I also like really bright-sounding CDs. I'm a treble freak. I can't stand muddy, mid-range music. So my EQ is always in the reverse bell curve with everything full up on both sides and the middle dipped way down. (Actually, I usually leave bass at 3/4 because I like things really crisp.)
(At the risk of coming off sounding like some snooty audiophile....)
I run my setup flat (no tweaking with the equalizer at all). These Klipsch RF-7s tend to run pretty bright in the first place. At least this B&K Reference 200.7 amp I have does a a great job taming these speakers, plus my REL Storm III sub delivers a very nice clean accurate bass. No need to tweak the sound any more. The result is an incredibly dynamic and clear sound.
I usually can't sit through a CD that has no distinct highs or lows. If the vocals, cymbals, and guitar solos aren't right out front, I turn it off. Or not even buy it in the first place. Back in the '70s this wasn't a problem because albums were usually sparser. More space between notes. Not as much sound, noise, and fury packed into each track -- and many multiple tracks at that. Today, however, that's not the case. And the trick is to pack CDs full to give them texture while at the same time allowing them to breathe.
Not only that, but many of these studios tend to apply to much dynamic compression to the recordings in an effort to make them "sound good" on cheap, low-end equipment as well as on radio. Not only that, they just want to make them "loud" as possible. I guess to cater to the morons that do nothing but like to drive around town thumping that really annoying, distorted bass (never mind there is any real substance to that crap they listen to these days). Fortunately, I don't see to much of that going on with these independent labels , especially in the prog/power metal album, where the music itself is most important. Write a complex piece of music and you want to convey as much of that as possible without muddying it up. Of course, this is were have a good sound system helps tremendously as well. For example, if you don't already have it, you should obtain a copy of
Vox Tempus'
The Eye of Time. The recording quality on that disk is just phenomenal. A very nice tight clean bassline, crisp detailed mids and highs. There is a lot of dynamics and everything was a lot of room to "breath". I bought a copy of this directly from Eric Ragno (the keyboardist) a couple of years ago at ProgPower USA. I've played this one at a local high-end audio shop (Raven Home Theater and Hi-Fi right here in Fredericksburg, VA) and it turned a couple of heads. One asked me who that was and I showed him the CD case and booklet.
I think Isolate strikes the perfect balance. It is one of the best-mixed and -mastered albums I've heard in a long time. It's as crisp as a new can of Pringles, yet there's a lot going on in each song.
The sad thing is that I bought a copy of this while at this year's ProgPower USA and I've not gotten around to listening to it, until now. I saw this thread and was thinking, "Damn! I've forgotten that I've had this but never listened to it yet!". I have it on right now and I find the recording quality to be excellent on it. Very crisp, with incredible clarity and dynamics. Every instrument does have it's space and can easily be picked out. The vocals come out with a wonder clarity and easily understood (hell, I can even hear Michael breath between each phrase of the lyrics!). Nothing seems to overpower anything else in the recording. This is one well done recording. And not only that, but the music just simply flat-out kicks some major ass! So can't wait to see these guys in March (I already have the ticket purchased)! Now, if you could just hear the track "Mouth of Madness" on my setup, especially the opening part! Unbelievable!
