Recommended Test Tracks/Recordings Sticky

[mattsk8]

Re: Recommended Test Tracks/Recordings Sticky

If you want to test your speaker's resilience... Metallica, Dyer's Eve. Turn it up, and if it sounds bad you're either too old or your speakers need work ;).

One of my favorite test tracks... Fleetwood Mac, The Chain, a lot going on in that whole song.

Of coarse the whole Brothers In Arms disc, as well as most songs from the On Every Street album.

Female vocals, personal favorite is Alison Krauss, Ghost In This House. Her track Lucky One is good too, great vocals and guitar.

Bass tracks... Madonna's Music, and Beastie Boys, Intergalactic

[Geoff Millar]

Re: Recommended Test Tracks/Recordings Sticky

A very interesting thread.

The last time I auditioned speakers, I made two CDs worth of favourite tracks (classical, jazz and pop/rock) and listened to about a minute of each. The tracks which really helped me decide on the speakers were:

Angel by Sarah McLachlan

Box by Sam Brown (title track) great drum sound

Third Stone from the Sun, Jimi Hendrix from Are You Experienced and

Gavotte and Rondeau from Bach's Unaccompanied Violin Sonatas, by Julia Fischer (beautiful music which needs very pure top end sound)


However, as well as material which is well recorded, I threw in some tracks which were average or poor, as old and rare recordings are a significant part of my collection. They sounded much better with paper/composite speakers:

Dylan's 'Clothes Line Saga" from The Basement Tapes

Talkin' 'Bout You' from The Beatles Hamburg Live collection

Beethoven Violin Concerto , 1926 Fritz Kreisler and Leo Blech

Rule No. 1 - always take your music to a listening session!

Geoff

[Jesse055]

Re: Recommended Test Tracks/Recordings Sticky

Artist - Tracy Chapman
Album - Tracy Chapman
Song - Behind the Wall

This is a vocals only song. 1:50 min.

I agree Tracy Chapmans first hit album is really good acoustically. The ac. guitar is clean and stunning with just perfect bass lines. My favorite song is the last track "for you". There are pauses where the last notes just faintly stops before she starts again. Dead silence except for that dying note. This note slightly changes tone and audibility between different amplifiers so it will differentiate equipment. The musical arrangement is simple yet very textured at the same time. then there are the songs like baby can I hold you, another gem.

[rmeinke]

Re: Recommended Test Tracks/Recordings Sticky

Adel. I like 'Make you feel my love' but, about anything she does will do. If a tweeter is not right, she will send you running out of the room. Etta James, 'At last' will do the same.

Agreed. The piano is also very well recorded and should sound big and full. The best test of female voice is Margo Timmins of the Cowboy Junkies - "The Trinity Session", track 3 - "Blue Moon Revisited (Song for Elvis)" is especially challenging given a close mic and her naturally raspy voice... very hard to get right. The entire album is excellent and probably already documented here (a shame if it isn't).

The firs track is excellent for voice and nice acoustic space.

[Geoff Millar]

Re: Recommended Test Tracks/Recordings Sticky

My speaker test disc includes classical, jazz and rock/pop:

Sam Brown: "Box" for a great drum sound and vocal (Sam can be seen/heard in Concert for George, where she almost stole the show)

Nigel Kennedy "The Blue Note Sessions"

Verdi - Dies Irae from his Requiem - very loud choral and timpani

Jimi Hendrix: "Machine Gun" from Band of Gypsys

Bach: Chaconne for solo violin, played by Julia Fischer

The Beatles; Come Together

Pink Floyd Us and Them

The Band The Weight (live from Rock of Ages - for brass, vocal separation and a punchy sound

and The Beatles Talkin' Bout You live Hamburg - so I can hear how a badly recorded track sounds!

[mikec]

Re: Recommended Test Tracks/Recordings Sticky

Burt Kaempfert "Zambesi" - lots of low guitar and piccolo on a good track; don't know if this link is the best but you'll get the idea.

