Dee Dee Bridgewater A Tribute to Horace Silver, Permit me to introduce you to yourself.
Only two tracks to test your system, forever!
If you could only use two tracks/songs for the rest of your life whenever you wanted to test a change to your system, what would they be?
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The concept of a test song is tricky. I have certain songs that I consider torture tracks for a vinyl rig (Slim Gaillard - Jump Session - 78rpm) and other songs that I feel like run the gamut of a full spectrum sound (Radiohead - Pulk-Pull). These can reveal the health of my system after a change. On the other side of the coin are those songs you know so well that any change in soundstage or presence can be detected. Dinah Washington - Blue Skies (33rpm 10" Jam Session - Mono) and Red Allen / Coleman Hawkins - Summertime (12" - Stereo) are my goto's in that department. Finally, as some have mentioned here, songs to show off your system to others. I have totally given up on this concept - bring whatever crap you want and I'll play it. My musical passions of the week (Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, anybody?) just turn others off. |
Wong question for me Peter Gabriel. SO. Glass Animals Tangerine. There is a percussive strike that will hurt if you turn it up like I did by mistake. Frank Zappa, many very clear and dynamic. Gong Shamal soundstage, percussion, saxophone Pink Floyd the wall Sturgill Simpson meta modern sound. Vocals. Weeknd. DAWN Fm. See what you think. Very 3d. Solid bass to 25 Hz. At least that's as low as my system goes. I will stop now. |
@allenf1963 Wow. That is a fantastic list of tracks. I may just set that up as a short playlist. |
@richdirector How did I miss Trio Jeepy? Thx |
For me it would have to be classical music, although I listen to jazz and rock as well, as there is nothing, at least in my mind, as difficult to make sound natural as music in a concert hall. 1) Gershwin's An American in Paris which is side 2 on a specific vinyl recording (from the TAS best vinyl recordings list), an RCA Living Stereo recording with Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops. Easy to find streaming as well as on cd. It is a virtual obstacle course for a system. The shrill woodwinds, full string section playing extremely high notes together and sound effects will really test a system. If you're hesitant about yours passing, my suggestion is don't try it. It is a great recording and totally resolvable but not by every system. 2) My number 2 choice is any number of solo piano pieces because what I am looking for is it actually sounding like a grand piano being present in the listening room. Liszt Sonata in B minor is a good one.
If you pass these then human voice, jazz, and rock are a piece of cake in my mind. Your results may vary however.
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I definitely get the two song angle because there’s always just one or two non-negotiable tracks you’re hot to run as test tracks. I’m probably dating myself when I choose Clapton’s Signe as something good to warm up the ears before I get serious with Old Love (’buh buh buh buh...old love...’) from Unplugged and Kurt Elling’s Downtown from Live In Chicago. I don't want to be one of the predictable old guys walking around with Diana Krall discs, but her No Moon At All from Turn Up The Quiet is an extremely well recorded test track. Back in the ’90s and early 00s when you can hang in audio salons (when there were actually were audio stores to hang in) I remember hearing a lot of Rebecca Pidgeon’s Spanish Harlem and any track from Eva Cassidy Live At Blues Alley. |
The best track to test any system comes from Tchaikovsky ’s Nutcracker Suite -- the pas de deux after they’ve come out of the forest. Incredible track. Most CDs have this directly mastered from digital: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YR5USHu6D6U
Edit:. Also the real cannon typically used in his 1812 Overture is an absolute must. The best recordings have warnings on the label that they can damage some systems. That's the pinnacle right there |
...thanks, gladmo
Ry Cooder/Manual Galban opening cut off Mambo Senuendo ..."Drume negrita: (if your system can fully decongest the confusion, be happy...) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Little Feat's live Waiting for Columbus (live) Super Deluxe Edition ...Fat Man in the Bathtub (heard live at the University of Alabama 1977...recently discovered former Chief Editor of Phile John Atkinson uses it as a testing reference as well)...drumkit and synth need to attack with hall ambience More Peace Pin (bold print for old eyes) |
This thread for me confirms easily the worst thing about audiophiles: their taste in music. Of course the answers are going to be middle-of-the-road audiophile-approved pap like Patricia Barber and Diana Krall. And yes, let's not forget Flight of the Snoring Hippo and the Eagles' live version of Hotel California (now in quadrilliophenia on a special pixiedust-infused disc so you can buy the precious recording for the twelfth time). Your 20-year-old self would hate what you've become. Tell me I'm wrong. |
