Massimo Farao Double Piano Quartet – The Masquerade is Over (2017, SACD-ISO)
Massimo Farao Double Piano Quartet – The Masquerade is Over (2017, SACD-ISO) is a a Venus session expanding the piano-trio concept with a second piano and quartet texture. For an audiophile, its interest goes beyond the music itself: the recording offers a particular combination of piano separation, bass definition and stereo layering. That makes it useful both as a listening experience and as a way to hear how a system handles the character of this particular production.
TRACK LIST
- LabelVenus
- CountryJapan
- Release date2017
- GenreJazz
- FormatSACD-ISO 2ch& Flac 16bit/44.1kHz
Sound Quality
The sonic character is shaped by piano separation, bass definition and stereo layering. The strongest recordings in this programme present instruments with believable body while keeping the surrounding acoustic intact. Bass should have pitch rather than simply weight, the midrange should retain natural colour, and treble detail should remain clean when the arrangement becomes busy. The presentation is most convincing when individual sources stay distinct without losing their relationship to the whole.
Audiophile Listening Experience
In a serious listening session, the most useful approach is to compare how the system handles contrasting passages. The key is to follow The Masquerade Is Over for its piano separation, then compare it with the most spacious piano passage as the arrangement becomes more active.. A capable setup should maintain image stability as the music becomes denser, while quieter moments should retain room information and instrumental decay. The recording is particularly revealing when volume is kept realistic rather than exaggerated simply to create impact.
Reference Tracks
Reference Tracks: The Masquerade Is Over; the most spacious piano passage; the busiest ensemble section. These selections are useful for checking piano separation, bass definition and stereo layering. They also provide contrasting levels of density and dynamics, making it easier to hear whether a system preserves detail without narrowing the musical perspective.
Audiophile Verdict
As an audiophile reference, Massimo Farao Double Piano Quartet – The Masquerade is Over (2017, SACD-ISO) is valuable because it combines musical interest with a clearly identifiable sonic character. It is especially useful for evaluating piano separation, bass definition and stereo layering. Rather than being judged only by spectacular moments, it rewards repeated listening, when differences in imaging, tonal colour and dynamics become easier to recognise.
One of its useful qualities is consistency: the same recording character remains audible when the programme moves from a sparse passage to a fuller arrangement. That continuity gives the listener a dependable baseline for judging changes in speakers, amplification, digital conversion or room setup.
