what are you listening to at the moment?

[Bealman]

Teenage albums:

Cream - Disraeli Gears
Cream - Wheels of Fire (double album)
Free - Tons of Sobs
Island Sampler - You can all join in
Island Sampler - Nice enough to eat

The last one is on the turntable as I type this (not playing, mind - and I'm out anyway).

[port perran]

Thank you for posting Martin @port perran . I remember a school chum waxing lyrical over Abraxas and played it to me, I don't think I was blown away at the time but by the time Caravanserai came out I was hooked and had most of Santana's LPs up to Marathon (not great*). This clip features the Santana VI version of the band with some original members. Santana's Supernatural release stirred some renewed interest but for me his earlier work is far more heady.

*I did like the track "Aquamarine" from Marathon, so here it is...

https://youtu.be/waxFYn5LNOU?feature=shared

With the late Jaco Pastorious on bass

Cheers,

Tim

Thank you for that Tim, Aquamarine is indeed a fine track.

I mentioned earlier that Carlos Santana is such a versatile musician.
Here's a track that you will recognise but given a modern twist. It's Carlos Santana with Darryl DMC McDaniels and Let the Guitar Play

https://youtu.be/UGykkL6uH4c?si=UiJ5g3wtG7EOWidL

Some will say that it is a classic song ruined but it works for me.

[Moonglum]

Hmmm? Not sure about the rap at all Martin @port perran . Santana is OK though along with his Mrs on drums!

A band I was introduced to by an old school chum a few years back now that did leave quite an impression on me is Pendragon (from Stroud). here they are live with "Indigo"...

https://youtu.be/4yxq8zgyd1g?feature=shared

And for a bit more with "The Black Knight"...

https://youtu.be/LEcHjN47ftc?feature=shared

Mick @Newportnobby might like these ditties as well

Cheers

Tim

PS interesting album choices from all, several that would be on my list: however, I am going to take this idea a bit further, so watch this space.

[port perran]

Not my thing I'm afraid @Moonglum . I think Pendragon must have passed me by as I've never heard of them previously.

I look forward to your ideas regarding influential albums wth interest.
Cheers
Martin

[Newportnobby]

I'd not heard of Pendragon either but, overall, I really enjoyed their sound. I found the front man for some reason irksome and his vocals weak for such a band. The lightshow was also excessive so not a band I'd want to see live, but I'll maybe bend an ear to studio stuff

[Moonglum]

I agree Mick, his guitar work is much better than his singing. "Indigo" came from the "Pure" album. I heard this about some 15 years ago and thought the overall sound was quite refreshing as I had lost touch with the genre.

Cheers,

Tim 

[Platy767]

Due to a forced downsize and relocation of audio equipment, I have been in the pre purchase phase of listening to speakers. I made a CD with familiar tracks and have been listening to some great and not so great quality recordings. I think the not so great quality recordings were as useful as the good quality recordings in helping me pick a pair of small speakers I could live with.

01 Channel and Phase
02 Cloudy This Morning (Ending) - George Winston
03 Bass Resonance - Best of Chesky Jazz and More Audiophile Tests, Vol. 2
04 Everything Changes - Kathy Troccoli
05 The Man I Love - Vince Jones & Grace Knight
06 Englishman in New York - Sting
07 Hey Laura - Gregory Porter
08 Jesus Is A Rock - Coda
09 Three Preludes- 1. Allegro ben ritmato e deciso - Anne-Sophie Mutter
10 Water Music- Variant in F major, HWV 331,1 (appendix) English Baroque Soloists-Gardiner
11 Christmas Sweet- God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen - Mannheim Steamroller
12 God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen - Mannheim Steamroller
13 Soon - Dave Grusin
14 My Man's Gone Now - Dave Grusin
15 Frontiers - John Boswell
16 Crime of the Century - Supertramp
17 For Someone Special - The Doobie Brothers
18 The Pink Panther - Boston Pops Orchestra-John Williams
19 Fascinating Rhythm - Dave Grusin
20 Hey Now - London Grammar
21 I've Got You Under My Skin - Vince Jones & Grace Knight

Mark

[Newportnobby]

Well, that eclectic mix should sort out your audio choice!