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=...32CABFCE2FE21E

[sasha18]

Re: Recommended Test Tracks/Recordings Sticky

I've been attending this audio show at a local high end shop and picked up a few tracks from those sessions:

• Glenn Philipps, Last Sunset (used by Wilson Audio to show off the Alexandria)
• REM, How the West was Won
• Bjork, Moon
• Morphine, Buena (mentioned above)
• Lorde, Royals (the main B&W rep uses this track)
• Beth Orton, She Cries Your Name (Linn Audio uses this)
• Radiohead, Nude

[danvee]

Re: Recommended Test Tracks/Recordings Sticky

Papa Do Run Run: California Project.

http://www.amazon.com/California-Project-Papa-Doo-Run/dp/B00000FY3P

Bass /vocals/percussion /dynamics

James Newton Howard: James Newton Howard & Friends

http://www.amazon.com/James-Newton-Howard-Friends/dp/B001DBIQJ2/ref=sr_1_10?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1413204527&sr=1-10&keywords=james+newton+howard

Bass/percussion /dynamics

Flim and the BBs: TriCycle

http://www.amazon.com/Tricycle-Flim-Bbs/dp/B000003DCJ/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1413204598&sr=1-1&keywords=flim+and+the+bb%27s

Dynamics/imaging

The Repercussion Unit: In Need Again

http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/4769445/a/in+need+again.htm

Dynamics/bass/percussion

[Zach00420]

Re: Recommended Test Tracks/Recordings Sticky

a bit dark, but will truly test you system in many regards.....
Type O Negative - October Rust

Wonderful chill albums....blow your subs with these
Morcheeba - Who Can You Trust?
Goldfrapp - Black Cherry
Portishead - Dummy
Royksopp - Melody AM
Zero 7 - Simple Things

Beck's album Guerrero was pretty sweet and very well recorded, like most of his stuff.

I just realized I could be here all night. gonna stop here

[jakelots]

Re: Recommended Test Tracks/Recordings Sticky

Clarity

Artist: Holy Cole Trio
Song: Train Song

Sound Staging best used for 5.x 7.x systems

Artist: Pink Floyd
Album: Wish You Were Here
Song: Welcome to the Machine

What your speakers will LOVE

Artist: Kate Bush
Album: Hounds of Love
Song(s): Hound of Love
Jig of Life
Running Up That Hill

[Wolf]

Re: Recommended Test Tracks/Recordings Sticky

My favorite so far has to be:
Nightwish - Nemo and The Siren from the album "Once"
Absolutely love the opera style vocals of Tarja Tarunen!!

I much prefer Dark Passion Play from Nightwish.
Wolf

[RoutaSielu]

Re: Recommended Test Tracks/Recordings Sticky

My favorite so far has to be:
Nightwish - Nemo and The Siren from the album "Once"
Absolutely love the opera style vocals of Tarja Tarunen!!

I'm not much into rap anymore, but for those who really want bass that will shake everything...
Three 6 Mafia - Late Nite Tip
I've actually blown out a few woofers with that song

For those into metal I would definitely recommend any of the works of Tuomas Saukkonen. His previous bands were Before The Dawn, Dawn of Solace, Black Sun Aeon, The Final Harvest (very rare to find) and RoutaSielu (album is in Finnish). Those acts have all been disbanded and he now works under the band name Wolfheart. He does all the studio recording himself.. that is he plays the guitar, bass and drums. I believe he's endorsed by Yamaha (his set is Yamaha Oak Custom with Impression Cymbals), he's recently endorsed by Silverblade Amplifiers and he plays Amifisound Custom guitars.

