"Test" Music for Mains

[PassingInterest]

Any recommendations for Test music for mains?
What do you use?

[mgrabow]

For me it obviously depends on your tastes... I think jazz sounds the best and heavy metal and Classical are the hardest to get to sound perfect (My opinion, I know others will differ).

I like Michael Buble, because it has nice deep bass and great dynamic changes throughout.

Pink Floyds Dark Side of the Moon is another good one for me...it adds a slight bit of harshness to test the speakers rock and roll abilities...

Yo Yo Ma in some of his trio's, quartets and quintets. It lets you hear the individual instruments without the full orchestral crowd...

[dwigle]

Eva Cassidy for female vocals.

Dire Straights - Brothers in Arms. Well recorded and I like it.

Cat Stevens - Catch Bull at Four - 18th Ave. Love the piano.

[PassingInterest]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys!

[jeff_free69]

For some modern, state of the art pop : Alicia Keys - "The Element of Freedom" or "As I Am". Not my normal fare, but these are excellent recordings: gorgeous vocals, plenty of depth in the production, deep bass, doesn't sound squashed or harsh from overloud mastering.

My normal fare:
- Radiohead "In Rainbows"

- Freshly Ground "ma Cheri" :wonderful modern afro-pop. Most amazingly upfront vocals. But if you're system is too bright you will know about it - http://www.amazon.com/Ma-Cheri-Fresh...9008711&sr=1-2

[jimlg]

I am pretty set on Tracy Chapman's 'Talking about a Revolution'. It has her great vocals and guitar, but it also has a wood percussion in the background that when imaged well sounds incredible. It is always one of the first I put in.

BTW, Stereophile has the 3 disc test set for sale again. I think its only $35. Pretty crazy to see the BIN prices for those on ebay. Some are $75 +

[BasTek]

Igor Stravinsky's "Firebird". If you, your amp, or your speakers can handle the dynamics, you pass the test.

[PassingInterest]

Thanks for all the great suggestions, guys.
Some of the recommendations I have already, and I'll be shopping for the other stuff soon.
Thanks again for the help!

[arlis_1957@yahoo.com]

george howard, sade, pink floyd.

[robwest]

The Cars, Def Leppard, CCR~ stuf I've known forever from hearing with good speaker, headphone, boom-box, car stereo or elevators and can tell when something is missing or is muted or too forward or over-emphasized, right off.

[pres589]

Stuff you know by heart is the best. Lee Michael's self-titled album if you don't know anything and need something good.

[lhwidget]

Here's a couple;
Seven Bridges Road, by the Eagles. Play it loud and it will put quite a strain on the system from 100 to 6000 Hz. If it stays clean and the harmonies stay clear at high volumes, it's a decent system.

Another that really puts stresses a system in the mid bass is Caislean Őir (from Macalla, by Clannad). As you turn it up, the male chorus will turn to mud if the system can't handle 100 to 300 Hz material well.

[martyh]

Stuff you know by heart is the best. Lee Michael's self-titled album if you don't know anything and need something good.

Lee Michaels? That Lee Michaels?
Dang, there's a blast from the past!

[djg]

I saw Lee Michaels somewhere in the seventies.

[tom_s]

The play list that Maynard came up with for the last Iowa DIY is a good collection that shows off many strengths and possible weaknesses. I was hoping he would have thrown a Béla Fleck and the Flecktones tune in there too, but the cut from the Firebird Suite made up for the omission in the bass dept!

Personally, I keep going back to some nice Ray Charles duets with Gladys Knight and BB King. Yep, Radiohead is a good test for midrange resolution. I also seem to be stuck on Guster right now, so go figure...

[pres589]

Lee Michaels? That Lee Michaels?
Dang, there's a blast from the past!

Yeah, and that album. Side 1, the whole thing being named "Tell Me How Do You Feel, (Don't Want No) Woman, My Friends, Frosty's, Think I'll Go Back" as kind of one continuous song with multiple parts. That's what I'm talking about in particular.

[gvimhoof]

Stuff you know inside and out.

I look for a variety. Piano concerto is a must. A large orchestra with full choir gives a pretty good test for everything at once. Something for seriously processed female and male vocals (Sarah McClachlan/Peter Gabriel). For straight female vocal I would recommend Alanis Morrisette (she won't allow any processing on her voice). If you have some moderne' compositions with computer noises, they usually like to take the frequency range to the extremes as often as possible (not always my cup of tea but to each their own). Acoustic performances with string instruments- both bowed and picked.

Go with what you know well and what you will be listening to on the system. If it sounds like you think it should sound, then it's a winner.

[madmallard]

Stuff you know inside and out.

....

Go with what you know well and what you will be listening to on the system. If it sounds like you think it should sound, then it's a winner.

I think this is most important. if you know how something should sound on 1 or 2 systems, i think thats more important than what the program actually is.

what -i- know inside and out may not only not sound very good or be entertaining to others, but without a reference of knowing how it should sound would be meaningless...



....that said, the last time a thread like this came up, I think I said the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack. Still work with that one mostly.

[killa]

I think this is most important. if you know how something should sound on 1 or 2 systems, i think thats more important than what the program actually is.

what -i- know inside and out may not only not sound very good or be entertaining to others, but without a reference of knowing how it should sound would be meaningless...



....that said, the last time a thread like this came up, I think I said the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack. Still work with that one mostly.

I wonder if anyone on this board has even heard of cowboy bebop lol. Good choice though.

[mzisserson]

In addition rowhat has been said:

Pomp and pipes. 16Hz organ and full scale orchestra. Amazing recording to boot. "Mains" should be abletorecreate the full scaleofthe orchestra even if it cannot reproduce the lowest info.

Piano. Various vocals, acoustic guitar,and many poor recordings. I also "voice" in several different rooms.