advertisement


YOUR favourite reference track

I use a Test CD with a number of tracks
some also duplicated on vinyl
I also like to use speech & live recordings
here is a selection

Moloko Time is Now – single cd version
Vinx I give my all to you - duet
Vinx The Storyteller -Living in the Metro
Santana Supernatural - Primevera
Ry Cooder Meeting by the river
Paul Simon Graceland - Diamonds on Soles
Chris Rea – Auberge You’re not a Number
Gary Moore After Hours – Separate Ways
Cassandra Wilson Blue Light till dawn – Crow Flies
Ry Cooder Buena Vista – Candela
 
I never use a specific 'reference' track as this exercise tends to be flawed imho. One's own perception of the 'correct' sound is never going to be consistent (and where's the listener's point of reference - were you at the recording etc etc?) anyway.

Personally, I'll just stick pretty much anything on.

Am I enjoying the music? Yes? Good. No? Not good. Exercise over. :)

I've used this method for years, and it seems to work fairly reliably when putting together a system that (hopefully!) sings.
 
I have an old test record with a few music tracks that I use. Mainly I just put on some of my favourite music. Most played currently is Thomas Dolby 'Airwaves' from 'Blinded by Science' EP.
 
Eric clapton, unplugged, cd (whole album)
Crowded house, It's only natural, cd (great track)
Tracy chapman, first album, vinyl (stunning)
eagels, hell freezes over, cd/vinyl (sounds graet on cd and mindblowing on vinyl)
 
Think of the poor Hi-Fi Dealer Assistants having to put up with this!

The HFDA comes from from a hard day demming equipment is it. says to flatmate 'They made me listen to the Eric Clapton, unplugged - the WHOLE CD I tell you - Where is that Optrex for the ears'

Hardest Job in the World, that one.

DS
 
dss said:
Think of the poor Hi-Fi Dealer Assistants having to put up with this!

The HFDA comes from from a hard day demming equipment is it. says to flatmate 'They made me listen to the Eric Clapton, unplugged - the WHOLE CD I tell you - Where is that Optrex for the ears'

Hardest Job in the World, that one.

DS
Click to expand...

I wouldn't put the dealer through that, I like to dem kit that i'm serious about buying at home for a few days and the music I have mentioned will always come up amongst a lot of other stuff :D
 
I normally use either Patricia Barber Cafe Blue ( 1st Track - I've mentioned to friends over and over, you could play this record on a boom box and it would still sound nice ) or Isao Suzuki Quartet - Blow Up ( track - Aqua Marine ) to test out systems bass response as well as their abilities to respond to warmth along with nimbleness of said notes. Regards, Oscar
 
So no one cranks up 'Bad side of the moon' by Sir Elton - circa 1970? Best way to clean fluff out of your ports that I can think of - chufftastik? - not arf..
 
Gromit said:
I never use a specific 'reference' track as this exercise tends to be flawed imho. One's own perception of the 'correct' sound is never going to be consistent (and where's the listener's point of reference - were you at the recording etc etc?) anyway.

Personally, I'll just stick pretty much anything on.

Am I enjoying the music? Yes? Good. No? Not good. Exercise over. :)

I've used this method for years, and it seems to work fairly reliably when putting together a system that (hopefully!) sings.
Click to expand...

I have recently made a change in my system which has got me enjoying a lot of music I didn't think I liked, often repetitive rhythmic music. It has changed my view on what I should take to a dem. The rule now is music I don't really like. A good system can make music I don't like, at least endurable, if not enjoyable. I agree that old favourites are too familiar, and therefore get you comparing sounds instead of listening to music. Then you end up with one of those boring systems which does everything right except play music.
 
"Fever" on Eva Cassidy's Imagine album would be my favourite Eva test track. Very natural, simple recording, bass, treble, vocals, punchy, vibrant. Love it...

Muzz
 
My recent choice for comparing headphone amplifiers:

Patricia Barber - Bye Bye Blackbird (Nightclub)
K D Lang - Save Me (Ingenue)
Hugh Masekela - Stimela "The Coal Train" (Hope)

All of these are excellent recordings. Barber is close-miked and personal, Lang's track has layers of richness and great guitars. Masakela's Stimela has a wide, wide dynamic range, a trumpet solo to test the system and a live venue.

Also enjoying:

Rahsaan Patterson - Don't run So Fast (After Hours)

Some great stuff listed on this thread - Amazon Marketplace is taking a battering!

I love the tunes, too!
 
Rush - The Trees - Exit...Stage Left

This live mix is a veritable wall of sound and sorting is out has, IME, caused a number of systems to give up the ghost. The best manage well and the results are superb.
 
Hey, what a great thread!

I usually use the current darlings / my flavour of the month albums, but there are a few standard tracks which are always with me:

- Thievery Corporation: Sounds from the Thievery HiFi, "A Warning"
- Massive Attack: Protection, "Better Things"
- Portishead: Roseland NYC, "Roads"
- Nils Petter Molvaer: Khmer, "Access / Song of Sand 1"
- Kristin Hersh: Hips and Makers, "Your Ghost"


Samuel.
 
From Dave:

Easy -Alice in Chains: Unplugged -the whole damn thing.

A big thanks to Dave, that is a great album
 
Martin D said:
From Dave:

Easy -Alice in Chains: Unplugged -the whole damn thing.

A big thanks to Dave, that is a great album
Click to expand...

Glad you like it sir! I remember the first time I heard it with some friends-no one spoke for ten minutes after it finished.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top