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Audiophile songs you're sick of

I attend hifi shows once a year max and last had a demo at a hifi dealer around 10 years ago. I think hifi demos must make up less than 0.01% of my music listening time, obviously if you work in a dealer I can imagine getting sick of songs you like is possible but a regular music listener?

I suspect the problem is songs you don’t like anyway, where even 1 or 2 extra listens is too much!

Just imagine what might happen if the birdy song had great sound quality!
 
Only ever been to one hifi show (Bristol 2019). Can't say I remember hearing any of these "audiophile" tracks being played there.

In fact I thought there was a great range of music being played, although I did hear the same Stevie Ray Vaughan track playing in three different rooms which was great!

TS
 
I like Ella but I prefer Billie.

Early Diana Krall is great. Live in Paris is a great album but there’s some distortion or clipping on one of the tracks.

Kruder & Dorfmeister’s K&D Sessions has always been a go-to.

A friend bought me Pink Floyd’s Pulse and, while I like it, I don’t own any of their other albums.

I like many genres from jazz to techno and even a bit of K Pop (some very clean recordings).

Labels are often an indicator of a good recording. I like a fair few artists on 4AD and ECM for example. Then there are mastering maestros such as Bob Ludwig and Bob Katz!
 
When only very well recorded music is used to demo equipment, it makes almost every bit if kit sound good. I find it more appropriate to play music that is difficult to reproduce with audio gear, and then see how the gear handles it.
Big Joe Williams comes to mind here, as well as some of the other early bluesmen…
 
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rough edges said:
When only very well recorded music is used to demo equipment, it makes almost every bit if kit sound good. I find it more appropriate to play music that is difficult to reproduce with audio gear, and then see how the gear handles it.
Big Joe Williams comes to mind here, as well as some of the other early bluesman…
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Yes. Throw some well-recorded complex Bartók at a system and see how it handles a mixture of orchestra, percussion and piano. Look for good resolution in the sense of instrumental separation in the stereo image, and good resolution in the sense that delicate sounds from instruments in the ensemble maintain their integrity and independence when others are playing very loudly.

I have other well-recorded "difficult to reproduce" repertoire with concert hall reference that I play at home which IMHO really tests a system, but which is likely to empty the room if I were to ask for it at a show. So I don't.
 
DSOTM mentioned already, I would go a bit further and say anything by Pink Floyd.
When I was younger and it was new, I thought it was great. But then, when I was younger and it was new, I was also into metal and punk.
 
John Phillips said:
Yes. Throw some well-recorded complex Bartók at a system and see how it handles a mixture of orchestra, percussion and piano. Look for good resolution in the sense of instrumental separation in the stereo image, and good resolution in the sense that delicate sounds from instruments in the ensemble maintain their integrity and independence when others are playing very loudly.

I have other well-recorded "difficult to reproduce" repertoire with concert hall reference that I play at home which IMHO really tests a system, but which is likely to empty the room if I were to ask for it at a show. So I don't.
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I Agree, John. I don't understand the "I wanna empty the room" thing. Only a smart ass would do that, or someone who is trying to prove he "understands" certain difficult music that others don't/cannot...
 
deek said:
I laughed my head off at this ^

Mofi 45 rpm Black Lace greatest hits anyone?
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I bought Black Lace 'Party Party' on vinyl for a laugh at Oxfam and endured seven days of silent treatment from the wife as a result.

Similarly, I once bought leopard skin seat covers for my Austin Metro and split up with a girl as a result.
 
John Phillips said:
Yes. Throw some well-recorded complex Bartók at a system and see how it handles a mixture of orchestra, percussion and piano. Look for good resolution in the sense of instrumental separation in the stereo image, and good resolution in the sense that delicate sounds from instruments in the ensemble maintain their integrity and independence when others are playing very loudly.

I have other well-recorded "difficult to reproduce" repertoire with concert hall reference that I play at home which IMHO really tests a system, but which is likely to empty the room if I were to ask for it at a show. So I don't.
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I listen to music I like and if I was going for a demo I'd either take a selection or at a hifi show request stuff I like, this would be a mix of genres, some faster paced guitar based, maybe The Pixies or Placebo, some electronic perhaps Massive Attack or Depeche Mode and some more simple stuff maybe Ghost of Tom Joad or a bit of Christy Moore, Amused to Death is always a good test for spatial qualities, for me these are great artists , great albums and well recorded. I do realise there maybe better recordings maybe some Jazz or some of the albums mentioned up thread but if I don't like the music I don't see the point.
However very recently I caught a live performance of Hans Zimmer's music on Sky Arts on TV, some of it I recognised but I couldn't say I was familiar with any of it.
On stage there was quite a large orchestra, I don't know how many pieces, at the back there was both a male and female voice choir and across the front of the stage I suppose what could be considered a large progressive 'rock' band with electric guitars, bass & drum kit with Tina Guao playing lead on an electric cello, David Lyon played an 8 string electric guitar and finally Johnny Marr came on stage for about the last half hour or thereabouts, being one of my favourite guitarists he was actually the reason why I watched it.
All in all it was very impressive, I did really enjoy it, some great playing and singing, some very complex pieces and some great solos, from quiet and simple to great dynamic orchestral crescendo. I did make me wonder or think it may be a great test for a hifi system.
 
TBH- if I'm to listen / appraise new-to-me stuff: I am happy to listen to things I don't know/even, dislike:
If the music then draws me in, in some way - well: then there's something new , to find; maybe new aspects to enjoy.

(NB Otherwise I'm in broad agreement with this thread: so much already posted, I won't care if I never hear again ...)
 
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