What songs do you use to test HiFi speakers/amps/headphones?

What's Hot
245

Comments

  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33725
    Skipped said:

    1. Donald Fagen - The Nightfly. 24bit 192Khz Stereo. (I would take my own Laptop and dac)

    Yup, IGY is pretty much a standard for engineers.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • cj73cj73 Frets: 1003
    Has no one said DSoTM yet?
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • english_bobenglish_bob Frets: 5128
    cj73 said:
    Has no one said DSoTM yet?
    "Money" gets a mention in the first post. Does that count?

    Don't talk politics and don't throw stones. Your royal highnesses.

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 2reaction image Wisdom
  • koneguitaristkoneguitarist Frets: 4125
    Steve Earle Texas Eagle, until you have heard this track loud, you don't know what an acoustic guitar sounds like ! Nothing like i have ever heard, the depth of response down to flatness of recording lack of digital fx etc is like hearing in 3D for first time! 

    John Hiatt Alone in the Dark. Jim Keltners drums are magnificent, and when Ry Cooder slides in and holds the note with vibrato its awesome. 

    Last but but by no means least, 
    Poco  Crazy Eyes,  the harmonies and full instrumentation will test any system to the full. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • thecolourboxthecolourbox Frets: 9654
    edited July 2016
    I'm not an audiophile but when testing stuff I use the following songs, because I know them and what they sound like when I've heard them on a good system, and they cover all my bases:

    River of Breaklights, Julian Casablancas. Has some nice synthy bits as well as guitars to see how they sound, nice splashy percussion too which can sound lame on bass speakers

    Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground, White Stripes. Because any sound system worth it's salt should show a Big Muff riff off well.

    Mama you've been on my mind, Jeff Buckley. Shows off dynamics well in a good system, and the size of the stereo pan for the massive reverb

    Please note my communication is not very good, so please be patient with me
    soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
    youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic
    1reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • duotoneduotone Frets: 972
    These tracks have been standing out for me over the last few days, while playing through some playlists.

    The Pink Panther Theme - Henry Mancini
    The Wilhelm Scream - James Blake
    The OtherSide - The Roots
    Don't Leave Me This Way - Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes
    Slabo Day - Peter Green 

    Am trying to stay awake for the Carl Framptons fight, but I don't think I will be able to make 4am.

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • RobDaviesRobDavies Frets: 3062
    I used to like DLR's Skyscraper album for testing out hifi. Just Like Paradise being the 'go to' track for me. 
    School from Supertramp's Crime Of The Century album sounds immense on a good system , too. 

    ,
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • SkippedSkipped Frets: 2371
    For some reason I can't explain......today....I am only listening to Trevor Horn produced albums (Lexicon of Love, Welcome to the Pleasuredome, Slave to the Rhythm). All sound fabulous.


    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • mudslide73mudslide73 Frets: 3049
    I had a similar experience hearing Roachford (neither love nor hate) and being staggered that there was so much information in the tune I'd previously been deprived of. Made him sound very musical indeed - before that I'd been meh about him.

    RobDavies said:
    A guy in a hifi shop in Uxbridge once told me to bring my favourite CD to demo some speakers.
    He also told me to bring something owned by my missus, that I absolutely hated.

    IIRC, I took something along like Forbidden Evil by Forbidden which although not my absolute favourite, is well recorded for something so intense.

    But, the revelation was listening to my missus' copy of Simply Red's Stars album - it sounded incredible, even though I couldn't abide the music.

    So, you know something is flicking your hifi switches when it sounds good, when you'd previously dismissed  it.

    "A city star won’t shine too far"


    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 2reaction image Wisdom
  • vizviz Frets: 10647
    RobDavies said:
    I used to like DLR's Skyscraper album for testing out hifi. Just Like Paradise being the 'go to' track for me. 
    School from Supertramp's Crime Of The Century album sounds immense on a good system , too. 

