What is your go-to music for testing new speakers?

Virgil

People's Republic of Pineland
Subscriber
I tried to search for this but just figure I'd ask.

To test new speakers do you generally grab a cross-section of music types reggae/classical/jazz/rock/etc and if you do what tunes do you gravitate to do so?

To put it another way what are your personal favorites to run new speakers through their paces? [I suppose any equipment for that matter.]
 
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If you enter "speaker test music" and variations thereupon into the search function you should be able to scare up dozens of threads that address this topic.

One of the selections that I always post is "Jump Into the Fire" by Harry Nilsson. The part where Herbie Flowers unwinds his E-string is an excellent test for low Hz woofer excursion.
 
If you enter "speaker test music" and variations thereupon into the search function you should be able to scare up dozens of threads that address this topic.

One of the selections that I always post is "Jump Into the Fire" by Harry Nilsson. The part where Herbie Flowers unwinds his E-string is an excellent test for low Hz woofer excursion.

I don't know why I didn't keep the search that simple. Thank you.

I have to admit I've never listened to much Nilsson. What's a good intro album in your opinion?
 
I don't know why I didn't keep the search that simple. Thank you.

I had to laugh when I saw this post as it reminded me of my lovely wife trying to do Google searches for restaurants when we are traveling.

Wife into her phone, "Mexican restaurants, near me, that offer gluten-free & vegetarian choices, great salsa, are honest about the lard in their beans, with the best Verde chicken enchiladas, homemade corn tortillas, with clean restrooms."

Looking at her phone,"This doesn't seem to be working."

Me, "Try saying 'Mexican restaurant.'"
 
Believe it or not...
#1. DJ Magic Mike ... Feel the Bass
..if Speakers can't produce Bass from this track well you will know it immediately



And then ..
 
IMHO--it is all up to YOU. YOU have to live with and listen to the speakers. I know that many will immediately tell you to grab DSOTM, which is an impressive album, but maybe not what you normally listen to. I tend to go with Steely Dan~Aja and Supertramp~COTC, but that is just me. Listen to what YOU like (and know). I can set up a system that will "blow your mind" with my selection of music, but might "sound like a**" with what you like to listen to--go with what YOU know.
 
My new test song for speakers is Royals by Lorde. There is a lot of low bass there and her voice is a good workout for sound quality. I often use Fool's Gold by the Charlatans- UK, lots of bass guitar and drums that gives a good test of the speed of the woofer. The notes are distinct with a good set up and can be muddy with a poor one.
 
And of course this is very much a personal thing but interesting to see what people like to use, and it helps expand my avenues of interest musically.

I'll put forth what I've been using lately;

Steely Dan - Aja [savatage1973 I see uses that as well]
Allan Parsons Project - Eye in the Sky [IIRC he engineered DSOTM]
Wayne Shorter - Speak No Evil
Bob Marley - Exodus
Dave Brubeck - Time Out
George Benson Quartet - It's Uptown [esp the first cut Stormy Weather Clockwise]
Led Zep II - esp Whole Lotta Love & Moby Dick
Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody off A Night at the Opera
AC/DC - TNT, just for the hell of it.

My knowledge of good classical recordings is somewhat lacking unfortunately. Suggestions welcome.
 
Believe it or not...
#1. DJ Magic Mike ... Feel the Bass
..if Speakers can't produce Bass from this track well you will know it immediately


How could I forget this track! When I got my SVS PC-12 plus a few years back I ran Feel the Bass through it a few dozen times. My house shook so much my neighbor came over to see what the hell was happening then stuck around to listen to a few more heavy bass sounds.
 
I don't know why I didn't keep the search that simple. Thank you.

I have to admit I've never listened to much Nilsson. What's a good intro album in your opinion?
Jump Into the Fire is on Nilsson Schmilsson which also contains a lot of other good stuff. As good a place to start as any. IIRC, the original pressing is an RCA Dynagroove and it's beautifully recorded and mastered.
 
And of course this is very much a personal thing but interesting to see what people like to use, and it helps expand my avenues of interest musically.

I'll put forth what I've been using lately;

Steely Dan - Aja [savatage1973 I see uses that as well]
Allan Parsons Project - Eye in the Sky [IIRC he engineered DSOTM]
Wayne Shorter - Speak No Evil
Bob Marley - Exodus
Dave Brubeck - Time Out
George Benson Quartet - It's Uptown [esp the first cut Stormy Weather Clockwise]
Led Zep II - esp Whole Lotta Love & Moby Dick
Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody off A Night at the Opera
AC/DC - TNT, just for the hell of it.

