Test Your System

Blue Coast Collection “Reference” CD

My first exposure to Blue Coast Records was when I was selling some speakers back around 2012. The buyer brought a cd he wanted to use as a “reference” to test my system, and mainly, the speakers. I had never heard of the Blue Coast Record label, or any of the artists. I was into classic rock mostly, with a few other genres. But to be honest, this was my first real eye opener to Americana and Folk music. Even though this was not my familiar genre, there was no doubt that what I was hearing was something special. Fast forward over a decade, and I can honestly say that out of all my vinyl, tape and cd collection, this album has been played more than any other title. When I think about that, it is a testiment to the combination of Cookie Marenco’s skill and commitment to capturing music in a more revealing way, it is also an endorsement of the talents of the artists, and why this “collection” has become my “reference CD” whenever someone wants to hear how good a CD can sound. It is a great album to have to test your system.

We will start selling the SACD and MQD Gold discs of the Audiophile Edition of this first collection. If you prefer downloads, head over to the product page for Blue Coast Collection, Blue Coast Artists, The E.S.E. Sessions. They over four download formats: WAV, FLAC, DSD, and MQA … in four resolutions: 16-bit/44.1kHz, 24-bit/48kHz, 24-bit/96kHz, and 24-bit/192kHz. And while you are there, you should explore their music catalog. I’m sure you will find other albums by specific artists that you will enjoy!

Click the button below to get more info, or visit Blue Coast Music to learn more about their process and discover artists.

Who is Blue Coast Records?

Blue Coast Records’ first release features exceptional acoustic recordings performed live in the studio without the use of headphones, overdubs or digital effects. Label founder, and five time Grammy-Nominated producer/engineer, Cookie Marenco, assembled a cast of world-class performers, engineers and technicians familiar with her passion for audio excellence and appreciation of skilled musicianship.

The recording sessions led to a patent-pending recording technique called Extended Sound Environment (E.S.E.). Originally conceptualized for the surround environment, E.S.E. makes use of room and direct microphone placement to optimize full tonal response from the instruments and character of the room while allowing the musicians to position themselves to hear and respond to each other without the use of headphones. Attention to eliminating phase, blending the room and direct mics, creating balanced dynamics, monitoring while recording in surround all under Marenco’s production guidance brought stunning results that truly places the listener in an audio hologram of the music.

From Cookie Marenco, producer and engineer “It started as a test . . . how could we get the best performances from artists while capturing the highest level sound? What barriers stop us from capturing these things at the same time. After 20 years in the studio, listening to what the artists have to say and running tests on our theory, we found a sweet spot — get rid of the headphones and let the artists play together as if they’re sitting in their home with friends. Remove the barriers that prevent the artist from hearing at their best — the headphones. Once you remove the headphones, the artists need to position themselves and play at a dynamic range where they can hear themselves and bandmates. Seems easy, right? It’s the hardest recording technique to master getting a great sound. While we were testing, the music sounded so good, we decided to create a label called Blue Coast Records.”