New Mboard / Cpu got better sounds as unexpected bonus

[Stratmangler]

I wouldn't get too tied up on dynamic range values.
Obviously if something has a dynamic range rating of 4 or 5 then it's not a great recording, but the dynamic range rating tells you nothing of the content.
The material, the content, could be absolutely fantastic, just badly recorded.

Quite a lot of decently recorded material doesn't have all that wide a dynamic range.

[RMutt]

I have to agree. That's what my ears are telling me.

[Stratmangler]

The point I was trying to make with regard to the Windows installation is that the sound quality can often be bettered by the simple of expedient of properly setting the machine up for audio playback.
Windows has all sorts of background stuff running, and the audio has to compete with it if you don't take steps to give it priority.
Give the audio priority and you'd be surprised at how much things improve.

[WAD62]

The best I've found so far are a couple of albums by Gogo Penguin which maybe had a different ' jazz afficiendo' type production. I'm not going to get hung up on it. In fact perhaps I don't really want to know in case it ruins my enjoyment!

The last one's on Blue Note, top quality, musically and production wise...

[RMutt]

Funnily enough, given your avatar. From my random selection of music I have, that I looked up on the data base Joy Division came up as very good.

[WAD62]

Funnily enough, given your avatar. From my random selection of music I have, that I looked up on the data base Joy Division came up as very good.

Another good northern band...

It's one of my favorite album covers...and albums too, although I like all sorts of stuff

If you like Gogo Penguin, then you might enjoy 'Get the Blessing', 'Neil Cowley Trio', 'led Bib'(all on Naim), 'BADBADNOTGOOD', 'Polar Bear', 'Portico', 'Floating Points'...all very interesting new jazz crossover stuff, and very well recorded too...

[RMutt]

I know some of those bands. BADBADNOTGOOD I've followed for some time. They released a free download album some years ago with a blurb that went something like 'and we've done this all on our own and we're only eighteen' or something along those lines! Since, they've become more of a jazz band, the album with Ghostfaced Killah is an interesting one as they still all love rap etc.