Recommended Test Tracks/Recordings Sticky

[manu et deo]

Re: Recommended Test Tracks/Recordings Sticky

I will throw this out there: any well recorded live album of a artist you have seen yourself. As I have see Sarah Mclachlan multiple times, i use her album Mirrorball to compare things to. not that I'm saying it is well recorded(IMO it is pretty good) but I know what she should sound like and if I'm getting close when i demo it.

and the DTS track of Hotel California is one of the best for trying out surround settings IMO.

[tc]

Re: Recommended Test Tracks/Recordings Sticky

The Cowboy Junkies
Album: Trinity Sessions
Tracks: Misguided Angel, Sweet Jane
If you are not familiar, The Trinity Sessions were recorded in a church in Toronto...all the members surrounding the mic. Freaking awesome recording.

Honorable Mention: Misguided Angel off of NPR Music Tiny Desk Concerts Awesome stuff. And the last shameless plug for CJ's.... A great cover of a Neil Young Tune for female vocalss

Another great Female Live Recording that is a must-have
Artist: Eva Cassidy
Album: Live At The Blues Alley
Track: All of em.

Eagles
Album: Hell Freezes Over
Track: Hotel California
Freaking great guitar and bass drum intro, plus excellent vocals. The audio track off of the DVD-A is brilliant, this is just a quick MP3 I ripped for the link. If you don't like it because it is a popular tune, your loss.

+1 Brothers In Arms by Dire Straits. Greatness regarding recording and music.

Rock:

Artist: Pink Floyd
Album: MSFL Gold Disc Dark Side Of The Moon.
Album: MSFL Gold Disc The Wall
All songs, all wicked good.
Honorable Mention: MSFL Gold Disc Animals

Artist: Eric Clapton
Album: Eric Clapton Unplugged
Tune: Tears In Heaven and Alberta

Metal:
Artist: Metallica
Album: Master Of Puppets
Tune: Master Of Puppets
If you are not a metal fan, throw away any misconceptions and give it a listen. You can thank me later.


Artist: Riverside
Album: Anno Domini
Tune: Left Out
Male vocals and complicated rock mix including piano, synth, and guitar. Awesome stuff.

Artist: Steely Dan
Album: Aja
Tune: All of em.

Artist: Van Morrison
Album: HD Moondance
Tune: Moondance and Glad Tidings
Great Sax, Male vocals, and incredible mix/recording

[craigk]

Re: Recommended Test Tracks/Recordings Sticky

Maputo... interesting title. it is the capital of Mozambique, the first big city you get to after Xai Xai when crossing the border from south Africa. I think it is either tsonga or maybe twsa.

[oldloder]

Re: Recommended Test Tracks/Recordings Sticky

Brothers In Arms x eleventybillion.

Terry Evans - Puttin' It Down (especially Down in Mississippi) and Come To The River.

Jeff Hamilton "Live"

Diana Krall - Live in Paris (especially Devil May Care)

Anything Steely Dan

Rusted Root - When I Woke

Jason Moran - Modernistic

The Cranberries - No Need to Argue

Bonnie Raitt - Road Tested Live

Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense (Live)

[JasonP]

Re: Recommended Test Tracks/Recordings Sticky

David Sanborn & Bob James - Maputo - Double Vision

DAT SAX!

[Whitneyville1]

Re: Recommended Test Tracks/Recordings Sticky

The Alan Parson's Project - Eye In The Sky, the opening instrumental track into the Eye In the Sky track-Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs Half Speed Master

Frank Sinatra, on Epic, - When Jo Anna Loved Me

The Duets: Frank and Nancy Sinatra- (...and Then I Go and Spoil it All By Sayin' Somthin' Stupid Like) I Love You

Simeon and Garfunkel-The Boxer on Pathe of France; Black Label "Red Rooster" 1 of 10,000 Edition

Arthur Rubinstein-The 1961 Cycle recorded in Italy- Marche Funerable, Frederick Chopin RCA Victor Gold Seal boxed set

The Beatles in Italy-Mr. Moonlight (If John's opening solo sounds right, your cross-over is right for male vocals)

For us "QUAD" heads, anything from the Moody Blues QUAD version of -Days of Future Past

Personal female vocal favorite, Enya-Marble Halls, but "The Pearl's" voice is harder to get right

[Dr. Mordo]

Re: Recommended Test Tracks/Recordings Sticky

These are my go-to tracks. But I don't monitor off of youtube, so, sorry for the crappy quality.

