Best Five Demo Pieces for your System


What five pieces of music would you turn to in order to evaluate or demonstrate the fidelity of your system? Or, to critically listen to a new "challenger" component which is being demoed? I listen solely to cd:

Al Jarreau, from the disc Tenderness, track 2 "Try a Little Tenderness" - live recording, can catch great detail and nuances in his voice

Herbie Hancock from disc Possibilites, track 3 "A Song for You" with Christina Agulera - again, wonderful inflection, shows off the female vocals in a system

(Don't Laugh!) Usher speaker demo disc entitled, "Compass Dancer series II" track 2 which is a drum solo improv. by Jim Keltner This is seven minutes of pure percussion workout for the rig! One of the absolute best demo cuts I've ever used.

Lesiem's cd "Auracle" tracks 1 "Humilitas" or 10 "Invidia"
gives a sample of orchestrated, choral, synthsized and vocals all in one!

Joss Stone's The Soul Sessions, track 1 "The Choking Kind"
What a voice! and excellent demo for bass.

There are so many others...I used to listen quite a bit to a disc entitled "Begin Sweet World" which has wonderful lead clarinet!

These selections say as much about a person as the system. It should be interesting to see the selections our illustrious audiophiles use to "put their system through the paces." Then, if assertainable, one can glance at the components in the "system" link and try to gain an appreciation for the sytle of music enjoyed and the rig it's played on!
douglas_schroeder

Showing 1 response by jacquescornell

Well, I lean towards vocals, jazz, blues & rock at modest levels. Here's what I've been using to test and tweak my Martin Logan Aerius i's and EQ with a Behringer DSP8024:

Lyle Lovett's "I Love Everybody" - some of the best drum recording I've ever heard. Not fat and heavy or loud, just beautifully articulate.

Manhattan Transfer's "Offbeat of Avenues" - very subtle and complex delineation of the tone and placement of their four voices. Tests imaging and resolution.

Manu Dibango's "Wakafrika" - groups of up to a dozen singers over very rhythmic and moderately complex instrumental tracks with some very nice, full and deep drum work. A rich, warm and energetic mix.

Boz Scaggs' "But Beautiful" - absolutely gorgeous recording of jazz vocals with a quartet. Black velvet backdrop.

Little Feat's "Waiting for Columbus" - the best live rock concert recording I've ever heard. I can count every one of the thousands of people in the audience right outside my window. Very live and huge sound. I don't know why all live rock isn't recorded this well.

Paul Simon's "Rythm of the Saints" - 'nuff said.

Dire Straits' "Brothers in Arms" - huge atmospherics on the title track. Deep, deep soundstage.

Oh, I almost forgot,

Joe Jackson's "Body and Soul" - not my favorite music, but it's a technical showcase of how good digital can be and what painstaking engineering can do in a big brick-walled hall. Dynamics and space acoustics are truly impressive.

Sorry, five's not enough.