philly0116 Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 When introducing some new speakers or other equipment into the system, what Cd's do you use as reference Cd's for auditioning? I use a Willie Nelson Cd titled "Spirit", and Bela Flecks "Flight of the Cosmic Hippo" (Thanks Mr. Crites)....just to throw a couple out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnr Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 The Very Best of Chicago (although by far, not my favorite band, plenty of horns), Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd, Joe Bonamassa - Live from the Royal Albert Hall Blu ray in DTS, Steely Dan - Aja, just to mention a few. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 eh... nothing specific. I believe in living with something for a good period before making a judgement, therefore there are many many disc's played. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Smith Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 I prefer to just hand over the ipad and let guests pick out music that suits their own list of favorite tunes. That way they already have an established baseline for how they think something should sound and are guaranteed not to get bored by whatever music I may pick out. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RT FAN Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 I am with you TS on that, I just ask folks what their favorite music is, then I let Klipsch do the talking. I am sure more than a few of us should have been collecting commissions from Klipsch for all the speakers we have helped sell for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnr Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Philly, I thought you were asking from a personal perspective of auditioning something in your own system to see how they perform, to maybe decide placement, or whether you want to keep or sell. If you are asking from a potential buyer's perspective in auditioning for a sale, by all means what ever they like. I asked a buyer what they wanted to hear, and it was classical. I only have like 2 or 3 classical CD's so he went to his car and got a CD he burned and proceeded to listen to his stuff for a half hour. After they left I cranked some Brooks & Dunn to make sure my speakers didn't turn on me. They bucked a bit like a bull, but settled in about mid way through "Neon Moon". 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarheel Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Sonny Rollins "Saxophone Colossus" Sonny Rollins "Way Out West" Miles Davis "Friday Night At The Blackhawk" Sonny Rollins "Tenor Madness" Miles Davis "Cookin At The Plugged Nickel" As one forum member said about jazz "sounds like random horn blowing to me". 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 CDs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philly0116 Posted June 19, 2014 Author Share Posted June 19, 2014 CDs? Records, mp3's, 8 tracks, etc.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvu80 Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 (edited) Piano is probably the most difficult sound to reproduce accurately because it did not originate out of a speaker like an electric guitar, or even amplified human voice. I don't listen to songs on the radio, but I do like female vocals. I wouldn't hesitate to use THIS as a reference for testing speakers. I'm not suggesting youtube as a source material, but the actual tune is immaculately recorded and mixed with state-of-the-art equipment, it features quiet passages, loud, some decent bass, and IMO a great vocal performance. A quarter of a billion views on youtube can't be all wrong. Edited June 19, 2014 by wvu80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skelt Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 My wife bought the DVD and then the soundtrack for the car. The extras on the DVD has Spanish, Italian, and Malasian versions too. I havent found a good source yet but this vid. has some deep tuba lines https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dH6Qdli1-Kc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mighty Favog Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 (edited) It might not be the ultimate but I like to put on Spyro Gyra's "What Exit". Or even sometimes the duet of Mark Knopfler and James Taylor "Sailing to Philadelphia". Edited June 19, 2014 by Mighty Favog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyrc Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 I wish I still had it ... Crystal Clear Records Direct to Disk "Sonic Spectaculars," especially "Fanfare for the Common Man" -- by far the best played and best recorded version of this Copeland classic. I can't imagine using Youtube, mp3s, or 8 tracks for testing or demo. Some SACDs, DVD-As ... and yes, even a few CDs, especially HDCDs, or Chesky, would be likely candidates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiet_Hollow Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 When introducing some new speakers or other equipment into the system, what Cd's do you use as reference I've been using the Bink Audio Test CD for the last nine years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JL Sargent Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Cleveland Eaton pulling on the strings of his double bass of course! Playing with Count Basie doing the Kansas City 5! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizRotus Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 (edited) I agree with WVU80's comments about piano. Although it's a Jazz cliche, I use Brubeck's Take Five from Timeout to show off the system or to audition systems or components. The fact that others are aware of the song, even if not Jazz and/or Brubeck fans, makes it useful for letting them hear it "for the first time." The percussion (drums, cymbals and piano) is impressive. Desmond's sax is always impressive. Whether played from vinyl, CD or smart phone via Bluetooth, it never fails to impress. Of course, after force-feeding guests Take Five, I ask them to select something they like, so they can hear that for the first time also. DSOTM is always impressive, especially the opening heartbeat, when delivered by a system capable of producing clean deep low distortion bass. Any well recorded song with which you're very familiar is best for road testing systems or components. Edited June 20, 2014 by DizRotus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joessportster Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Chesky ultimate demo disk, Pink floyd wish you were here, Sonny Rollins Saxophone Collosis, among others................I try to judge a Piece of gear quickly, I find that your ears can get trained to any piece of gear if you listen to it to long...............I want to judge it on its merits against what I already had, not get used to it and then consider it the norm.........................I have other friends that are like SCHU who will take months to make a decision about like or not It is pretty much all personal preference on what we like and how we judge it 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebes Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 (edited) Vinyl, of course. Two. Eva Cassidy, "Songbird" for vocals especially the top end. Al Dimeola for "Mediterranean Sundance" a duo between two of the world's top five guitar players of all time.. Nuff said. Edited June 21, 2014 by thebes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizRotus Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 (edited) A can't fail to amaze vinyl offering is the Sheffield Lab Direct to Disc, I've Got The Music In Me by Thelma Houston and Pressure Cooker. Edited June 21, 2014 by DizRotus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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