New To Vinyl... Seeking Recomendations

You have asked for recommendations for "show off records" without regard for types of music. Without knowing your taste, I agree with most of what has been posted with a few modifications and additions. You might want to find a good local used record shop where you can find original pressings at reasonable prices. I am not convinced that reissued 33 rpm records costing $30 plus are always as good sounding as some of the original pressings. Example: Dire Straits Brothers in Arms. I have a $6.00 commercial pressing which I have compared directly to the pricey reissue and the vintage copy is better in all respects. Many, not all, 45 rpm reissues are superior to 33 rpm pressings regardless of vintage. Lastly, if you do not own a record cleaning machine, you should buy one. You need to clean new records in order to eliminate the mold release used to get it off the stamper. You need to clean old records for obvious reasons of dirt and grime in the grooves. Happy listening.

thanks for all the suggestions... and yes, i most certainly should have commented on my preferences. i listen to everything (jazz, classical, opera, world, rock, folk... pretty much nothing is out of bounds), however, right now i am listening to mostly to vocalists. The albums that have gotten the most play time recently have been:

Norah Jones, Come Away With Me
Dianna Krall, Live in Paris
Frank Sinatra, Live at the Sands
Eva Cassidy, Live At Blues Alley

i failed to mention this in my original post, as i thought some of the best vinyl demo cuts would be highly regarded not for their style, but for their recording quality. i suppose it stands to reason that one would enjoy a good cut of preferred music to a great cut in a genre that displeases them.

anyhow, thanks for all the inputs, you've given me a nice list to start with.

oh, and Dan_ed, no offense taken... thanks for the tip on cleaning.

-Scott

SongBird by Eva Cassidy. It does not get any beteer then that.

On newsstands now is the 2010 High-End Audio Buyers' Guide special issue of "The Absolute Sound." Starting on page 52 is a good list of outstanding recordings of all genres (CD and LP). Might want to check it out.
-Bob

Buconero117, Pick up any of Eva's music, even the 1 or 2 she did with Chuck Brown. Some wonderful Ballads on those records. CD's too of course.

If you are a CD fan you have to listen to the Beatles Remasters. Especially the CD with "Come Together" on it. Very Natural indeed. I was very impressed with it's sonic qualities.