Ideal high end Headphone music, ( Sennheiser HD800) Suggestions Please

[Kefas]

The small boutique labels Sound Liaison and 2L are using the Sennheiser HD 800's for mixing and mastering.

The hi-res downloads from these labels are probably the best recorded music available from a technical stand point and I think that as an owner of a pair of Sennheiser , Audeze or other headphones of that caliber one should at least have one of these downloads to really hear what is possible with Hi-Res music these days.

http://www.soundliaison.com/
http://www.2l.no/

 

[APP]

Visual sound field

Very true.
And don't forget the music is very good too. The musicians and the music they are creating on those recordings is stunning.

The extraordinary recording quality is serving the music, not the other way around.
On the Sound Liaison website there is a bit about head engineer Frans de Rond;

Frans has received several awards for his work with radio plays. His ability to create an almost visual sound field has made him the most popular engineer for radio plays in the Benelux. The ability to make sound visual is also what makes the audio recordings of Frans de Rond so unique.

and when one listens to the Batik download ''The Old Man and the Sea'' ( featuring ECM recording artist Wolfert Brederode), the incredible and unique craftsmanship of Frans de Rond really stands out.
The way the band is musically visualizing the Hemingway tale would not have been possible without an engineer who has a complete mastery of the recording idiom.
Marvelous Headphone music indeed.

http://www.soundliaison.com/

 

[Bruce B]

I came up with these 17 when I did a search on binaural at HDtracks.

 

[arthurs]

Ottmar Liebert has a disc called Up Close that's binaural and pretty great!

 

[APP]

Amber Rubarth

I came up with these 17 when I did a search on binaural at HDtracks.

Yes I have a couple of those. I like the Amber Rubarth album alot.

 

[APP]

I just wanted to say that binaural+ is not true binaural, in that it has been processed to work also on speakers, where true binaural, and the best effect is where each ear receives only its channel of music, as in headphones...with speakers the interaural delay prevents true binaural. I understand they did their binaural+ so they could sell to speaker owners but in a small way, they actually sold out the real power of true binaural. Better than nothing, but just saying.

hi Tomelex,What is your favorite true Binaural, what do you recommend?

 

[dalethorn]

I'd just like to add that I've been listening to audiophile headphones (Stax, Sennheiser, Beyer) for 35 years, and have been very happy with headphone sound, especially with newer releases, although there are a few gems dating to the 1950's that are great stereo and sound splendid on headphones. I'm not at all impressed with any of the 'true' binaural recordings I've heard, and I love to hear live music and have a few true-binaural recordings myself.

The biggest problem with most headphones, and even with many of the so-called 'flagship' models, is how the soundstage etc. is seriously compromised by resonances, and what those resonances do to the perception of a natural sound.

 

[Kefas]

I'd just like to add that I've been listening to audiophile headphones (Stax, Sennheiser, Beyer) for 35 years, and have been very happy with headphone sound, especially with newer releases, although there are a few gems dating to the 1950's that are great stereo and sound splendid on headphones. I'm not at all impressed with any of the 'true' binaural recordings I've heard, and I love to hear live music and have a few true-binaural recordings myself.

The biggest problem with most headphones, and even with many of the so-called 'flagship' models, is how the soundstage etc. is seriously compromised by resonances, and what those resonances do to the perception of a natural sound.

Hi Dale, any chance you would name those 1950's albums and the newer ones too.
I'd be very happy to hear your suggestions.

 

[dalethorn]

Hi Dale, any chance you would name those 1950's albums and the newer ones too.
I'd be very happy to hear your suggestions.

Some of the Beethoven pieces and symphonies by Dorati and the LSO are from the late 50's to early 60's. Grieg's Peer Gynt (Beecham, Royal Philharmonic) is splendid for any time period, but spectacular for the 1950's. The Saint-Saens Symphony 3 (Munch, Boston Sym) from 1959 is a real gem. There's more, but it takes time to dig them out. What's amazing to me is, the old tapes then were acetate-backed, and I don't think the more durable plastics were available until much later - not to mention the chromium-dioxide and "metal oxide" tapes that were developed after 1970, also the Dolby, DBX, and other noise reduction systems. So somebody really worked to preserve these recordings.

If you get a chance, check out the the version of Lux Aurumque (Eric Whitacre) on Youtube that was assembled from several thousand home recordings sponsored by Whitacre himself. I've been searching for a commercial release of this, but haven't found it. It's not an oldie, but it's better than good.

 

[APP]

Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir - 'Lux Aurumque'

Allow me;

amazing work.

 

[Kefas]

Ottmar Liebert has a disc called Up Close that's binaural and pretty great!