Live FM radio broadcasts on WCRB of the Boston Symphony Orchestra are my make-it-or-break-it test. It’s the raison d'être of the system and all else follows. By a welcome gift of fate, a few years ago they relocated their broadcast tower to six miles away and I have a fine tuner. The way they mike the orchestra, you can hear every little thing right in its place, and the whole room. As for test tracks, I’m so used to playing dozens that to narrow it down to just two… You’ve got me thinking and it’s going to take a while. |
I have heard some of the broadcasts on their stream, and yes, they do sound absolutely amazing. My guess is the BSO employs someone to mix sound for them, and WCRB takes a feed from it (although it's very possible it's a special mix just for radio). Either way, the method of getting that audio back to mission control (WGBH/WCRB) is top notch. There isn't much if any cascading bit reduction taking place. To the crew making this happen - GREAT JOB! |
Two tracks? The first is easy; the other is a toss up: 1) Jimi Hendrix - Machine Gun (live from Band of Gypsies) 2) Either Tedeschi Trucks Band - Made Up Mind or a relative unknown, Kadavar's song Last Living Dinosaur. All the instruments come in separately and sound simultaneously clean and fuzzy. It's a good system test because I know very very well exactly how it SHOULD sound. Great question, btw. |
This is a great list and super fun to try out some things I've never heard, or even heard OF. However, why does Roon's search suck so badly. Some on this post have made some simple spelling errors and Roon has no clue what I'm searching for. Can't they find a way to incorporate an Apple or Google "Did you mean..." feature somehow? Sorry, Levy is actually Levee, but Roon can't help me out here just a little!! |
Yes tough to come up with only 2. I have been around many live acoustic non amplified drum sets. This recording gets pretty close to that. IMHO. Electric Bass is very nice also. Any track. I am sure will find a favorite. Craig Pilo Just Play. Now, do you want test your full range speakers? Pete Belasco Deeper Deeper. careful, if your speakers can do it, your neighbors will let you know. the low notes are hitting about 25 hz ish. Whole album is very clean sounding.
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chocaholic and richdirector: Was curious about the Hippo, so listened to it. Seems intriguing. How low does that bass play (in Hz).Now need to find myself a decent download of the tune (only listened on computer). Updated: ordered CD |
Lana Del Ray - Venice B**ch. The width and depth of this marvellous production and the layering of the textures will really test the system. Can the system present this complicated production as a homogenous whole? Does the sound completely fill the room as it will on a good system? FKA Twigs - Home With You. That orchestral ending is tough to get right. Two previous mentions I would like to concur with - Daft Punk - Giorgio by Moroder I agree is a real system test, especially to hold those rhythms in place. And School by Supertramp has so many system-pushing elements to it. |
If I had to pick just two to give me a rendition of how my system was performing or to audition other components, it would be: For impact and rendition of percussions and clarity of chimes: track 3 "Posters" on Jack Johnson.s Brushfire Fairytales, CD For richness, clarity and staging of strings: the last track "These Are The Days" on Van Morrison's Avalon Sunset, CD. Jim |
All good suggestions. I’m trying to think of only TWO songs that can provide all of the following: |
@mjmcubfn Tidal’s search is just as bad. Leave out anything and it won’t find it. They really do need to incorporate a level of "intelligent closeness" and offer suggestions better. And oftentimes I do better by searching for the song title rather than the artist. |
Because I’m non-conformist:
- Baaba Maal, Mansour Seck, Djam Leelii (space, middle to hi end) - Ry Cooder, Ali Farka Toure - Talking Timbuktu (overall) - The Doors - Roadhouse Blues (bass) - Richard and Mimi Farina - Joy Going Round My Brain (vocal and harmonica duet details) - Paul Robeson - Deep River (THAT voice!) - The Moody Blues - Tuesday Afternoon (atmosphere) - The Moody Blues - Thinking is the best way to travel (special effects) - Fennel - Hi-Fi A La Espanola on Mercury Living Presence (that Mercury sound) - Max Roach with Abbey Lincoln - We Insist (abbey’s voice, the snare) - Mahler - 5th - von Karajan (Adagietto, the cellos) - Bruce Springsteen - American Skin (separation of the 4 voices, crowd ambiance) - Led Zeppelin - The Battle of Evermore (For the interplay between Robert Plant’s and Sandy Denny’s voices) - Tito Puente - Ran Kan Kan - the 12” 45rpm version (for slam) - Laura Nyro - Tom Cat Goodbye (quiet and dynamics) |
@passthedutchie People are sharing songs they find well suited to critical listening and testing system changes. I don't think most people are looking for a round of applause and acceptance. Neither are most of us interested in injecting judgementalism into the thread. |
