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Some songs to test your speakers..

K

kchilaka

Member
Folks,
I struggled to figure out which forum to post this in, but since I usually post in the speakers forum, I figured this was as good a place as any.
From various sources, I have had the good pleasure of listening to some well recorded compilations of tracks that were picked to highlight the high points of your audio system. After listening to these tracks, I agree that these are very well recorded tracks that any audiophile would appreciate listening to, regardless of your musical tastes.. So I created a list of these tracks .. Just wanted to share them. I have listed the tracks as well as the Cds they came on. I dont know if these are publically available for sale but you might have friends whose systems came with one of these sampler cds..


Chesky Audiohile Test cds
01 - Sara K - Miles Away.ape
02 - Fred Hersch - Heartsong.ape
03 - McCoy Tyner - Miss Bea.ape
04 - Kenny Rankin - Always.ape
05 - Bruce Dunlap - Tesuque.ape
06 - Paquito D'Rivera - Havana Cafe.ape
07 - Orquesta Nova - Wapango.ape
08 - Clark Terry - Brushes & Brass.ape
09 - David Chesky - Chorinho No.1.ape
10 - Phil Woods - How's Your Mama-.ape
11 - Ana Caram - Solidao.ape
12 - Tom Harrell - Touch The Sky.ape
43 - Dynamic Drum Test.ape
47 - General Image and Resolution Test.ape



03-Spanish Harlem-Rebeca Pidgeon.ape
05-If I Could Sing Your Blues-05-Sara K..ape
07-Maiden Voyage-07-Leny Andrade.ape
09-grandma's Hands-09-Livingston Taylor.ape
11-Correnteza-11-Ana Caram.ape
13-Played Twice-13-The Fred Hersh Trio.ape
15-Ask Me Now-15-McCoy Tyner,Joe Henderson.ape
17-Sweet Georgia Brown-17-Monty Alexander.ape
19-I Love Paris-19-Johnny Frigo.ape
21-Vivaldi- Flute Concerto in D-21-The Connecticut Early Music Festival Ensemble.ape
23-Britten- Festival Te Deum-23-Westminster Choir.ape
25-Stravinsky- The Royal March-25-Solisti New York.ape




Amuserum - James Newton Howard.flac
Bold Nelson - Eddyston Light Luxon & Crofut.flac
Dock of the Bay - Lincoln Mayorga.flac
Fever - Jeanine Bryson.flac
Flute Concerto in D - Antonio Vivaldi.flac
Grandma's Hands - Livingston Taylor.flac
Improvisation-Ron Tutt.flac
Jammin Monty Alexander.flac
Le Donna E Mobile- Guiseppe Verdi.flac
list.txt
Naima-Thom Rotella.flac
Pink Panther - Henry Mancini.flac
Requiem Dies Irae-Gulseppe Verdi.flac
Spanish Harlem-Rebecca Pidgeon.flac
Sweet Georgia Brown - Harry James.flac
Sweet Sixteen- Junior Wells.flac
Wishing Well-Michael Ruff.flac


Mcintosh Audiophile Test Reference CD
01 The Firebird Suite - Internal Dance (Excerpt).flac
02 Duo For Violin & Cello, Op.7 - Allegro Serioso, Non Troppo (recorded in Japan 1978).flac
03 Symphony No.9 In E Minor, Op.95, From The New World - Allegro Con Fuoco.flac
04 The Carmen Ballet - IX. Torero.flac
05 Vos Flores Rosarum.flac
06 Billy the Kid (suite from the Ballet) - Gun Battle.flac
07 Four Seasons - Concerto in E Major, RV 269 'Spring' I. Allegro.flac
08 Libertango (Tangos arranged for Saxophone & Orchestra).flac
09 Adagio Cantabile from Sonata Op.13 (Pathetique).flac
10 Symphonie Fantastique, Op.14 Marche au Supplice (Marche To The Scafford)- Allegretto non Troppo.flac
11 The Red Poppy, Ballet Suite, Op.70 - Heroic Coolie Dance.flac
12 The Red Poppy, Ballet Suite, Op.70 - Chinese Dance.flac
13 Serenade for Strings, Op 48, II.Walzer.flac
14 Symphony No.10 in E Minor, Opus 93 II.Allegro.flac
15 The Red Pony - Happy Ending.flac