    ,
    Yes, I was going to say Skyscraper the song. 
    Roland said: Scales are primarily a tool for categorising knowledge, not a rule for what can or cannot be played.
    Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • duotoneduotone Frets: 972
    Skipped said:
    For some reason I can't explain......today....I am only listening to Trevor Horn produced albums (Lexicon of Love, Welcome to the Pleasuredome, Slave to the Rhythm). All sound fabulous.


    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Spiceworld
    1reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • AllyAlly Frets: 64
    I take along a mix of things, but best to take music you know very well for a baseline reference. Not necessarily songs here, but albums.

    I use good quality audiophile grade such as Alison Krauss, Erik Satie/Aldo Ciccolini, Charles Mingus, Eric Dolphy.

    Also use rougher recordings, sometimes live stuff: Modern Lovers, 96 tears / live at longbranch, Tindersticks - Bloomsbury, although that's a good recording I think. 

    Other general music would be Bill Callahan, J Mascis or Dinosaur Jr, Sonic Youth, Miles Davis, Jeff Buckley, Bill Wells and Aiden Moffat, Múm, GSYBE, Thelonious Monk.

    Just a general range of good, bad recordings, and a range of instruments, styles and genres. I'm also never too analytical with listening, just tend to got with general feel and impressions. Best that it's all stuff you are very close to though. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • SkippedSkipped Frets: 2371
    duotone said:

    That was really good. Thanks!

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • english_bobenglish_bob Frets: 5128
    Ally said:
    I take along a mix of things, but best to take music you know very well for a baseline reference. Not necessarily songs here, but albums.

    I use good quality audiophile grade such as Alison Krauss, Erik Satie/Aldo Ciccolini, Charles Mingus, Eric Dolphy.

    What makes a recording "audiophile quality"? Is that just another way of saying "stuff I think is really well recorded"?

    Don't talk politics and don't throw stones. Your royal highnesses.

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • AllyAlly Frets: 64
    Audiophile quality? 

    Good question actually, and tbh I'm not sure. It can mean different things I guess. For records, it usually heavier weight, more attention to detail, higher quality recording devices, and if it's a repressing, then it's hopefully sourced from the original analogue masters.

    That's probably best case, at worst, it's maybe just an 'audiophile' sticker and a more expensive price tag.

    I don't actually have all that many due to the price, but the ones that I have do sound good.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • richardhomerrichardhomer Frets: 24793
    What makes a recording "audiophile quality"? Is that just another way of saying "stuff I think is really well recorded"?
    Yes - I think that sums it up - not overly compressed, or overly bright/dark sounding.

    Something like John Martyn's 'Grace & Danger' or the first Dire Straits album are good examples; just 'good' recordings.

    I mentioned The Blue Nile's 'A Walk Across The Rooftops' earlier. It was released by Linn Records - according to a former member, their only interference in the recording was that neither side should be longer than 18 minutes, to allow them to cut the bass loud enough on the vinyl release.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • blobbblobb Frets: 2914
    My guitar wants to Kill your Mama.
    Feelin' Reelin' & Squeelin'
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Winny_PoohWinny_Pooh Frets: 7735
    edited August 2016
    octatonic said:
    I hate to be Mr Predictable but it is Aja by Steely Dan for me.
    There has never been a better sounding recording for testing speakers and amps.
    I'm actually listening to Black Cow right now- the separation of the drums- the ride cymbal against the hi hats, the huge but not overwhelming bass, the horns are front and centre but not overpowering, the backing vocals float in mid field and then disappear.
    It is a terrific record.
    On that note you may enjoy or already know Massenburg recording Little Feat's The last record album. The first Dire Straits album is also of that time. The late 70's really was the peak of analog recording. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • english_bobenglish_bob Frets: 5128
    Skipped said:
    duotone said:

    That was really good. Thanks!
    Yep, I enjoyed that too. A good mix of the layman-level technical stuff and the "crazy shit I did when I was younger" stories.

    Don't talk politics and don't throw stones. Your royal highnesses.

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
Sign In or Register to comment.