Philip Glass - Australia (from the Orion album)

Steely Dan - Godwhacker

Steely Dan - Glamour Profession (this one has become a standard for me, although any Steely Dan from Aja, Gaucho, Two Against Nature, or Everything Must Go are great reference tracks)

Pink Floyd - anything off DSoTM or WYWH

[dustinbagby]

Re: Recommended Test Tracks/Recordings Sticky

Dire Straits
Private Investigations, Money for Nothing
Album: Sultans of Swing

Cake
Short Skirt, Long Jacket
Album: Comfort Eagle

Donald Fagen
Maxine
Album: The Nightfly

[stan]

Re: Recommended Test Tracks/Recordings Sticky

Sorry, I assumed it was pointing to that song. I'll have to figure out how to point to just one song in Grooveshark. Could not find it on youtube, though several other Mickey Hart songs from Planet Drum are there, such as Temple Caves.

The songs on that playlist are a compilation of songs TT users recommended over the last couple of years for testing speakers, they are not my choices. Was trying to keep up with adding songs to the playlist, but eventually gave up.

Songs by genre might be another way of organizing an unwieldy group of music.

Time to start working on the annual Xmas music CD, so good holiday music recommendations would be appropriate.

Cheers!

Stan

[evilskillit]

Re: Recommended Test Tracks/Recordings Sticky

Yes, all the this.

Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms (pretty much the whole thing) - Your Latest Trick

[ocdSCHACK]

Re: Recommended Test Tracks/Recordings Sticky

For female vocals, a couple I like are:

Jennifer Warnes, Bird on a Wire, from Famous Blue Raincoat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTIaidNgh1w

Ruthie Foster, Death Came a' Knockin', from Runaway Soul https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHIiWQLhfp4

Katherine Jenkins, L'Amore Se Tu, from From The Heart here is a live clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0r0aDfW2UM

For bass extension, a couple I like are:

Mickey Hart, Umasha (Strawberry Swamp version), from Planet Drum http://grooveshark.com/#!/playlist/S...Songs/33316237

Hans Zimmer, Mombasa, from Inception OST here is a live clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0r0aDfW2UM

Male vocals, a couple I like:

Chris Isaak, Can't Do A Thing To Stop Me, from San Francisco Days https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwXPb3OZ8Rc

Robert Plant, Fortune Teller, from Raising Sand https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5DeIcYD6xE

Guitar songs, a couple I like:

Joe Satriani, Sleep Walk, from Strange Beatiful Music a live clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5c8nanTCPz0

California Guitar Trio, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, from Highlights a live clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJqa5BKa57w

More later, time to go drink beer, San Diego Beer Week starts today!

Stan

Your post to Grooveshark has your entire list of 338 "Speaker test songs." You should just give the link: http://grooveshark.com/#!/playlist/S...Songs/33316237
Comments: It has some unusual things, maybe because I've never heard them, but overall should be more then enough for most. It's damn good! I only went through 16 of 338, but it seemed to miss songs in a "few" genres. I'm not saying to change it; it's great. But others that may like Rap, Reggae, Country, or Gospel; I don't need the last two...just mentioning.

EDIT: To clarify, I'm not complaining. This song list is more than enough, and a privilege, to scroll though. While it misses a few song types, it doesn't reduce it's quality. Please take my comments as informative and not trying to "split hairs." Thanks Stan!

[[email protected]]

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.

[dimentionx]

Re: Recommended Test Tracks/Recordings Sticky

Bassotronic's, Bass I love you.

Be very careful with this song. I use it to break in speakers and it can blow them easily, the soundtrack will goes lower than 10hz. so start with a low volume.

[stan]

Re: Recommended Test Tracks/Recordings Sticky

For female vocals, a couple I like are:

Jennifer Warnes, Bird on a Wire, from Famous Blue Raincoat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTIaidNgh1w

Ruthie Foster, Death Came a' Knockin', from Runaway Soul https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHIiWQLhfp4

Katherine Jenkins, L'Amore Se Tu, from From The Heart here is a live clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0r0aDfW2UM

For bass extension, a couple I like are:

Mickey Hart, Umasha (Strawberry Swamp version), from Planet Drum http://grooveshark.com/#!/playlist/S...Songs/33316237

Hans Zimmer, Mombasa, from Inception OST here is a live clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0r0aDfW2UM

Male vocals, a couple I like:

Chris Isaak, Can't Do A Thing To Stop Me, from San Francisco Days https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwXPb3OZ8Rc

Robert Plant, Fortune Teller, from Raising Sand https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5DeIcYD6xE

Guitar songs, a couple I like:

Joe Satriani, Sleep Walk, from Strange Beatiful Music a live clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5c8nanTCPz0

California Guitar Trio, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, from Highlights a live clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJqa5BKa57w

More later, time to go drink beer, San Diego Beer Week starts today!

Stan

[greywarden]

Re: Recommended Test Tracks/Recordings Sticky

Mobile Line - Joshua Lowe & The Juncos

This is actually from the Free California Audio Show Recordings, originally taken from DSD down to 720p youtube :/

The double bass is super realistic sounding and you can point at each of the musicians in the soundstage without even having to close your eyes and imagine it haha.