Telarc Sampler CD
Big Band Hit Parade- In The Mood.flac
Empire Brass Quintet- I've Got Plenty Of Nothin'.flac
Lee Ritenour- Early A.M. Attiutude.flac
list.txt
Sade- Paradise.flac


B&W Audiophile Recordings vol. 1 (2001)
01. Allan Taylor - Colour To The Moon.flac
02. Allan Taylor - A House By The River.flac
03. Steve Strauss - Jennie Mae.flac
04. Cristian Willisohn - Hold on I'm Waiting for You.flac
05. Cristian Willisohn - Lestat's Lamento.flac
06. Naoki Kitaya - L. Couperin_ Tombeau de Mr. de Blancrocher.flac
07. Kurpf„lzisches Kammerorchester Mannheim - D. Schostakowitsch_ Allegretto fr Streichquartett.flac


B&W Audiophile Recordings vol. 2 (2003)
01. Sara K. - Would You Break My Heart.flac
02. Allan Taylor - Colour To The Moon.flac
03. Paul Stephenson - If You Want My Love.flac
04. Mike Silver - Old Fashioned Saturday Night.flac
05. Chris Jones - Long After You're Gone.flac
 
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Wow, I'm gonna have to check some of these out. It's not a TEST cd, but Santana Borboletta has some incredible tunes, especially challenging for mids and tweets. On some systems the wind chimes and some of the other instruments in the highs cause serious distortion with some speakers. I thought at first it was the recording, but when played on a different set of speakers, no distortion. Pretty wild. Also awesome test for "seamless" panning. Some speakers don't pan well, even when proper placement has been acheived.
 
My perspective on test cds is the following. When I test speakers or associated equipment I'm thinking of purchasing, I bring my own recordings, ones that are representative of the type of music to which I listen. If the speakers sound good with that music, I need test no further.

I once had a set of Heresy's for sale. A potential buyer brought 7 test cds. I left him alone to listen. At one point, I was forced to rush back into my listening room and cut the power. He was listening to some bizarre track with throbbing bass so loud, it would have blown up the Heresys, had I allowed it to continue. I quietly asked him if he listened to that kind of music on regular basis. He said no. I then asked him why he was playing it? He stated that he wanted "to see what the speakers could take."

I showed him the door.

While l agree that some test records and cds can show up flaws in one's system or aid with placement problems, they are not going to help with potential purchases.
 
kchilaka said:
...

Telarc Sampler CD
Big Band Hit Parade- In The Mood.flac
Empire Brass Quintet- I've Got Plenty Of Nothin'.flac
Lee Ritenour- Early A.M. Attiutude.flac
list.txt
Sade- Paradise.flac
...
Click to expand...

I put this CD-3 on for someone the other day (Xmas party) to show off my DeluxeWave speakers.

Mine is called "The Audio CD-3 Sampler", has three logos on the back: Epic, GRP & Telarc. The track order is different too, mine goes:

Sade - Paradise 3:37
Dave Grusin/Lee Rittennour - Early A.M. Attitude 4:58
Empire Brass Quintet - I've Got Plenty O' Nothin' 3:08
Various Artists from the Big Band Hit Parade - In The Mood 4:19

Got it free from Audio Magazine some time ago.

Another CD-3 Sampler I found at a NAB Convention once is from dmp.
Has the following tracks:

1. Tricycle - Flim & The BB's
2. Techno Pop - Bob Mintzer Big Band
3. Moroccan Nights - John Tropea

Labeled "NOT FOR SALE"
(copyright) 1987 Digital Music Products, Inc.

Both these really make the speakers shine!
 
