High quality Hindustani classical recordings: CDs, LPs, Tidal/Quboz

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essrand

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I know there's already a thread for Hindustani classical, but am starting this one for high quality recordings. Hopefully we can share and help each other source High quality recordings of artists we love.

I am all the time disappointed at the quality of recordings of Indian classical music, but there are gems out there, and I would like to know more from FMs about their favourite recordings.

This post is about SQ as well Artistic quality, both equally important, so send me your favourite CDs, LPs pictures or Tidal links of your favourite recordings.

No youtube videos or MP3 or non hi-res streaming (saregama, spotify etc) please. Am looking for albums that will satisfy the music lover as well as the audiophile :)

So far my favourites have been albums from Navras or NCPA Archive albums.
 
Releases on Chhanda Dhara and Sense Music labels are excellent quality.
So also Water Lily.
There have been some releases on DG also. I expect they would be great.
 
In another thread I listed the labels that released Hindustani classical albums. Most of them are good. A bit winded way to check SQ would be to search for a given label from that list on Discogs, note down a couple of albums, search and play them on YouTube (or Tidal if you have) and see if you like. SQ would usually be more or less uniform across most albums from a given label.


Post in thread 'Tidal in india?'
https://www.hifivision.com/threads/tidal-in-india.78891/post-954006
 
Naturelover said:
Releases on Chhanda Dhara and Sense Music labels are excellent quality.
So also Water Lily.
There have been some releases on DG also. I expect they would be great.
Click to expand...
I am looking for specific albums that people have found which have excellent recording quality.

BTW what is DG?
 
Sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali khan's Darbari Kanara recital on LP has a very good SQ. I have listened to this same raga by ustadji in a cassette which is close to vinyl with a good separation. Recently I have bought a CD entitled Amalgam that records sarod recital of ustad Amjad Ali khan and his two sons. The SQ of this CD is good. Shivkumar sharma's Call of the valley on LP is my favourite for the SQ and over all presentation. Prabha Atre,s Thumris on an LP is superb, specially this track kaun Gali Gayo shyam is just mind blowing.
Forgot to mention that shivkumar sharma's kirwani and Kedar ragas have very good recording on LP and cassette.
 
Last edited:
Released by Ninaad and performed by great legends Dr.Balamurali ,Pt Hariprasad , Vikku and Anindo. This cd is a treat to your ears. Again well recorded too.

IMG_20210720_092941-min.jpg
 
essrand said:
I know there's already a thread for Hindustani classical, but am starting this one for high quality recordings. Hopefully we can share and help each other source High quality recordings of artists we love.

I am all the time disappointed at the quality of recordings of Indian classical music, but there are gems out there, and I would like to know more from FMs about their favourite recordings.

This post is about SQ as well Artistic quality, both equally important, so send me your favourite CDs, LPs pictures or Tidal links of your favourite recordings.

No youtube videos or MP3 or non hi-res streaming (saregama, spotify etc) please. Am looking for albums that will satisfy the music lover as well as the audiophile :)

So far my favourites have been albums from Navras or NCPA Archive albums.
Click to expand...
What u plan exactly? Tidal doesnt have indian classical i think. Vinyl are available. But if we are discussing about digital formats?
 
jenson said:
Albums by Kaushiki chakrabarty has pretty good sq.

Also worth checking acoustic potrait releases.
Click to expand...
Second your opinion. Besides this, I would go for Anoushka Shankar's sitar recital releases on CDs. However, when it comes to Alaap, Gat, and total representation , I always prefer Pt. Ravi Shankar but SQ wise Anoushka's recital is a treat to ears.
Regards
 
SachinChavan said:
In another thread I listed the labels that released Hindustani classical albums. Most of them are good. A bit winded way to check SQ would be to search for a given label from that list on Discogs, note down a couple of albums, search and play them on YouTube (or Tidal if you have) and see if you like. SQ would usually be more or less uniform across most albums from a given label.


Post in thread 'Tidal in india?'
https://www.hifivision.com/threads/tidal-in-india.78891/post-954006
Click to expand...
I don't know if this is true. Even from something very limited like the Sony DADC "From the NCPA archives" series, some albums have great SQ, some mediocre, some bad actually.
 
essrand said:
I don't know if this is true. Even from something very limited like the Sony DADC "From the NCPA archives" series, some albums have great SQ, some mediocre, some bad actually.
Click to expand...
Bhaskar, NCPA archives consist of live concerts held at the venue over the years. On the other hand one expects more consistent sound quality in studio-recorded albums by the established labels.
 
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