Yes; Very impressive sound. And good placement.

 

[Kefas]

Some of the Beethoven pieces and symphonies by Dorati and the LSO are from the late 50's to early 60's. Grieg's Peer Gynt (Beecham, Royal Philharmonic) is splendid for any time period, but spectacular for the 1950's. The Saint-Saens Symphony 3 (Munch, Boston Sym) from 1959 is a real gem. There's more, but it takes time to dig them out. What's amazing to me is, the old tapes then were acetate-backed, and I don't think the more durable plastics were available until much later - not to mention the chromium-dioxide and "metal oxide" tapes that were developed after 1970, also the Dolby, DBX, and other noise reduction systems. So somebody really worked to preserve these recordings.

If you get a chance, check out the the version of Lux Aurumque (Eric Whitacre) on Youtube that was assembled from several thousand home recordings sponsored by Whitacre himself. I've been searching for a commercial release of this, but haven't found it. It's not an oldie, but it's better than good.

There is something about 1959, That year 4 of the best sounding and musically very important jazz albums were recorded.
see video;

 

[dalethorn]

Great video! All a beginner needs to know about jazz in one place. I recently got several SACD's/XRCD's/K2HD CD's of Time Out, Miles Davis' Kind of Blue (with free t-shirt!!), Bill Evans' Explorations, Coltrane's A Love Supreme (and a DVD of Branford Marsalis doing Love Supreme), a couple of DVD's by Mingus….

But now I see I need to get the 'Shape' album by Coleman and Mingus Ah Um from 1959 - great ideas in that video!

 

[Kefas]

The biggest problem with most headphones, and even with many of the so-called 'flagship' models, is how the soundstage etc. is seriously compromised by resonances, and what those resonances do to the perception of a natural sound.

Do you find that the Akg 812 and 712 suffer less from that problem?

 

[dalethorn]

Do you find that the Akg 812 and 712 suffer less from that problem?

The K712 is actually very good, with only a ~7 db difference between the peak at ~4 khz and recess at ~5300 hz. Those frequencies are approximate since headphone samples vary a little. A lot of the music I play doesn't show much difference between EQ on and off, regardless of bassiness or brightness. Mostly the improvement in a good EQ comes with vocals and midrange instrument sounds.

The K812 is no worse in regard to its peak-to-recess between ~4 khz and ~6500 hz, but the overall brightness on the top end (>6 db between 9 and 10 khz) is such that people listening to anything besides acoustic, classical, jazz etc. may find the sibilants and harshness too much. I reduce the K812 treble, and find that the dings that some reviewers put against the K812 just go away pretty much, and I'm left with a wonderful spacious sound.

But, if I were stranded somewhere with just the K712 for a lengthy time - no problem. I love it.

 

[APP]

Mingus Ah um

Great video! All a beginner needs to know about jazz in one place. I recently got several SACD's/XRCD's/K2HD CD's of Time Out, Miles Davis' Kind of Blue (with free t-shirt!!), Bill Evans' Explorations, Coltrane's A Love Supreme (and a DVD of Branford Marsalis doing Love Supreme), a couple of DVD's by Mingus….

But now I see I need to get the 'Shape' album by Coleman and Mingus Ah Um from 1959 - great ideas in that video!

Mingus Ah Um is a must have. I feel almost jealous that you are now going to experience this master piece for the 1th time!

 

[dalethorn]

Mingus Ah Um is a must have. I feel almost jealous that you are now going to experience this master piece for the 1th time!

I tried everything I could think of to get a hires copy of this, but HDTracks didn't have it, and there was no XRCD or similar Japan edition, and the one SACD had a bad review of the contents, so I ordered the 50th anniversary Legacy edition with 2 CD's from Amazon. That one looks like a really good bet.

 

[Kefas]

Yes I have a couple of those. I like the Amber Rubarth album alot.

Yes that is a nice album. Only trouble I have with the binaural format is that some how the sound of the voice is not so focused, the instruments are gorgeously placed and has depth and presence but not the voice.
Comparing the recorded sound of the voice to i.e. Alison Krauss live in the studio;

or Carmen Gomes live in the studio;

I think that the binaural format is a bit on the short side.

 

[dalethorn]

I listened to the Rubarth sample - the voice sounds out of phase. I wonder if the master is that way.

 

[APP]

I tried everything I could think of to get a hires copy of this, but HDTracks didn't have it, and there was no XRCD or similar Japan edition, and the one SACD had a bad review of the contents, so I ordered the 50th anniversary Legacy edition with 2 CD's from Amazon. That one looks like a really good bet.

I am sure you will find them satisfying.