Jennifer Warnes Way Down Deep from The Hunter. Great way to look for cabinet resonances or loose screws on your drivers. If you have either issue, you'll know!

The Blue Man Group Audio CD is a pretty good torture test, too, as is the song Three O'Clock Blues From Eric Clapton/BB King's Riding with the King.
 
sealy said:
My perspective on test cds is the following. When I test speakers or associated equipment I'm thinking of purchasing, I bring my own recordings, ones that are representative of the type of music to which I listen. If the speakers sound good with that music, I need test no further.

I once had a set of Heresy's for sale. A potential buyer brought 7 test cds. I left him alone to listen. At one point, I was forced to rush back into my listening room and cut the power. He was listening to some bizarre track with throbbing bass so loud, it would have blown up the Heresys, had I allowed it to continue. I quietly asked him if he listened to that kind of music on regular basis. He said no. I then asked him why he was playing it? He stated that he wanted "to see what the speakers could take."

I showed him the door.

While l agree that some test records and cds can show up flaws in one's system or aid with placement problems, they are not going to help with potential purchases.
Click to expand...
Oh how many times I saw that happen in an audio store, and often it was the salesman demonstrating, which of course can lead to someone buying a speaker for the wrong reason.

On the other hand I see it as an opportunity to sample stuff I might not otherwise have purchased. After all, if it's good enough to "make the cut" as a test tune, maybe the LP/Cd it was pulled from has more stuff to enjoy.

I like when people post stuff like this. I have a CD on the way from another AKer I can't wait to check out.
 
I still like Pink Floyd "Money" for a good test! Holley's "Long Cool Woman" is great too!
 
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Like they said, I would bring great-sounding, well-recorded stuff that I'm familiar with, and if it sounds like I want it to sound, then I'm sold. The old Mofi CD of "Music From The Big Pink" (NOT the more-recent one) is one of the best-sounding I've heard, as is the Mofi "Gaucho" disc. Also, I've got lots of pro vinyl-rips that sound better than any CD I've heard, so I'd bring those obviously. Anything well-recorded that's devoid of any mastering-compression or limiting of any kind. Oh yeah, I'd also bring my Japanese "Pet Sounds" Greenline mono CD (My personal favorite - Better-sounding harmonies than on the DCC disc). Actually, I'd bring a CDR-copy, 'cause that disc's not going anywhere.

I'm testing my speakers right now actually (after re-arranging/re-positioning them), and that "Music From The Big Pink" is incredible. Great dynamics, and maybe the best mids I've heard from a CD. It's a remarkable recording considering it was made in 1968.
 
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All very, very true, and there are obviously lots of ways to listen to and evaluate speakers. I've always had a couple of Pat Metheny chestnuts that were, indeed, representative of the type of music I listened to at the time. OTOH, Chesky does have a great release called "The Ultimate Demonstration Disc" I think, in which they play tunes, and then verbally tell you what to listen for, showing you what a really good system will reveal about the recording technique, the music, or both.
 
one that I use reg is a cd from a group called Crystal Method almost like club dance music. It really pushes the speakers
 
speedle said:
All very, very true, and there are obviously lots of ways to listen to and evaluate speakers. I've always had a couple of Pat Metheny chestnuts that were, indeed, representative of the type of music I listened to at the time. OTOH, Chesky does have a great release called "The Ultimate Demonstration Disc" I think, in which they play tunes, and then verbally tell you what to listen for, showing you what a really good system will reveal about the recording technique, the music, or both.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I have a live Pat Metheny disc called "The Road To You" (I think that's the name) that sounds incredible for a live recording. I used to bring it with me when I was auditioning car-stereo gear (Great album too - There's a great song on there that's like 15 minutes long where he has an overdriven tone, and it's awesome - One of only two times I've heard him use overdrive on an album, and yet he seems like he's been using it all his life - Love that album). BTW, check out Metheny's version of "3rd Stone From The Sun" off of the "Stone Free - A Tribute To Jimi Hendrix" disc - Hypnotically-great.

