Any song recommendations for testing purposes?
- Thread starter Preston8452
- Start date
pdxtim
Well-Known Member
Way Down Deep on The Hunter is also great, especially for bass. Overall a very well produced album IMHO.
JoeESP9
ESL's & tubes since 83
The JBL Sessions double LP is IMO an excellent demo. It's not only superbly recorded but half of the tracks explain and demo how the studio recorded music on the LP's is put together. It's educational and also sounds very good.
Don't have/use a TT? The Bass drum on the Telarc Firebird CD, just about any Chesky CD, Bela Fleck and the Flektones, Blu-bop (very good bass) and one of my favorites, Jacintha, Here's To Ben on a Groove Note CD are all excellent for demoing and testing a system. Most posters on AK have their own personal favorite demo/test music. The choices are largely based on the posters preferred music type.
I could have just as easily suggested, Holly Cole, Fourplay, Spyro Jyra and Sade.
Don't have/use a TT? The Bass drum on the Telarc Firebird CD, just about any Chesky CD, Bela Fleck and the Flektones, Blu-bop (very good bass) and one of my favorites, Jacintha, Here's To Ben on a Groove Note CD are all excellent for demoing and testing a system. Most posters on AK have their own personal favorite demo/test music. The choices are largely based on the posters preferred music type.
I could have just as easily suggested, Holly Cole, Fourplay, Spyro Jyra and Sade.
Dswankey
Lunatic Member
@Preston8452
As you can guess this type of question has been asked before, here's some threads you should check out
https://www.audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/what-is-your-favorite-goto-test-music.738201/
https://www.audiokarma.org/forums/i...r-go-to-song-to-test-bass-in-your-rig.968310/
https://www.audiokarma.org/forums/i...u-use-to-test-your-system-sound-check.963686/
https://www.audiokarma.org/forums/i...o-you-use-to-test-new-equipment-max-3.930453/
https://www.audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/system-test-music-thread.641495/
As you can guess this type of question has been asked before, here's some threads you should check out
https://www.audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/what-is-your-favorite-goto-test-music.738201/
https://www.audiokarma.org/forums/i...r-go-to-song-to-test-bass-in-your-rig.968310/
https://www.audiokarma.org/forums/i...u-use-to-test-your-system-sound-check.963686/
https://www.audiokarma.org/forums/i...o-you-use-to-test-new-equipment-max-3.930453/
https://www.audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/system-test-music-thread.641495/
LOL, when you said Tim Pan Alley, I thought "damn, I used to love that tune, I better go find it".
I haven't pulled this up for ages (many years), but I guess I'm gonna say it's clear that I share your enthusiasm for the song.
As others have stated there are plenty of threads of reference tracks used by AK members, with that I’ll leave you with a small sample of what I use out of hundreds more. Good luck with the shootout 
Audiofreak71
Audiofreak71
Yup, that's a big 10-4, got the original LP; still sounds great after almost 50 years.
BilboBaggins
Addicted Member
I developed my test CD from songs that I was always hearing distortion when I increased the volume, which i tend to do for great songs.
A few that I use;
Genesis - Original Lamb version Carpet Crawlers. When Peter Gabriels voice gets low, and if the volume is up, it should sound clean and clear. Until about 8 years ago, I had never heard it loud without distortion, which caused me to turn it down. I can't stand distortion.
Sarah Brightman - Anytime, Anywhere! Phenomenal! Epic! Amazing! Especially with a little volume. I got to hear it loud properly for the first time about 8 years ago.
Sade - Love is Found - I saw her do this live at the Bell Centre in Montreal. It was unforgettable! The CD version is the same. Powerful, impactful, and will bring your system to its knees if there are any problems.
Avril Lavigne - Sk8tr Boi - If you haven't heard the almost subsonics on this song, either you have never played it, or your equipment isn't up to the task. It is the only song I have ever played that caused my Bose 1801 power amp to peg driving 901 series 2 speakers.
A few that I use;
Genesis - Original Lamb version Carpet Crawlers. When Peter Gabriels voice gets low, and if the volume is up, it should sound clean and clear. Until about 8 years ago, I had never heard it loud without distortion, which caused me to turn it down. I can't stand distortion.
Sarah Brightman - Anytime, Anywhere! Phenomenal! Epic! Amazing! Especially with a little volume. I got to hear it loud properly for the first time about 8 years ago.
Sade - Love is Found - I saw her do this live at the Bell Centre in Montreal. It was unforgettable! The CD version is the same. Powerful, impactful, and will bring your system to its knees if there are any problems.
Avril Lavigne - Sk8tr Boi - If you haven't heard the almost subsonics on this song, either you have never played it, or your equipment isn't up to the task. It is the only song I have ever played that caused my Bose 1801 power amp to peg driving 901 series 2 speakers.
Mustang Dude
Active Member
"Hey Pachuco" by Royal Crown Revue.
petes'picks
Super Member
A nice recording of acoustic piano will reveal wow and flutter, fast paced bass for low frequency and to see if power supply is up to task, Cymbals, Sax and Violin for high frequency smothness, Female voices for sibilance.
Warning: I had a great recording by Steve Kahn I used to evaluate systems with, I used the opening 30secs of the first 3 songs so much that it ruined that recording for me and cant listen to it anymore. I find it induces stress when I try to listen to it now.
Warning: I had a great recording by Steve Kahn I used to evaluate systems with, I used the opening 30secs of the first 3 songs so much that it ruined that recording for me and cant listen to it anymore. I find it induces stress when I try to listen to it now.
petes'picks
Super Member
I have a few recordings that sound great on any system you listen to them on, those are not the type of recordings that revel deficiencies in a system or component.
Van Morrison - No Guru, no Method, no Teacher - "The Warm Feeling" (starts with an Oboe and is just amazing) and "Copycats ripped off my soul" ...
heck - a bunch of other tracks on the album, its a magic
Jennifer Warnes - Famous Blue Raincoat - "First We Take Manhattan" (w/stevie ray Vaughan on guitar!)
heck - a bunch of other tracks on the album, its a magic
Jennifer Warnes - Famous Blue Raincoat - "First We Take Manhattan" (w/stevie ray Vaughan on guitar!)
toodletunes
Well-Known Member
Unlike most of the previous well considered replies, I'm going to generalize and state the obvious. Whatever the choice, ideally, it will be one(s) with which the tester is intimately familiar. That said, BIG props to hjames for referencing Jennifer Warnes' Famous Blue Raincoat. Talk about under the radar............................