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Home system test music

1newbe

1newbe

Active Member
The GM thread here got me thinking (hope this is the right forum), what music, vinyl or cd, do AKers put on to test changes and additions to their system? Being new to the vintage thing I have found a couple that have gone on first with my relatively few changes:

Stevie Ray Vaughn - Texas Flood
Simon and Garfunkel - Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
The Beatles - Reel Music
from Jeremy (cuz I don't have them on vinyl.... yet)
Yes - 90125
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon

Seem to give a sense of the system. Any thoughts?
 
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Paul Simons Kodachrome for mids, highs,and clarity. Cranberries Zombie for brutish power trip,, and, Los Lobos Dream in Blue (from Kiko) for low low low bass response
 
I whip out my trusty MFSL SPCD-7 IASCA/NACA Certified Test CD that I was lucky enough to get a hold of about 20 years ago.

Jennifer Warnes "Famous Blue Raincoat" is a great cd for vocals
 
The Aulos Ensemble, playing concerti, quartets, and trios by Georg Philipp Telemann on period instruments; a Musical Heritage Society lp.
 
For background detail and imaging, I like Frank Zappa's Roxy and Elsewhere. Aside from being a great live album, he's got a pretty large band in this one, so there's all kinds of cool counter-parts to what's going on in the foreground.

In particular, I like the side of the LP (it's a double-live album) with Cheepnis and More Trouble Everyday.
 
The Embrace, by Al Dimeola (on his Kiss my Axe cd). This works really well for the highs and has parts of the song with wall-shaking bass. For vinyl, I would probably use "A demonstration of 35mm film" (mercury perfect presence lp from 1961, master recorded on 35mm film). Best sound quality of any lp. ever :).
 
Coolio: Gangsta's Paradise ; keyboards, bass, etc.
Linda Ronstadt: What's new; awesome vocals, great big band sound
Peter Gabriel: Sledgehammer; Great test for a variety of reasons
Bob James: Westchester Lady (LP); Super test for mids and highs
ELO: Fire on High; just plane rocks to me
Sinatra: almost anything, but especially the first Duets CD
Santana: almost anything
Eagles: Hotel CA, of course. No explanation required
Chicago: Greatest hits has many nice selections
Aaron Neville: Warm your Heart, excellent test of vocals, especially tunes with his Bros.
Clapton Unplugged: excellent test for ambiance, depth, etc.
Classical: I don't have any particular favorites here, though I lean toward Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, etc.

And that doesn't even touch HT selections for that system.
 
Frederick Fennell and the Cleveland Wind Ensemble. The first digital recording there was, made by TELARC. There is nothing that gives you a better idea of a system's range, clarity, warmth, and dynamic capability.
 
I use my old Ohm Stereo Imaging LP. The music is kinda weak, but it really works for nailing down speaker placement.
 
The first couple that usually end up going on (in no particular order)

The Animit - An Unfortunate Truth (my favorite album)
Dire Straights - Brothers in Arms (vinyl)
Verdi's Requiem - Dies Irae (Telarc)
Time Warp (also Telarc)
Modest Mouse - Good News for People who like bad news (for bass)

after that it tends to vary with my mood
 
jhinkel said:
The Embrace, by Al Dimeola (on his Kiss my Axe cd). This works really well for the highs and has parts of the song with wall-shaking bass.
Click to expand...
I just happen to have that CD with me here in the office. You're right...that IS an excellent demo track. I shall have to bring the CD home and give it a spin. I hadn't listened to it in years. :music:
 
I think there are numerous threads on this basic topic. I'll still mention a few of my very favorite go-to selections for evaluating performance. The trick is to be very familiar with the recordings.

The Wailin Jennys Bring me Little Water, Silvy from Live at Mauch Chunk Opera House
Patty Larkin Who Holds Your Hand? from a go go (live solo acoustic)
Grateful Dead Box of Rain from American Beauty (MoFi half-speed mastered LP)
Sarah MacLachlan Angel from Surfacing
Jennifer Warnes Way Down Deep from The Hunter
Charlie Byrd Old Hymn on his eponymous Crystal Clear Records 45 rpm direct to disk 12" (white vinyl)
 
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Santana - 'Santana' - all of side one (blew up plenty of Advents to this bitd)
ZZ Top - 'Heard it on the X'
Dire Straights 'Brothers in Arms'
 
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