What music/format do you use to check your system?

VinylHanger

Navigaret ex ironia
I was just wondering what the rest of you use to see how your system is coming together or how new placement of speaks and such is changing the way it sounds.
I used to think that I needed to go out and find test records and
cd's. But since the only ones I found "I'm cheap remember" usually just test transients and bass response and treble response, I stopped using them.
I came to the conclusion that there is no need to use music that I don't enjoy or isn't of the type I listen to everyday to test my system.
I listen to a lot of music, so most any album could be a test/reference album. However there are a few that I know very well and work for me.
I use Robert Plant/In the Mood to see how the highs are responding and for detail, and only a certain pressing if I hear him breathe and the cymbals slide then I know it is good for me.
Moody Blues/Question is my favorite for sound stage, when it is set up right I can hear him sitting in front of me all by himself. The first time I heard this I thought I had the center channel on by itself, very cool and blows people away, as for now, I have no soundstage, system is in flux.
I use Heart/Dreamboat Annie to check for sibilance, if the turn table isn't just right, it definitely has a hissssss.
Bob Marley/Rastamanvibrations is my reference for bass, if I ain't got bass with his album, something is definetly wrong.
As for cd's I don't worry to much about that, but to see how a new receiver sounds I put on The Best of Santana and listen through, it it has punch and power, I will keep it, if not, then away it goes.
Remember, this isn't scientific, this is just the way I do it, if you like test records, then that's cool to. I just prefer to listen to the music I like when I spend all night setting up my system rather than some old guy saying you should hear this now and this later.
 
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Interesting point of view. I think I still will get me a test record soon for my Thorens though. As I have bought a stylus pressure gauge, a mirror tonearm protractor, I think the test tone LP surely must be a final tool to make all the others line up where they should. So this is my understanding. Maybe I will get to the point like you though where that I can do it all via recordings I know so well. Will be fun finding out! ;)
 
Hmmmm ... I use Leo Kottke when I'm auditioning new speakers, and any of his albums (or cd's) would be good for 'tuning' new pieces into the mix.
His style of finger picking, and the height and tightness of his stringing, provides a lot of good testing. His rhythm section is first rate, and really drives. Lots a thwacks and attacks.

Anyway, I just like Leo, and look for excuses
 
VinylH,

I've got two "compilation CD's" I've burned with a pretty wide cross-section of music I like which I think is either particularly well-recorded, or otherwise allows me to judge the characteristics of any particular pair of speakers, CD players, and so on. It goes like this:

Disc One (Popular / Acoustic)

01 - Allison Krauss and Union Station - It Doesn't Matter
02 - Allison Krauss and Union Station - Looking in the Eyes of Love
03 - Allison Krauss and Union Station - Deeper Than Crying
04 - Allison Krauss and Union Station - I Can Let Go Now
05 - Rosanne Cash - The Real Me
06 - Rosanne Cash - Runaway Train
07 - Rosanne Cash - I Don't Have To Crawl
08 - The Ozark Mountain Daredevils - Spaceship Orion
09 - The Ozark Mountain Daredevils - Colorado Song
10 - The Ozark Mountain Daredevils - Within Without
11 - Eric Clapton - Wonderful Tonight
12 - Jackson Browne - In The Shape Of A Heart
13 - Fleetwood Mac - Landslide
14 - Fleetwood Mac - Brown Eyes
15 - Til Tuesday - Voices Carry
16 - Paul Cotton - After All These Years
17 - Paul Cotton - Heart of the Night

Disc Two (Jazz / more electric)

01 - Will Downing and Gerald Albright - Pleasures of the Night
02 - Will Downing and Gerald Albright - Stop, Look, Listen to Your Heart
03 - Craig Chaquico - Blue Universe
04 - Craig Chaquico - Dreamcatcher
05 - Craig Chaquico - Indian Spring
06 - Dave Gruisin - Friends and Strangers
07 - Dave Gruisin - Rondo If You'll Hold Out Your Hand
08 - Pressure Cooker - I've Got The Music In Me
09 - Pressure Cooker - Reggae Tune
10 - Pressure Cooker - To Know You Is To Love You
11 - Pressure Cooker - Pressure Cooker
12 - Pressure Cooker - Step In Time
13 - Pressure Cooker - Got To Get You Into My Life
14 - Earth Wind & Fire - Fantasy
15 - Santana - Aqua Marine
16 - Tommy Bolin - People, People
17 - Corrs - Breathless
18 - Corrs - Give Me A Reason

Hee hee -- The Tommy Bolin track is my favorite "headbanger" piece. Perfect for playing as loud as you dare if you're pissed off at the neighbors downstairs... :p:

Actually, I need to update these slightly. The current album I like a lot for showing off my system is Dave Grusin's "Discovered Again! Plus" CD, a Sheffield Labs CD version of the original direct-to-disc album. Track 2, especially (Keep Your Eye On The Sparrow) now ranks as my all-time favorite demo track -- I listen especially for the dynamics and the timbre of all of the drum set and percussion instruments.

