Jesse Cook, 'Shake' from his 2015 'One World' album. Recording masterpiece. I use it for hifi shop demos and every time the salesman will ask me what it is because they want to get a copy.
Whats your favourite track to play to the non hi-fi visitor?
Lets be clear, the uninitiated offer an opportunity to show off your hi-fi, and give them an unexpected experience. Most visitors wonder why there is laboratory equipment and Stanly Kubrick 2001 monoliths in the lounge - some even make the connection to the wall of vinyl.
Time to pull out the Matt Bianco LP ’Who’s side are you on’, after warming up the system for an hour or so.
Some people don’t get it at all, but most can be impressed - but not with extended playtime. So, its a rare person that will sit and listen, as the demo nearly always gets turned down to background music to allow conversation.
I once had a good mate over for an evening of music and the odd wine, at one point during the evening he rushed to the kitchen and came back with spoons, which he played alongside the hi-fi to everything - including Pink Floyd. Mind you after a few wines it did bizarrely become a fitting accompaniment.
Whats your ’knock them dead track’ to play to non audiophiles?
Time to pull out the Matt Bianco LP ’Who’s side are you on’, after warming up the system for an hour or so.
Some people don’t get it at all, but most can be impressed - but not with extended playtime. So, its a rare person that will sit and listen, as the demo nearly always gets turned down to background music to allow conversation.
I once had a good mate over for an evening of music and the odd wine, at one point during the evening he rushed to the kitchen and came back with spoons, which he played alongside the hi-fi to everything - including Pink Floyd. Mind you after a few wines it did bizarrely become a fitting accompaniment.
Whats your ’knock them dead track’ to play to non audiophiles?
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Allegri, Miserere, Tallis Scholars. Check this out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpzdB0G3TJU A little into the performance you will see that there are three distinct groups of singers, in different places around the church. On a good system, the church acoustic is fantastic. |
This is a little different but sometimes I will play Lucky Man from ELP. I have found most of their old stuff was poorly recorded. However, this one track must have been remastered (in a good way) somewhere along the line. It's a track most of my older friends are familiar with but have never heard it on a good system. Also, Dire Straights, Brothers In Arms. |
The track Recat from Loderbauer/Villalobos is literally quadraphonic, even when played on two channel. It's trippy. Another suggestion I heard which makes a lot of sense is to ask non-hifi people in advance what music THEY really like and then select the best-sounding of their list before they come over. Then, they find themselves hearing something very familiar but they're so focused on the quality level that they both enjoy the song they love AND focus on the equipment making it sound so much better. |
I’ve got several short tracks I can use as demos. My favorite is "Die Nacht" from this album: Schubert Male Choruses, BIS 1033. The naturalness of the sound, space, and dynamics always gets to people. Usually, there are a few moments of silence before anyone speaks. |