Audiophilepure

https://www.soundstageultra.com/index.php/equipment-menu/1296-audio-research-d-80-stereo-amplifier

One of the first albums I played after hooking up the D‑80 was Rain Tree Crow (16-bit/44.1kHz FLAC, Virgin Records / Qobuz), from the group of the same name. This atmospheric album, loaded up with David Sylvian on vocals, could easily be considered as a reprise to Japan, the early 1980s group that was also fronted by Sylvian. It’s a spacious dreamscape, one that’s easy to sink into. That first listening experience was satisfying. I got the large, billowing images from the backing instruments, with Sylvian’s tight, defined vocals layered coherently over top. The bass, most notably Mick Karn’s delicate fretless noodling, was tight and clear in both its extension and definition. There was no slop here. In all, this album sounded like it should, and made for a perfect, if uninformative start to the review period.

Over the next few weeks, I’d unconsciously find myself returning to albums with the same vibe as Rain Tree Crow. As I’ve mentioned in the past, rather than using any sort of logical auditioning protocol, I let a component pull me around and let it show itself to me. And part of this process is letting the component choose the music I’ll listen to.