[Newportnobby]

One of Santana's more understated (though maybe overlong) tracks where everyone gets to shine is.....

[Bealman]

Overlong. Should have quit while they were ahead. Sorry! 

[Moonglum]

Hi Mark @Platy767 , what a list - I should imagine the Dave Grusin ranked high for sound quality, along with Supertramp and Sting. DG's track "Caravan" from "A Homage to Duke" is one of my test tracks. "Golden Rust" from Miles_Gurtu is a stonker as well, great imagery, dynamics, transients, bass...

https://youtu.be/xql3l9UmEqw?feature=shared

What speakers did you buy?

Cheers,

Tim

[Platy767]

@Moonglum

Now, you're not to judge me on these!
They had to be small enough to sit atop Ikea Billy bookcases that are up against the wall. They face across the width rather than the length of the room, which is very lively with timber floor, bare walls and no soft furnishings. Ok, considering all that, I wasn't going very big on the budget, so was looking at entry level bookshelf speakers.
The short list was basically anything that fitted that was cheap.
Monitor Audio Bronze 50
Wharfedale Diamond 12.1
Dali Oberon 1
Encel Gelati

All have 5" mid/bass with a 1" tweeter.

I listened to MA Bronze 50 vs Encel Gelati driven by a Cambridge Amp. No contest, I thought the Encel wiped the floor.
I went down to Apollo Hi Fi because I thought the Wharfedales would be the ones. I listened to the Encel again and then the Wharfedale driven off a Rotel. Much closer this time, but I went with the Encel speakers because they were smaller, softer on top and just sounded good enough. I did not like the vertical dispersion of the Wharfedale above the tweeter.

Wharfedales were on special for $455, MA were $629 and the Encel Gelati were $589 including the optional grilles. I didn't bother with the Dalis (no magnetic grilles and WAF low)

The Encel Gelati looks A LOT like an older Wharfedale Diamond, and I understand they are made by the same factory as the Diamond range. The marketing blurb says the XO is designed in Melbourne (Oz) and voiced with input from the local audio intelligentsia!

They are a fashion item and available in a plethora of colours, but I went with Black with Black grilles.

WAF was adequate and they are paired with my first do it all amp, a Yamaha WXA-50.

The old NAD sold for $107 on ebay and the old B&Ws and stands haven't had a bid  .

https://www.encel.com.au/gelati
https://www.stereonet.com/au/reviews/encel-gelati-bookshelf-speakers-review

Thanks,
Mark

[Platy767]

I should imagine the Dave Grusin ranked high for sound quality, along with Supertramp and Sting.

@Moonglum
Yes Tim.

The Dave Grusin "Gershwin Connection" has some wonderful tracks. Fascinating Rhythm is truly fantastic, Soon is very good and if you can get through My Man's Gone Now, then it's an ok system.
The Grace Knight and Vince Jones tracks are from the "Come in Spinner" (an Aussie wartime love story/drama) soundtrack and are very good.
Sting is from Symphonicities and I love the Englishman and Roxanne versions on this. Supertramp's Crime is from Retrospectacle and is, I find, a little "edgy". Don't know why.

Mark

[Moonglum]

Hi Mark @Platy767 ,

It sounds like that you have done your homework. I don't think Encel speakers are available here in the UK. The Geletis would be about £300 here. The review paints a good picture and I note they are ported at the rear. Funnily enough, my second system resides on a "Billy" bookcase comprising Cambridge Audio SX50s driven by a Tangent Ampster Mk.1 (Bluetooth) and sounds fine for background listening. I first heard Dave Grusin on his Direct Cut Disc "Discovered Again" but only have a CD copy now. I will have a listen to Supertramp again to see if my CD is a bit edgy.

Cheers,

Tim

[crewearpley40]

Totally agree Mick with post 4918

Some eclectic choices !