At any rate, if I run these CD's through a system, I can quite easily get a grip on all of the sound qualities that are important to me. And, trust me, this is all stuff I really, really like! :p:
 
No pre-determined list

Maybe I should have a "best sampler" of this or that sonic attribute but I've not got around to assembling the usual suspects. I generally use whatever I've spent some serious critical and casual listening to seeing that is what I'm most familiar. There are a few examples of "problem tracks" that I may use to see how the new "component" being evaluated measures. I own some Stereophile Test disc' that are more useful than I currently take advantage of along with a few torture disc' but nothing that comes to mind. If anything I will select some albums and check how well the test product conveys the emotional expression or intention of the artist. I don't seem to have any trouble finding examples in my listening library that display the qualities I desire in my replay devices or components.

MikE
 
I use a bunch of metal songs that I play regularly so I can tell easily if they sound different, same with a few hip hop songs, then I finish it off by checking the bass using a song called "galaxy of bass" the bass is so low and throbbing in this song that it squooshes my head so I can guage any differences by the pressure exerted on my cranium.
 
If I make changes to my system (which actually isn't very often anymore) I'll usually put on:

ZZ Top: Deguello(sp?) LP:
I think that this is a very well-engineered recording and, of course, it rocks!

The Police: Ghost In The Machine LP:
Ditto

Led Zeppelin II (side 2):
I have noticed that the quality of Zeppelin pressings varies greatly. Luckily, I found a good one.

The Dave Brubeck Quartet's Greatest Hits LP:
Kicks off with "Take Five" which has a good soundstage and a nice, open sound.

The James Gang: Rides Again CD:
This is the remastered edition of that essential record. Big, fat bass, thundering drums and awesome sounding guitar. Also, good acoustic guitar sounds on the mellower tracks.

Rush: Hemispheres LP

David Bowie: The Man Who Sold The World CD

Stereophile Test CD 3

Van Halen: Women and Children First and Fair Warning CD (HDCD):
My CD player is HDCD equipped and these two discs sound AWESOME in that format.

Buffalo Springfield: Last Time Around (HDCD)

By the way, this is a fun thread!

Pat
 
I use Romantic Warrior for bass, Micheal Franks and Ella Fitzgerald for vocals, Pararisio(Gerry Mulligan) for mids/highs as there is lots of percussion in Brazilian jazz, total system test I have a DGrammophone of Levine and Chicago Symphony playing Holst. Mars at performance level is a real test of everything. Only the strong survive!
Thatch
 
Hey Pat,
Ghost in the Machine is a wonderfully produced album. It is funny how when you listen to music that you used to only hear on the radio how different it is when you get the album. The music is soooo much better.
As far as the Zepplin pressings I have, they are pretty much relegated to partying, they aren't very good, pretty muddy. I haven't ran them through the G-22000 phono section yet though. Maybe it will open them up a bit.
As I get new gear, it becomes quite a task to go through my collection again and see how it sounds. Then a new set off speaks here and a new receiver there and it starts all over again, but I do have my few favorites that I listed, though occasionally one system works well with one album but not with another. But this is why we are here, for the music, so no matter what, even when it doesn't sound quite right, it is still way better then pounding ones skull with a hammer :D Well, unless you are Thor, I kinda think he likes that just as much :p:
 
VinylHanger,

You are so right about hearing music on the radio vs. hearing it on a good system. Also, what really blows me away is when I buy an album that I listened to alot when I was younger and listen to it on my current system. Now, I'm not saying I have the world's greatest system, but it is SO much better than the equipment that I had in junior high and H.S. In fact, its much better than the system I was running just 2 years ago. Its really like hearing the music for the first time.

You are also right on about music being the first priority. For example, Exile On Main St. isn't the greatest recording in the world, but the music is incredible. It would'nt be the same album if it was produced differently.

Regards,

Pat
 
I thought this would be a good place to post this pic. I've been cleaning out cupboards today and found all my old records. Amongst them was aI Record i purchased from what was known as the Australian HiFi Show in Melbourne Australia in mid 80's.
IMG_20200623_210952217_HDR.jpg IMG_20200623_211013417_MP.jpg
 
Hmmmm ... I use Leo Kottke when I'm auditioning new speakers, and any of his albums (or cd's) would be good for 'tuning' new pieces into the mix.
His style of finger picking, and the height and tightness of his stringing, provides a lot of good testing. His rhythm section is first rate, and really drives. Lots a thwacks and attacks.

Anyway, I just like Leo, and look for excuses
I must be checking my system a lot too.
 
Known, IMHO, very HQ BluRay Pure Audio/ SACD, and some HQ recordings on select Mobile Fidelity CD`s, across 3~4 genre renderings via S/PDIF coax from out of my OPPO UDP 203 to my Pro-Ject DAC, or my main system`s Integra A/V/P configured/connected using either S/PDIF or audio only(no HDMI video passes through the Integra) source direct HDMI input to it..

No turntable setup, or LP`s here.
 
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