What music do you test your system with?

[sqlsavior]

Although I usually get around to playing some standards eventually, I often just keep playing whatever has been in rotation lately after a change or upgrade.

 

[Poultrygeist]

Diana Krall's "Temptation" from the SACD version of "The Girl In The Other Room"

 

[Frank Sol]

good ones above

need to add Jack Johnson. his studio CDs are fantastically recorded

I like to use 'Posters'

 

[stevo137]

My Deutsche Grammophon classical LP's and CD's need to sound great dynamic low end, highs, everything sounds good in all aspects.

Rock, various needs to sound good. Moody Blues, Parsons, Floyd , Tull, BTO Fragile LP, loud and soft.

Some jazz and blues, Herb Albert too.
Holly Cole, temptation etc for voices.

Clapton, BB King, Stevie Ray, Satriani.

Live albums keep me interested if they sound good.

Chris Botti, Italia CD!
If this sounds great I got it covered!

Okay, Pink Floyd Animals right now, the guitar does not hurt at anytime, even 90db, drums sound amazing.

When I say sounds good or great I mean all of it, anything I throw at the speakers at all volumes, not just a test record or such.

I focus a lot on how the drums sound too.

Lows, highs, mids, low volume high volume medium volume dynamic range nothing hurts or disappoints.

Oh one more thing, when someone visits and they say to me, wow, I've heard that song so many times but I never heard that sound before, that means a lot to me.

Have a great day!

 

[comish4]

George Duke Don't Let Go, Starting Over.
Dire Straits Private Investigations,Love Over Gold
Giant any LP good production for Rock
Mike Oldfield Tubular Bells

 

[onemug]

Did you search this site for test music or other such search terms?

Did you search this thread and find out when it was started?

 

[dyche01]

Usually one of the Harry James Sheffield Lab records, or any number of other direct to disc recordings...

+1 for Harry James on Sheffield Labs.

I also use Gabor Szabo's 'Dreams'

 

[Mamrak1]

In general terms I would listen to an orchestra with a wide frequency range and the female voice. You can always tell when something is off with those two variables. As far as a specific artist, Steely Dan music is very well recorded. Especially the ' Gaucho' album. Michael McDonald sings in the background and his voice gets lost, muddled in the mix on some weak audio systems.

 

[Johnno_Oz]

Kraftwerk- Autobahn Moog lows and vocoder highs
Jean- Michel Jarre : Chronologie Much for the same reasons
Beuna Vista Social Club For that "natural" sound on basic recording equipment.

 

[Djcoolray]

Must be a peice of music that has all tones from high to low, musical instruments of all kinds and as many as possible so you know what sound you will be getting during playback that will properly define anything you listen to. Then a style of music your not use to listening to so you don't take the sound for granted when analyzing it. A music that is sharp in detail with an overwhelming soundstage as in something that holds your attention past what your use to listening to....and anyone can just play their favorite album because that defeats the purpose !!

Brazil 66......Mas Que Nada !

 

[Ken Boyd]

Every performance is a test as any music has its particular points that one can listen to other than perhaps my old 78's.

 

[Djcoolray]

The point is to have a piece of music that has all particular points that are overwhelming to the listener for an accurate evaluation !

 

[Superampman]

Experience. There's no test without comparison.

 

[Chris Brown]

I use a number of different songs to test a number of the different aspects that I care most about. Seems pointless to only use one song.

Bass:
Pendulum - Immersion - "Set Me On Fire"
UKF Dubstep - UKF Dubstep - "Turn Me On / Subscape"
The Glitch Mob - Love Death Immortality - "Skytoucher"

Drum Impact:
Five Finger Death Punch - The Way of the Fist - "Succubus (Demo)"
In Flames - Reroute To Remain - "Dark Signs"
Dope - No Regrets - "Best For Me"

Vocals:
Three Days Grace - One-X - "Pain"
Breaking Benjamin - Phobia - "The Diary Of Jane"
Pendulum - Immersion - "Witchcraft"

 

[musichal]

Morph the Cat, 1st track, for bass especially
In the Digital Mood, specifically Chattanooga Choo-Choo for brass and male vocals
Court & Spark for female vocals and everything else
5:00 AM Paradise Café, specifically Sarah Vaughn's duet Blue for female vocals
KOB
Obsession, opening track (Bob James)
any standards by Ella, or Nancy Wilson
Gaucho or Aja
The Dance on DVD for Fleetwood's opening kick drum
Bach's Harpsichord Concerto in D Minor (I have it by an Eastern European orchestra I always forget)
The Moldau (my favorite by the Polish National Radio Symphony Orch)
often use cello pieces, usually Yo-Yo Ma
Liszt and/or Chopin, solo piano...

others

 

[merlynski]

Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon.
CD for 'newer' systems.
I also have a vinyl Half-Speed Master copy from the late '70s

 

[Bynem]

Kind of Blue
Aja and/or Gaucho
Vienna Philharmonic 1992 version of Rossini's William Tell Overture

 

[Will S.]

In general terms I would listen to an orchestra with a wide frequency range and the female voice. You can always tell when something is off with those two variables. As far as a specific artist, Steely Dan music is very well recorded. Especially the ' Gaucho' album. Michael McDonald sings in the background and his voice gets lost, muddled in the mix on some weak audio systems.

That's a feature.

 

[orsen]

Deep Purple Made in Japan
"the mule"
very very long drum solo
if you can make this sound "right" loud
you got it
the whole album has great sound and is a phenomenal live recording

 

[orsen]

Enigma Fall of a Rebel Angel
sadness part ii
the organ should shake the building

Infected Mushroom Vicious Delicious
going insane

a very well done album of electronica with real guitars drums and other instrument

best bass lines
would be

Lou Reed
walk on the wild side

Fleetwood Mac

"the chain"