Music to test with:


I have found myself coming back to same of the same recordings when I buy/audition a new piece of equipment.
I really like Jennifer Warnes "Famous Blue Raincoat" The Cowboy Junkies "Trinity Sessions" both of those on CD and LP. The Bangles "Eternal Flame" Bob James "Touchdown" Al Jarreaus "Mornin'" and even the Carpenters "Make believe it's your First Time" I have also used Andrew Litton conducting Tchaikovskis 6th symphony.
There are many more recodings I like but I was wondering what you use when you are auditioning something new?
128x128nrchy

Showing 3 responses by nrchy

If I find a system that makes Celine Dion sound good I'll market it and get rich. Singers like her were the reason for scan buttons on the radio.
I forgot about the Lyle Lovett, I use several of his recordings too.
I don't buy or audition things often enough to get tired of my test material. At least not so far. I'm just wondering what I'm missing or should try next time.
People buy HIEND equipment to listen to the music they like. Classical music is no more intrinsicly better than rock than Bach is better than Mozart. Why would someone who loves Frank Zappa or Neil Young (neither of which I like) buy a Berloiz album to test their gear?
Having been to many concerts in different theaters or concert halls from the US to western Europe I have to say that each hall has sounded different. Each time the viola has sounded like a viola but it never sounded the same as in the last hall. Does that mean they used a different viola or was it run through a series of black boxes that caused the sound to change? To say that unamplified flutes are they only music by which to judge the quality of a piece of equipment is ludacrous. What do you know about the acoustics of the setting? Something you might think is the problem of the equipment might just as easily be an acoustic characteristic of the concert hall.
I again ask the question; what is the point of using music with which you are not familiar to test something.
I'm not suggesting ssing2 is wrong, for him/her that might be the perfect piece of music. I'm sure you are not suggesting that fans of heavy metal or techno pop have no place in hi-end audio.
I am looking for suggestions to add to my collection to help in the auditioning process. I did not think I would have to defend my preferences of a broad spectum of music.