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go-to test records, anyone?

No sir; I'm a third generation Ford family man. I worked at the Rouge complex in 74 & 75. Got tired of layoffs & moved up to Traverse City. ( My folks had a cabin right on the bay) My dad worked at Fords design center & grandpa was a foreman at the Rouge power plant.
 
They have been saying this since the late fifties....

To properly adjust the sound from a stereo system by ear, you should use a type of music your not familiar with. We don’t pay particular attention to detail when using a song we have listened too many times before. Classical music was generally recorded better and has better tonal qualities, Henry Mancini or any other big bands were recorded in the same classical manner. Using a piece of music with just a standard rock and roll collection of instrumentals will not result in the same results as a full orchestra.
 
^^ agreed, a lot of rock albums just don't sound all that great. The Herb Alpert stuff gives a wide range of frequencies, and I've found its difficult to get horns to sound right unless things are set up reasonably well. Its prone to sounding like a kazoo jammed in the trumpet. Classical varies a lot, but the more up-beat stuff with a full orchestra really can be a workout for the system as well. I also sometimes like simple acoustic guitar work. That can also be difficult to get to sound right. There is an album called Twin House with Philip Catherine and Larry Coryell. Just two guys with acoustics, and it sounds amazing if the system can reproduce it.
 
Found a red London pressing of the classic "Scheherazade" (Ernest Ansermet, I believe is conducting) with one side minty, the other in what can only be described as some high-brow lover intent on vinyl destruction. Zigzag patterns of desecration all over the other side.

Figured, what the hell.

The undamaged side is some of the finest sounding classical on vinyl I've ever experienced. So, that one side gets played. The other is for laughs.
 
I have so many great records for checking out my system that its hard to name just a few. But I agree the standard rock and roll issues, including BIA just doesn't do it for me.

One common one that I see quite often at thrift stores and is easy to come across is Linda Ronstadt's "Lush Life with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra". It is not really a true Audiophile recording but for a run of the mill pressing I think it was done very well.
 
Ken Boyd said:
One common one that I see quite often at thrift stores and is easy to come across is Linda Ronstadt's "Lush Life with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra". It is not really a true Audiophile recording but for a run of the mill pressing I think it was done very well.
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Any of those recordings (3 I believe) that Linda did with Nelson are just amazing. "Straighten Up and Fly Right" is ridiculous on both vinyl and cd, I have them both.

Not a true audiophile recording?? Man, could have fooled me !! That final bit of the aforementioned song will give you some serious dynamics.
 
Yes, "Lush Life" "Sentimental Journey" and, "What's New," I have all three.

Well they are not DMM, half speed mastered, On 200 gram virgin vinyl. you know the hype.
 
Any of Sheffields direct to disc. LP's. Telarc LP's are good, too. Some of Commands LPs are out standing just stay away from the Provacative and Persuasive Percussion series. Their classical stuff is pretty good. Verve Lp's are good if you are into that type of music from the past. Mobile Fidelity made some outstanding reissues. My problem with most POP records is they are so processed that there is little dynamic range and everything is so tweaked that everything you hear is not natural having been cooked in a studio some where.
 
1. Setup: Hi-Fi News test lp (hfn-002)
2. Sound: Norman Blake - Directions, all tracks
3. Sound: New Order - Best and Marsh (B-Side of Round & Round, 7” 45rpm single)
4. Comparing new microline to used microline styli: Na Na Na - track 5 from The Knife - Silent Shout double lp:
 
illini said:
1. Setup: Hi-Fi News test lp (hfn-002)
2. Sound: Norman Blake - Directions, all tracks
3. Sound: New Order - Best and Marsh (B-Side of Round & Round, 7” 45rpm single)
4. Comparing new microline to used microline styli: Na Na Na - track 5 from The Knife - Silent Shout double lp:
Click to expand...
RE: Hi-Fi News test lp (hfn-002), I'm curious as to the different test records, (this one, Shure, CBS, et al) as to which is "best" or maybe just what features one may have that you find useful/preferable.
I currently don't own any, any over sight I wish to rectify.
 
I have a few go to 45s that sound great....hello it's me. Todd rundred(sp) ? Joan biaz the nite they drove old Dixie down....and a few others...for some reason the test pretty good.
 
Some of these are great recordings, others have specific artifacts I know to look for.

Chesky Records - Any

Telarc - 1812 Overture (see if the stylus stays in the grooves when the big cannon shots go off).

Eagles - cut of "Seven Bridges Road" live or any off of Hotel California

Pink Floyd - DSOTM, The Wall

Jethro Tull - Locomotive Breath, Fat Man, all of the Aqualung album

Vivaldi - The Four Seasons (can't remember which recording)

Led Zeppelin II

E. Power Biggs - Bach Organ (Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor)
 
burmashave said:
can you adjust the tables VTA?
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one is in theory adjustable but I've never made the attempt. I think its pretty close to bottomed out and eyeball judgement of the arm relative to the records says it needs to go down further. None of my other machines can be adjusted.
 
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