Here is the drum recordings for the debut Wolfheart album

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rErh-PGmUpI

And the first official video for Routa pt. 2 (Rhythm guitar and solos done by guest guitarist Mika Lammassaari)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtOZCdB18pM

I also like De Lirium's Order from Finland. I believe they are classified as technical death metal. Their drummer is 19 y/o Ukri Suvilehto. Lots of double bass on the drums, deep sustains from the bass guitar and a very nice guitar solo at about the half way point of the song!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uURSZfjZaf4

[deewan]

Re: Recommended Test Tracks/Recordings Sticky

Having said all of that, if you are interested, here's a link to download the disc.

http://bit.ly/1aNO7ol

The file is in .rar (zip) format. You'll have to unzip the file to extract the individual tracks. The tracks are in .m4a, apple lossless, format. Uploading full .wav would take FOOOORRREEEVVVEEEERRRRRR (Sandlot style). If you have iTunes, you're good to go. If you don't then you'll have to figure something out, which shouldn't be too hard to do.


Hopefully you guys get a kick out of it. It's definitely a fun disc and breaks the norm.

- Erin

Any chance this file is still available for download someplace?

[deewan]

Re: Recommended Test Tracks/Recordings Sticky

Some of my fav reference recordings...

Classical
Jose Serebrier and the Czech State Philharmonic - Janacek - The Cunning Little Vixen
Canadian Brass - The essential Canadian Brass - Bach: Toccata a& Fugue in D Minor
John Beck – O-Zone Percussion Group: Bamba – Jazz Variants
Cantate Domino – Oscar Monet Choir – Christmas
Erich Kunzel – Cincinnati Pops Orchestra – Star Trek Main Theme
Vienna Horns – Directors Cut – Back to The Future

Guitar
Nils Lofgren – Acoustic Live – Wonderland
BB King and Friends -80 - Hummingbird
Norah Jones – My Blueberry Nights – The Story
Keb’ Mo – Keb’ Mo – Every Morning
Melody Gardot – My One and Only Thrill – Who Will Comfort Me

Sound Stage
Air – Talkie Walkie – Alone in Kyoto
Air – Talkie Walkie – Alpha Beta Gaga
Matchbox 20 – Yourself or Someone Like You (HD Tracks) – Shame (Acoustic)
Friends of Carlotta – F.O.C. (Live) – Walking in Memphis

Vocal
Friends of Carlotta – F.O.C. (Live) – Ain’t No Sunshine
The Persuasions – The Persuasions Sing U2 – Angel of Harlem
Amy Whitcomb and Jake Justice – It will Rain
The Fairfield Four – I couldn’t Hear Nobody Pray – These Bones
Kelly Clarkson – Oh Holy Night
BYU Vocal Point – Nonstop – Nearer My God to Thee
Kelly Sweet – We are One – Je T’Aime
Fleetwood Mac – Rumours – Never Going Back Again
The Wallin’ Jennys – Firecracker – Long Time Traveller

[littlebear]

Re: Recommended Test Tracks/Recordings Sticky

Hello Audio Experts!
I'm a bit of a gnewby at this, but these 3 discs are among my favorites for evaluating my systems sound:

Hot Tuna: Hot Tuna. This concert has Jorma on acoustic guitar, Jack on bass, and Will Scarlett on harmonica (no drums). I don't know if they were doing the right drugs or what, but Jorma's picking is tight & clean, Jack's bass is so strong, & Will's harmonica seems to float in space. Mostly old blues songs.
Amy Winehouse: Frank. Her voice is so expressive, & the songs are a total blast (ex: "F***-me Pumps"). Very heavy on the bass, this will give your system a little workout.
The Who: Live at Leeds. Maybe my fav live rock album ever (Stones: "Get Your Ya-Ya's Out", Joplin: "Cheap Thrills", Allmans: "Filmore East"?) . Everyone just goes for it, & smokes it. Some off key harmonies, but that's OK; Kieth Moon must have lost 10 lb drumming. You cannot turn this up loud enough. I think there are a few cuttings of this concert; mine is MCAD-11215.

Enjoy!

Murf