What are your favorites when it comes to listen to a good audio setup?

For the sake of keeping it simple, what about 3 albums.

1. Jazz/acoustic. Instruments as natural as possible.
2. Classic.
3. Pop/Rock.

And a single song/tune. The one that has all you need.

0-0

quote:

Originally posted by 0-0:

1. Jazz/acoustic. Instruments as natural as possible.
2. Classic.
3. Pop/Rock.

0-0

Easy peasy

1. Joe Satriani - Surfing with the Alien. Or, Jeff Beck/Jeff Beck
2. William Tell Overture - Austrian Philharmonic (1973 I think)
3. Queen - Day at the Races

1. Too many options, especially between acoustic only or vocals. If forced to pick one, off the cuff maybe joe pass virtuoso.

2. Same. Maybe Yo Yo Ma Bach cello suites

3. Don’t use pop rock for testing. But again if forced to pick something, maybe old school like Creedence greatest hits.

ETA: ohhh, queen is a good choice. Maybe their platinum collection.

ETA: singular is very limiting. Want to test things like accuracy, range, soundstage / imaging, etc. usually need different references for each.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: konata88,

For the single piece, my goto is Toccata and Fugue in D Minor by Johann Sebastian Bach, on a pipe organ of course. The low pedal note at the beginning will put any subwoofer system through its paces.

Ooh, but Queen sounds good, too!

Too many to list but I’ll mix album and songs

1. John Coltrane - Blue Train
2. Samuel Barber - Adagio For Strings
3. Daft Punk - Homework or Prince - Purple Rain

One track, Justice - Genesis or Waters of Nazareth. I used to tune concert venues from 2000 seating capacity up to 10,000 with those two tracks every weekend during sound check. If you have ever seen Crazy Heart where Bad Blake is bitching at the “sound guy” during sound check. It was exactly that. Either track will rip a sound system to shit if played loud and not up to the task.

My favorite is bi-radial horns with powerful subs where the kick drum sounds and feels like the tightest trampoline on Earth. Tight.

Keeping it simple:

1) for assessing system capabilities: Mannheim Steamroller "Fresh Aire I."

Dynamic range, lots of high end and plenty of drums/bass. Example track from the album:


This was one of my go-tos when assembling high end systems. If this doesn't sound amazing, there's something suboptimal in the setup. Could be as simple as speaker placement in the room...or an issue with the equipment.

It doesn't have vocals so it's not enough by itself to be the entire story but it is a key part of the diagnostic/assessment.

2) IMO, to cover vocals, here's really no substitute for playing something from a well-mastered live album of something you love and which you've personally listened to live.

3) Classical music. Same as above.

Reasons for #2 and #3 recommendations being as follows: other than live performances, every time you've listened to something, it's been through some other system.

Maybe it sounded good when played through that system, but it's quite possible that system was only scratching the surface of what a better system would have been able to do. If you haven't listened to it live, you have no real reference to compare.

Had to limit choices to keep it simple.

That is why i "suggested" jazz or instrumental so you can simply compare a recording vs your mental image of instruments - voice included - sound.

Good choices here.
Blue Train is my second option after Cannonball Adderley's Something Else. But the piano on Something else doesn't sound as it should. IMO.

Will need to listen to Satriani. Big fan of Jeff Beck but honestly do not understand how it made it to the first category

JSB for the win! My first choice as well. I still picture the begining of Rollerball when I hear it. None of the versions i've got at home can compare.
For the piano and the organ, Yes, Awaken from the Going for the One album is my runner up.

Queen, there's a surprise!

0-0

The absolute best audio Engineer I ever worked with used this song alone to set up and evaluate audio systems. He said there was nothing better for the purpose.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jXy2lWgpxM

I usually used two when I was auditioning speakers. A low end is fine, but how does a system handle a fast very quick low end burst? For that I used Supertramp No In Between from Brother Where You Bound. Second, for subtle low end and highs and everything in between from the Star Trek Motion Picture soundtrack The Enterprise. This features a 6 foot bass drum and all sorts of other percussion bells that tests the high end clarity.

I enjoy The Eagles belting out Seven Bridges Road.

1812 Overture (with cannons).

Standing in My Shoes Leo Kottke
Opera Without Words Kostelanetz
Santana III (The Outstretched Hand)

Single song. Unlimited possibilities, but right now I’ll say, When the Levee Breaks, Zeppelin

I really like Larks' Tongue in Aspic by King Crimson for seeing what a system can do. Easy Money on the album is really great!

I'm not a huge Michael Jackson fan but my son just bought Off the Wall on vinyl and we listened to it together. It may just be the best sounding album I have heard.

quote:

Originally posted by 0-0:
What are your favorites when it comes to listen to a good audio setup?

For the sake of keeping it simple, what about 3 albums.

1. Jazz/acoustic. Instruments as natural as possible.
2. Classic.
3. Pop/Rock.

And a single song/tune. The one that has all you need.

0-0

For cds:

1) Rippingtons Live in LA
2) Classic...Gladiator Soundtrack if that qualifies
3) Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms

So many. In a contemporary vein a couple of my favorites are Patricia Barber's Companion (tracks The Beat Goes On, Use Me and Black Magic Woman) and Phil Keaggy's The Master and The Musician (tracks Mouthpiece and Follow Me Up).

For vocals Dido has some great tracks and the Cranberries "Zombie" can be great on a revealing system. You should be able to hear her taking breaths in while singing.

Allison Kraus and Union Station
Queen Bohemian Rhapsody Live at Wembley
Saving Private Ryan - opening scene
1812 Overture with cannons. Boston pops

That’s what I use when ever I rebalance mine or setup a friends system

Disque de demonstration Focal - No. 6

Strawberry Soup by Don Ellis.