What's your "go to song" to test bass in your rig?

[robert_kc]

Modern hi-res (e.g., Blu-ray's DTS-HD MA 5.1) recordings of music that involves pipe organ. For example, Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, Saint-Saëns Symphony No. 3 (Organ Symphony), etc.

An orchestra's double bass, bass drum, and Mahler hammer are also capable of significant bass power - again when delivered via a modern hi-res recording.

For a test of overall dynamic range, including bass, a modern hi-res recording of Mahler Symphony 2. Set the volume to an appropriate level for the beginning of movement 4, and then hear how well your hi-fi system handles movement 5.

 

[1tumbleweed]

Mino Cinelu - self titled. Second cut, Moun Madinina - Insane wall-rocking bass if your system's up to it.

 

[reggaenaut]

WALTER BOOKER playing bass on Everything Happens To Me.

From the album. SONNY ROLLINS ON IMPULSE.

 

[Dswankey]

School Days Title track a legendary Bass track

 

[RunOutGroove]

I like this one:

The bass is somehow recorded to sound HUGE in a way that I don't hear on other records and because it's an acoustic upright bass it has a certain texture that's more difficult to reproduce (I think anyway) than an electric bass. It's a more nuanced complex sound with more overtones.

 

[Inscrutable]

Holly Cole (Tom Waits tribute ‘Temptation’ CD) Train Song and Little Boy Blue

 

[Inscrutable]

Emerson Lake & Palmer ‘The Old Castle/Blues Variations’ off Pictures at an Exhibition (Mussorgsky)

 

[turnitdown]

The Wiz track was great. No need for subs here.

 

[UncleAng]

 

[wallacefl]

Pat Metheny…Cathedral in a Suitcase.

 

[Rockyhill]

The Crunge

 

[Spitfirejoe]

Jennifer Warnes - Way Down Deep

Joni Mitchell - Overture/Cotton Avenue, where Jaco Pastorius drops in to say hello...

Actually, I think Jaco's work throughout Joni's "Hejira" album does a good job of exploring bass tones. I just usually forget what I am doing, and just end up listening to Joni...

 

[ibog1]

Victor Wooten, Victa

 

[Condorsat]

Cat People (David Bowie) from the movie and usually some songs by Muse or Nine Inch Nails are my tests.

 

[LHorn]

School Days Title track a legendary Bass track

....and Lopsy Lu and Power from the Stanley Clarke -Stanley Clarke album.

This one is great for subs and it rearranges things in the house...

 

[Van-O]

I use these songs to tune the bass with 2 subs in my 2.1 system. I also use these and a couple of other songs on the same album to tune separate bullet horn tweeters to widen the soundstage and emphasize the cymbals.

 

[enginedr]

Donald Fagen - Morph The Cat
Robert Plant & Allison Krauss - Raising Sand
both are bass heavy albums

 

[Artie]

Any early Gino Vannelli. While I'm not all that crazy about the man himself, his backup band was killer. Sweet early bass synth tones.

 

[Audiofreak71]

These 4 are a great start and most anything by Dominic Miller will have excellent bass.





Audiofreak71

 

[toddalin]