Critical (Best) Music Tracks for Speaker and Room EQ Testing

[mhardy6647]

Apropos of nothing -- I was given a copy of a disc (of the polycarbonate, Redbook kind) by a fellow-hifi-traveller that is remarkably good sounding. Remarkable in the sense that it has a sense of space and spaciousness that suggests not only careful recording but also extremely judicious use of compression and any of those other seasonings that are de rigueur in most virtually all 'commercial' recordings/albums.

https://www.amazon.com/Sledgehammer-Soul-Down-Home-Blues/dp/B000003HL5

Give a listen to the track When the Hurt is Over.
Heck, it's on "Amazon Prime Music" so you can even try before you buy (at some level of quality -- who knows which?)


Full disclosure: I guess this was an "audiophile release" from Audioquest, of all folks.
It checks the audiophile boxes, I will say that.

 

[MRC01]

I have that album, and a couple others Sam McClain did on Audioquest. All excellent sounding. Huge dynamics, I don't think they used any compression, though they are analog recordings and there could be some dynamic compression that naturally results from the analog tape response. They're among the best sounding jazz/blues/soul music recordings I have heard.

If you like that, try some of Ronnie Earl's Audioquest albums too. And Bruce Katz. Just as great.

 

[nscrivener]

Apropos of nothing -- I was given a copy of a disc (of the polycarbonate, Redbook kind) by a fellow-hifi-traveller that is remarkably good sounding. Remarkable in the sense that it has a sense of space and spaciousness that suggests not only careful recording but also extremely judicious use of compression and any of those other seasonings that are de rigueur in most virtually all 'commercial' recordings/albums.

https://www.amazon.com/Sledgehammer-Soul-Down-Home-Blues/dp/B000003HL5

View attachment 53375
Give a listen to the track When the Hurt is Over.
Heck, it's on "Amazon Prime Music" so you can even try before you buy (at some level of quality -- who knows which?)


Full disclosure: I guess this was an "audiophile release" from Audioquest, of all folks.
It checks the audiophile boxes, I will say that.

Just had a listen to that track on Tidal. 22khz AAC, and it sounds fantastic! Really goes to show that production is far, far more important than high bitrates.

 

[mhardy6647]

Just had a listen to that track on Tidal. 22khz AAC, and it sounds fantastic! Really goes to show that production is far, far more important than high bitrates.

It sounds very real, doesn' it?
As such, it reminds one of how unreal so much commercial recorded material sounds -- even when it sounds good.

 

[Jukka]

A journalist for a hifi magazine in my country uses Kodo - Ibuki (1997 US) to test bass performance of speakers (drum music). I only recently acquired the recording and have yet to listen it on any other system than my own, but it seems to have quite high DR and sharp and low hit sounds of drums.

 

[miero]

Tidal playlist with tracks recommended on some high-end audiophile forum for testing bass frequencies:
- https://listen.tidal.com/playlist/4215a6e3-9d4a-452a-8ef5-3f655e3bbccd

 

[SimpleTheater]

What you’re chart tells me is that we wouldn’t need 115 SINAD if women didn’t sing pop rock.

 

[MRC01]

A journalist for a hifi magazine in my country uses Kodo - Ibuki (1997 US) to test bass performance of speakers (drum music). I only recently acquired the recording and have yet to listen it on any other system than my own, but it seems to have quite high DR and sharp and low hit sounds of drums.

Drums & Bells by Brad Dutz & Chris Wabich is another great CD for testing audio systems. It has deep tight bass, extreme high frequency extension, and smooth clear mids, very wide dynamics (DR14 average 20, max 29). An excellent recording, perfectly mixed & balanced, incredibly realistic.

 

[dasdoing]

Bubbles by Yosi Horikawa is great for stereo image testing
Trilok Gurtu -Living Magic 1991- track n°3 Once I Wished a Tree Upside Down
Also the intro (steps) of MJ - Thriller
World Saxophone Quartet - "the holy men" is a very critical track for instrument positioning. you have 4 saxes all panned into their own space.

