-96 Mastering]

Best sounding disc of 2008 for me was Walter Becker's album Circus Money.

[fader8]

Linda Ronstadt and the Nelson Riddle Orchestra: What's New (1984)

Not only well mastered, but also a model for female vocal production.

[silverking]

A true sonic gem has already been mentioned above, the Beatles "Love".

The George/Giles Martin remix, and Steve Rookes (Abbey Road) mastering are works of art.

Tim Youngs 5.1 mastering job on the surround disc is also brilliant......even if you're a Beatles purist, this is an able demonstration what's artistically possible with the format.

Best mastered disc?.....I think so, but in the end that's only a personal opinion.
Even after all these years, Abbey Road continues to totally amaze with what comes out its doors.

[dietrich10]

Originally Posted by Lagerfeldt

It's a great album with great songs. But great sounding? I think not.

The CD to me is solid but the vinyl pressing.....
I dont know who cut the lacquers but the sibilance issues were ignored. Was listening to it friday and makes me cringe on two tracks.

[bslobodian]

Originally Posted by 24-96 Mastering

Best sounding disc of 2008 for me was Walter Becker's album Circus Money.

Ditto, ditto, ditto. My favorites: Francis Cabrel Hors saison; Jennifer Warnes Famous Blue Raincoat, 20th anniversary edition, remastered by B. Grundman; Jennifer Warnes The hunter. On an other level, Yello The eye. Bernard

[GuitarRuss]

I was given Greg Brown's "Slant Six Mind" as a reference for a folk C.D. and I think that album is a great reference in that style. It all depends on what style your working on. If you're mastering metal, jazz or classical you're going to want different references.

[MR WOO]

I use George Dukes CDs, definitely the one previously mentioned. The new releases from Telarc,mixed and mastered by Robert Fiedrich. Tierney Sutton Band (Desire).Michel Camilo (Triangulo). These are a couple of releases I like to reference for jazz masters.

[Alécio Costa]

I like Seal- Lisa Stanfield- Toto- Bryan Adams - Whitesnake- Soundgarsen- Satriani- Vai as "pop/rock" references.

[G. E.]

I thinks it's really worth checking out the 2008 CD "Holon" by Nik Bärtsch's Ronin on ECM for both mix & mastering qualities. BTW great music as well...

[Lagerfeldt]

Originally Posted by Alécio Costa

Lisa Stanfield

I use the 1997 album "Lisa Stansfield"

[Sonic_Nirvana]

Metallica " Black Album " by Ted Jensen

[Waltz Mastering]

Ziggy Marley - DragonFly - Greg Calbi

[dcollins]

Originally Posted by Sonic_Nirvana

Metallica " Black Album " by Ted Jensen

Mastered by George Marino...

DC

[andivax]

Steve Vai stuff really sounds good (especially last albums and old one called "fire garden").
In electronic scene i recomend Sub6 albums. Mastered by Ohad Aharoni.

But i think the case in material and proper arrangement/mixing.
Mastering is final touch.
IMHO

[Bob Amirian]

Trevorn Horn's work: SEAL "Prayer For The Dying". By me it's the best sounding album ever..

[sammyp]

Originally Posted by Bob Amirian

Trevorn Horn's work: SEAL "Prayer For The Dying". By me it's the best sounding album ever..

You're happy right...my copy is scratched all to hell - gotta get another...

[marasurf]

Check out the new SEETHER album "Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces" mixed by Sterling.

[dubmafia]

Grace Jones - "Hurricane" !

The only recent mainstream album that has the sonic power of a maxi-vinyl !
Sorry for the exaggeration, but the bass management is impressive!