"Love Over Gold" is another good one and one of my favorite albums, but it COULD use a bit more bottom-end (or at least that's what I always thought - I'll have to listen again now that I've re-positioned my speakers). The original 1st-pressing LP would be the best choice, I would think (Should have the most bottom-end).
 
Another good one is track 3 off of Britton's "Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra". Lots of transients (Plucky violins and that sort of thing). Very-dynamic piece. That's one of my favorite classical discs. Great-sounding analog-recording with plenty of low-end extension. Also, I think any good analog-recorded solo-piano CD should be a good test for your system, since pianos are one of the hardest instruments to reproduce. That's when it really-helps to have speakers with great-sounding mids.

Wow, this Britton disc sounds really-good with the new setup.
 
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I agree with bring your own music that you are familiar with. For me, some Mark Knopfler, Steely Dan, Godsmack (acoustic version, live in vegas), and some Joe Bonamassa. I play my favorites from those cd's and if I like what I hear.........

But I certainly would like to obtain one of those sampler cd's just for a change of pace to add to my favorites.
 
Crosby Still Nash's "Deja Vu" - Japanese CD-pressing 20P2-2355

In my opinion, the best-sounding CD version of this very-well-recorded album. Very-warm, smooth, and dynamic, especially in comparison to the remaster.

God, I've been pigging out on these B.J.'s ice cream sandwiches. I need to stop. My mother said this would happen.
 
Best of 3 Dog Night on c.d.
I remember using it years ago to compare JBL 4312's and Klipsch Heresy's. A guy comes in the room, listens for a few minutes, then goes out and buys the c.d.!
I already had 4311b's, so I bought the Klipsch's.
 
I use both good recordings and bad recordings. Sometimes if I only use well recorded stuff the speakers sound good, can be misleading. The poorly recorded stuff is important to me as well because I listen to it too.
I'm auditioning Zu Omens right now. One of my favorites is Norah Jones' first album. That album sounds fantastic on the Omens. Some other stuff (Aerosmith) sounds not so good, maybe a little worse than I would like.
 
The Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Blood Sugar Sex Magic" is another good one. I have a vinyl-rip that's perfect. The LP doesn't have that small bit of mastering-compression added like the CD does (But even then the CD is still one of the best-sounding).
 
Basically, most of the earlier Mobile Fidelity gold and aluminum CD's (from when the label was based in Japan) sound great and respond well to good speakers. Here's a few Mofi's I have that are worth noting:

Jeff Beck - Wired
Stevie Wonder - Innervisions
Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (Basically a straight-transfer - Honky Chateau is also great IMO)
Pink Floyd - Meddle (I'll edit and add as I can think of them)
The Band - Music From The Big Pink (Again, the old one)
Eric Clapton - Backless (Awesome - 461 & Slowhand are good as well, but this one really-stands out for me)
Supertramp - Crime Of The Century
Santana - Abraxas (the OLD one)
BB King - Live At The Regal - (VERY-good)
Tom Petty - Damn The Torpedoes (One Of Mofi's best-ever)
Albert King - Born Under A Bad Sign (This is a good one if you're checking the room for resonances)
Thelonius Monk - Live At Monterey Vol 1 & 2 (I think it's Monterey - Either that or Montreaux - Been a while since I heard it - One of the best jazz Mofis I know - Excellent sound)
John Coltrane - Giant Steps (A bit louder than I prefer, but still excellent-sounding [I like the super-quiet masterings, and the Mofi discs tended to get louder by the late '90's than I prefer])
John Lee Hooker - The Healer
Moody Blues - I like all of the Moodies Mofi discs - In Search Of The Lost Chord especially

By the way, DCC discs are worth looking up as well (Just research Steve Hoffman - He was the head CD-mastering-engineer at DCC, as far as I know). All of the DCC Doors discs are awesome, as is Dylan's "Highway 61 Revisited", Steve Miller's Fly Like An Eagle, Deep Purple's Made In Japan, Al Green's Greatest Hits, and Joni Mitchell's Court And Spark and Blue.
 
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