My knowledge of good classical recordings is somewhat lacking unfortunately. Suggestions welcome.
I think Aja's on an awful lot of lists. Time Out is a good call, too. Like to be able to hear the breath over the reed.

I've been using Joe Bonamassa's "Blues Deluxe," lately. Roxy Music's "True to Life" from Avalon. Although I don't care for the song, I want to hear the noodling 'gypsy guitar' out of the right channel on Cher's "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves." I want to hear the snarky Harrison guitar play out of the left channel on "Dear Prudence." I want to hear clearly enunciated synthesized "Go, go, go, gogogogo" at the beginning of The Cars' "Let's Go." I like to use Pentangle. I like to use Venetian Vespers by the Gabrieli Players and Paul McCreesh.
 
"Byrds," Asylum SD5058 (1973) A mix of bluegrass acoustic, electric and vocal harmonies that just does it for me.

"Child Is The Father To Man," Columbia CS 9619 The very first BS&T album, with Al Kooper at the helm.

Classical? Hmmm...Neville Mariner / St Martins in the Fields, Brandenburg Concertos... off the top of my head...

I thought "Truth" by Jeff Beck would be a good one, but it really falls short...maybe mixed for car radio?
 
I thought "Truth" by Jeff Beck would be a good one, but it really falls short...maybe mixed for car radio?

Great album but I agree really not great for this. Is there a good recording of it out there?

BTW Brandenburg Concertos, I do have a couple of recordings of those.
 
And of course this is very much a personal thing but interesting to see what people like to use, and it helps expand my avenues of interest musically.

I'll put forth what I've been using lately;

Steely Dan - Aja [savatage1973 I see uses that as well]
Allan Parsons Project - Eye in the Sky [IIRC he engineered DSOTM]
Wayne Shorter - Speak No Evil
Bob Marley - Exodus
Dave Brubeck - Time Out
George Benson Quartet - It's Uptown [esp the first cut Stormy Weather Clockwise]
Led Zep II - esp Whole Lotta Love & Moby Dick
Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody off A Night at the Opera
AC/DC - TNT, just for the hell of it.

My knowledge of good classical recordings is somewhat lacking unfortunately. Suggestions welcome.

:D:D:D TNT just for the hell of it .. that's FUNNY "Oi Oi Oi Oi"
 
Good question. A few records have been great in testing the limits and showing the talents of my new speakers and system:

Some of these records/Discs include:

1. Anita Baker: Rapture, Rhythm of Love (CD): Excellent mastering of both discs, and a fine singer to boot.
2. Ashford and Simpson productions from 1979: Stay Free, The Boss (Diana Ross): Great mastering and good volume.
3. Billy Joel: The Stranger, 52nd Street. Powerful beat, good mastering, great vocal and piano performance.
4. The Isley Brothers: Live it Up, The Heat is On: Outstanding bass line, instruments and volume production.
5. Time Life Music; The Swing Era 1936-1937: Very good band and horn reproducition.
 
Currently testing carts/styli on a new (to me) table, but also use these, and a few more, for testing anything in the signal path:

Supertramp - CRIME OF THE CENTURY (Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab Original Master Recording, MSFL 1-005):

Crime_of_the_Century_MCS_6700.jpg


Boston - S/T ("Wally" in the Deadwax):

Boston_MCS_6700.jpg


SADE - DIAMOND LIFE:

Diamond_Life_MCS_66700.jpg


STEELY DAN - aja (AB1006 - First US Pressing):

Aja_MCS_6700.jpg



THE ALAN PARSONS PROJECT
--------------- I ROBOT ---------------

I_Robot_MCS_6700.jpg


steely dan - Gaucho (MCA MASTERDISK - RL in the Deadwax):

Gaucho_MCS_6700.jpg


Heart - Dreamboat Annie (Mushroom Records - First Canadian Pressing, KENDUN in the Deadwax):

Dreamboat_Annie_MCS_6700_2.jpg


The Beatles - Abbey Road (Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab Original Master Recording MFSL-1023):

Abbey_Road_Mo_Fi_MCS_6700_2.jpg


This is a good one for testing bass:

Béla Fleck & THE FLECKTONES - FLIGHT OF THE COSMIC HIPPO:

Cosmic_Hippo_Vinyl_2.jpg
 
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