What bass-litmus-test music do you take to auditions?


If you love tight, fast, hard-hitting bass in spades, we have something in common.

When you go audition speaker-amp pairings, what music do you take along to separate the grain from the chaff?

Here are a couple of my favorites:

- Pigs of the Roman Empire, by Melvins + Lustmord (from their album Pigs of the Roman Empire). This is a brilliant collab between noted dark ambient artist Lustmord and iconic sludge gods the Melvins. If a 23-minute sludge metal track isn’t your cuppa, I understand (sort of? smiley) and feel free to skip to around 14:30

- A1, by Darkside (from their eponymous 2011 debut EP). What can I say? I love Darkside. Only one EP and 3 albums in 14 years, but they’re worth the wait. Their new album Nothing is fantastic.

- Paténipat, by Charlotte Adigéry and Bolis Pupul (Topical Dancer). This playful song has the ability to dim my little table light significantly when played loud enough. For some reason it does not cause my imperfect room to break into harsh mids and highs so I crank it up to ridiculous SPLs.

- Ageiopolis, by Aphex Twin (Selected Ambient Works 84-92). An airy and pleasant ambient track with some killer bass thrown in. Maybe the only track so far that makes my speakers threaten to lose their composure and reminds me that I should probably re-gasket my woofers and crossover access panels, and make sure my sealed enclosures are indeed sealed.

What are some of your favorites? I am curious to learn about some non-electronic works.

devinplombier

Showing 3 responses by mahgister

For higher frequencies i used violin...

Mainly The "arte of violin" of Locatelli...

This version because the sound recording is astonishing...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dpad18N0v8w

Also I use Tacet "tubes recording only" label   4 seasons of Vivaldi...

The sound of violins here made me a "high head" as there is bass head...

Honey reflecting light in the body of a bee flying toward sun...

My K340  is incredible in highs as in Bass rendition with natural timbre...

I was unable to buy speakers to beat them...

I am not an audiophile with no budget limit though...

The best i ever bought was the Tannoy dual Gold speakers, but speakers in a non dedicated acoustic room dont work at their peak potential at all...

 

 

@mahgister 

Which Bach work are you specifically referring to? Thanks!

 

 

With  the Tuba the organ is the best ,

There is plenty of Bach organ works  interpretation,

I prefer and use this one :

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1espcOPvFA&list=PLv1E-JmpYdfcuGCp4uGhF21mPbsuncJxM

Akhnaten opera of Philip Glass... ( my favorite modern opera with Weil one)

9th symphony of Bruckner... (Giulini)

 

 A  Tuba is the best to test bass...

 

 Then i used Marie Claire Alain  Bach opus at the organ...

I felt the organ with my body and feet with my headphone (AKG K340)  clearly with no distortion (bone resonance)...

Most headphone cannot render this as if you were there with a soundfield out of your head...

Many  speakers in a living room will not do ( acoustics matter as much as speakers choice ) ...