 

[Wombat]

This just arrived:

https://www.discogs.com/Carpenters-Magical-Memories-Of-The-Carpenters/release/4389060

Harbeth guys, eat your hearts out.

 

[Veri]

Excuse the youtube compression but this one sounds just incredible to me

 

[MRC01]

That band is HOT. If you like brass, here's one from an album I recently heard on Idagio. I find the sonics natural and realistic with life-like timbres. They play a wide range from Telemann to Gershwin.

 

[Sal1950]

Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band - Swingin For The Fence's and 3 or 4 others.
In incredible sounding 5.1 24-96 HiRez audio.

 

[ferrellms]

The Box by Orbital is the only cut I have that makes my Genelecs grunt in pain. There is real <30 hz stuff down there, and at a good volume. Electronica is great for speaker tests since it contains the most difficult to reproduce bass, as well as the crispest transients and most precise and flexible imaging. Synths and computers have a wider frequency response and dynamic range and more precise imaging than any acoustic stuff does.

Throw in some good acoustic music recordings as well, of course, like the Chesky "Ultimate Demonstration Disc"!

 

[MRC01]

... Electronica is the best for listening tests since it contains the most difficult to reproduce bass, as well as the crispest transients and craziest imaging. Synths and computers have a wider frequency response and dynamic range than any acoustic stuff does.

I agree that electronica is good for listening for frequency response, for the same reasons. But electronica is not good for listening for accuracy of reproduction or distortion, because there's no reference for what the timbre is supposed to sound like. With electronica you know whether the system produces very low bass and get an idea of whether it's leveled right. But you don't know, for example, if it's accurate enough to reveal the difference between the upper range of a bass violin versus the lower range of a cello. Or the difference between a viola de gamba and a cello. Or to reveal the subtle differences in tone between 2 different bass instruments of the same type.

For accuracy and timbre, you could listen to recordings like this: https://play.primephonic.com/album/3760014198908
Or this: https://play.primephonic.com/album/3760014194092
Of course the bass in electronica goes lower so you'd really want to listen to both kinds of recordings.

 

[dasdoing]

The Box by Orbital

the notes are not realy deep though.
this is a <30Hz note:

 

[watchnerd]

The Box by Orbital is the only cut I have that makes my Genelecs grunt in pain. There is real <30 hz stuff down there, and at a good volume. Electronica is great for speaker tests since it contains the most difficult to reproduce bass, as well as the crispest transients and most precise and flexible imaging. Synths and computers have a wider frequency response and dynamic range and more precise imaging than any acoustic stuff does.

Throw in some good acoustic music recordings as well, of course, like the Chesky "Ultimate Demonstration Disc"!

Well, that's what my subs are for.

 

[Sal1950]

The Box by Orbital is the only cut I have that makes my Genelecs grunt in pain.

At around -15db my eardrums start to pulse to the rhythm. Turned it down. LOL

BTW, it up-samples really well to 5.2.4 with Auro 3D, at times it almost sounds a native mix.

 

[ferrellms]

the notes are not realy deep though.
this is a <30Hz note:

Thanks for the link, it is a fun one! As far as the Orbital track goes,
I have run the track thru a spectrum analyzer. There is content at 30hz according to that at any rate. The lowest I have seen is around 25hz in Flim and the BBs New America, and supposedly the organ pedal tone at the beginning of Also Sprach Zarathustra is in that range.. The Orbital track bass is much louder, though. A real woofer crusher. Given that a software music system can easily create a below 20hz tone at 0 db, the sky (or basement!) is the limit with electronica. This is not recommended for the faint of heart.

 

[Beershaun]

Alabama Shakes, Sounds & Color is a fantastic system test album IMHO.
https://tidal.com/browse/album/91578197