Favorite Test Tracks for Audiophiles

[WMcD]

Chris,

 

Sorry if you thought I was talking about your favorites or casting aspersions.  Not my intent at all.

 

I do think there are bombastic classical  compositions with the signature f or ff (forte and double forte).  And crescendo. 

 

There are orchestra's set up for "bombastic" with multiple kettle drums, cymbals, and massed horns and massed voices.  And in one case, a cannon or four.

 

Recordings use close microphones to accentuate these. Telarc really worked on the kettle drums.  Marvelous when done properly.  I'd say the results are, "bombastic."  Smile.

 

I'd read that a recording a guitar without some compression sound un-naturally thin. 

 

An example of non-thin and maybe a bit overdone, IMHO, is Diamonds and Rust.  I suspect it is close miked and with just the right amount of compression.  Guitars on the rest of the album are anemic in comparison.  It is a great domo track though, like I was saying, sounds very good on mediocre systems.  I'd say, "bombastic."

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ST9TZBb9v8

 

Best,

 

WMcD

[RoboKlipsch]

My personal favorite is Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon

[RoboKlipsch]

In the Consumer Reports July 2016 issue, they coincidentally on p.47 talk about:

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Testing Insights

 

5 SONGS THAT REVEAL A SPEAKER'S STRENGTHS

"It takes more than a good set of ears to identify great headphones and speakers.  The pros in our testing labs shared some musical tracks to use when looking for the qualities found in top-notch equipment."

 

"Whole Lotta Love", Zeppelin I.

"On excellent equipment, you'll notice the echo throughout the song that most people never hear;  the whirring sound midway through the track seems to swirl around you."

 

"The Way I Am", Ingrid Michaelson, Girls & Boys

"In this arrangement, you should be able to hear the sound of fingers moving along the strings, the singers breath between lines, and even her lips opening and closing as she forms words."

 

"Travelin' Light", Diane Schuur, Count Basie Orchestra

"Listen carefully to this live recording and you can actually hear the vocals and the horns resound off the walls of the performance space."

 

"RV315 L'Estate Ill Tempo Impetuoso D'Estate (Summer in G)", Fabio Biondi, Vivaldi - The Four Seasons

"The strings in this Vivaldi piece are being played at breakneck speed, but on quality equipment, each note will be distinct.  On average equipment, the sound will be somewhat slurred."

 

"Sin Wagon", Dixie Chicks

"On better equipment, the guitar, fiddle, and cymbals in this busy arrangement will each be easy to hear.  on lesser models, each instrument will lack definition."

 

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[Chris A]

When it comes to loudspeakers, Consumer Reports/Consumers Union (CR/CU) doesn't have a good track record. I was a long-time CR reader, reading their magazine from the 1960s-2000s. 

 

Look at the white papers from Floyd Toole and Sean Olive that discuss historical issues with CR's testing approaches, and Harman's efforts to help them get something a little better than they used for decades.  This is one of the few areas where CR/CU hasn't done its readers any favors.

 

I recommend Harman's white papers on this subject:

 

http://www.petoindominique.fr/pdf/The%20Subjective%20and%20Objective%20Evaluation%20of%20Room%20Correction%20Products.pdf, 

 

 

https://community.klipsch.com/forums/storage/3/455116/speaker%20article%20(test%20and%20measurement%20world)2.pdf

 

Chris

Edited July 7, 2016 by Chris A

[mkane]

This is simple Alan Parsons Project-I Robot

 

 

[Klipschsonian]

A lot of fantastic instrumental variations throughout these albums.

 

 

[dirtmudd]

In the Consumer Reports July 2016 issue, they coincidentally on p.47 talk about:

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

Testing Insights

 

5 SONGS THAT REVEAL A SPEAKER'S STRENGTHS

"It takes more than a good set of ears to identify great headphones and speakers.  The pros in our testing labs shared some musical tracks to use when looking for the qualities found in top-notch equipment."

 

"Whole Lotta Love", Zeppelin I.

"On excellent equipment, you'll notice the echo throughout the song that most people never hear;  the whirring sound midway through the track seems to swirl around you."

 

"The Way I Am", Ingrid Michaelson, Girls & Boys

"In this arrangement, you should be able to hear the sound of fingers moving along the strings, the singers breath between lines, and even her lips opening and closing as she forms words."

 

"Travelin' Light", Diane Schuur, Count Basie Orchestra

"Listen carefully to this live recording and you can actually hear the vocals and the horns resound off the walls of the performance space."

 

"RV315 L'Estate Ill Tempo Impetuoso D'Estate (Summer in G)", Fabio Biondi, Vivaldi - The Four Seasons

"The strings in this Vivaldi piece are being played at breakneck speed, but on quality equipment, each note will be distinct.  On average equipment, the sound will be somewhat slurred."

 

"Sin Wagon", Dixie Chicks

"On better equipment, the guitar, fiddle, and cymbals in this busy arrangement will each be easy to hear.  on lesser models, each instrument will lack definition."

 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

you mean Zeppelin 2 whole lots bs

[dirtmudd]

How about King crimson's larks tounge in aspic, starless & Bible black & red.

Frank Zappa's one size fits all!

[dirtmudd]

How about Frank Zappa's Läther

[Woofers and Tweeters]

Foghat - Slow Ride....Live 

[Max2]

IMO, its hard to find something that has all the instruments fully balanced with the singer and still have individual dynamics throughout it.  

 

For all out clean, I go for a Steely DVDA, Dire Straits,  BIA in DVDA, Rush, Moving pictures in Blu Ray is pretty impressive. The song "The Camera Eye" on Moving Pictures is very dynamic and clean.  YYZ in 5.1 has the triangle or sleighbells in the beginning spinning around the room from speaker to speaker, sounds cheesy, but really puts a smile on every Rush fan.  One standout on a regular CD that has always surprised me is Back in Black.  Great drums and guitar, stand out vocals and doesn't sound compressed at all. Of course, my Back in Black CD is probably going on 30+ years old now.

Edited July 8, 2016 by Max2

[Woofers and Tweeters]

I like clean, simple tunes to test like Raberta Flack. The tunes have vocals, piano, strings, light drums and good bass. 

[nivroc]

I'm kind of new to Hi-Fi, but I've always heard excellent results with:

Robert Plant - Now & Zen, "Heaven Knows"

 

INXS - Kick, "Devil Inside"

 

Lenny Kravitz - Are You Gonna Go My Way, "Believe"
 

As well as many of the albums and tracks you all have already mentioned.

[jimmytamp]

I like clean, simple tunes to test like Raberta Flack. The tunes have vocals, piano, strings, light drums and good bass.

I second to Roberta Flack,

Simple yet alot of details...

Cheers,

Jimmy

[J M O N]

         

 

[J M O N]

             

 

[J M O N]

            

[J M O N]

    

[onemoretime]

All of this is fine & good, but I'm surprised no one's mentioning best tracks for gaining spousal acceptance. Especially for some of the homelier designs...

[JoeDirt]

Hey Stevie Ray fans. Check out Indigenous. A lifelong buddy of mine was over for dinner and I had Still Wondering playing. He said he'd never heard this Stevie Ray album before, but he liked it. Moto is a witch on the guitar.

Also - Dire Straits - Water of Love is killer on a good set of speakers... Specifically the intro.