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Torture test tracks

Are we talking torture on our ears, or a means of trying to find the limits of a system here.
Torture to ears is pretty simple with any badly recorded /mastered piece of music - that 'homesick' being an example, was the recording engineer even there or away somewhere in love with the flashing red lights on the mixing desk?
It's just a cacophony of mush/noise for the busy parts.

If you are looking for something to really push the limits, that is recorded and mastered well, there are a huge number out there.

An older favourite has to be Trent Moller "The last Resort" especially Vamp / Evil Dub.
More up to date - try the opening 40 seconds of "Dune 2"
If you are insistent on destroying your speakers - Radioactive Man, track "Uranium" will probably do that nicely for you.
 
Columbo said:
That Stereophile CD sounds interesting. Will try and track it down. Thanks
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Easy to find. There’s one on ebay right now for $5. Not actually a Stereophile production.
The magazine will be harder to find and probably cost more than the cd. Worth trying to find for the excellent “play-by-play” audiophile analysis of the music.
Also be aware, this is not “easy” music.
 
Sonority said:
Torture to ears is pretty simple with any badly recorded /mastered piece of music - that 'homesick' being an example, was the recording engineer even there or away somewhere in love with the flashing red lights on the mixing desk?
It's just a cacophony of mush/noise for the busy parts.
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It's a brilliant test track. On a bad system, you find yourself racing to find the volume knob, worried that either your ears or system is going to be damaged. On a good system, it does sound like a hell of a lot going on at the same time, but it's still enjoyable.
 
We will have to disagree on that then.
For my ears, lets be polite, it's not something I am in any rush to even try to listen to again, life is too short :)
 
The Alan Parsons and Stephen Court Soundcheck CD has some interesting and useful technical and instrumental stuff on it.👍
These include music excerpts that are apparently uncompressed plus various sound effects to test you system.
I often use it when setting up new equipment to check for phase and channel orientation too.
 
Columbo said:
Ah yes, violin sharpness, that's always good test of a system. Stabby violins can make a listening session tough on the wrong speakers. Thanks
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Mantovani's Charmaine is my test track for this. Also for added shrillness and glare.
 
Nick Cave's Let Love In has crashed many a system I've played it on, particularly the first track. I play I Like Birds by the Eels to hear if something can play a tune - a test any Wilsons fail with aplomb, the more expensive, the more spectacular the fail. Ozrics' Waterfall Cities - a congealed mess on many a system, even ones with no bass. For real torture, solo violin on Naim/Focal.
 
Sonority said:
Are we talking torture on our ears, or a means of trying to find the limits of a system here.
Torture to ears is pretty simple with any badly recorded /mastered piece of music - that 'homesick' being an example, was the recording engineer even there or away somewhere in love with the flashing red lights on the mixing desk?
It's just a cacophony of mush/noise for the busy parts.

If you are looking for something to really push the limits, that is recorded and mastered well, there are a huge number out there.

An older favourite has to be Trent Moller "The last Resort" especially Vamp / Evil Dub.
More up to date - try the opening 40 seconds of "Dune 2"
If you are insistent on destroying your speakers - Radioactive Man, track "Uranium" will probably do that nicely for you.
Click to expand...
Oh no - you should never have told me about radioactiveman!

A whole wormhole of techno has opened up now and it hasn't exactly stretched the system but I do at least know that the fans will come on if required!

Tidal only has the early stuff on MP3 so I might be shelling out for a CD or two.
 
If a speaker won’t play the low notes on Aphex twin‘s Ageispolis smoothly & convincingly I won’t give them house room.

Hence why I now run two boundary woofers I guess. o_O


Don’t even start to think about the fact that this is 32 years old now…
 
colasblue said:
Oh no - you should never have told me about radioactiveman!

A whole wormhole of techno has opened up now and it hasn't exactly stretched the system but I do at least know that the fans will come on if required!

Tidal only has the early stuff on MP3 so I might be shelling out for a CD or two.
Click to expand...
I could have mentioned more than a few more, the list is endless, but your wallet would not have liked it!
I have on cd and a triple vinyl 45rpm and album called 'Briefly Eternal' by Horror Inc (a Dj who wanted to remain unknown for what he did with this release!)
The vinyl is all but unplayable, not due to it being a bad recording (the opposite, it is superbly mastered / recorded / pressed) but the bass notes are so low that the needle sees the giant sweep as a brick wall and jumps clean out of the groove.
Then there is always VCMG - SSSS, the final couple of tracks on that will safely shut down any amp not capable of sustaining very low bass ( Recycle - Flux).
This album you must surely have as a techno fan.
Better stop there I think :)
 
Not sure they qualify as "torture tracks", they definitely do not torture me.

Sevdaliza, "Joanna" and most other tracks on Shabrang
Marina and the Diamonds, "Savages"
The hallelujah chorus from any well recorded Messiah (G.F. Handel) and "O Fortuna" from any well-recorded Carmina Burana (Orff).
Pink floyd, "Welcome to the Machine" - if it does not have an ominous feel to it...
Dire Straits, "Money for Nothing" - to see if the kit can "party"
Faun, "Tanz mit mir" - should evoke randy Bavarian style cleavage :)
 
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