What are your standard "show-off" tracks?

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By far and away, for me, it's Nohra Jones "Painter Song".

When played at the right volume, it sounds as if she and the instruments are right in the room. The imaging is holograhic. People are amazed at the realism and are convinced they are listening to the best system they have ever heard.

Gives me a buzz! :D
 
Vangelis, Bladerunner soundtrack, track 1. Tests: midrange transients, bottom end. Decker's voice should be right there, and at 1:07 there's an arpeggio in the tops with a close to subsonic bottom end swell which should bring to mind the aircar rising past the tall buildings. The whole record has huge ambience, and a system with good off-axis power response will show the soundstage extending well past the speakers.

Tori Amos, Little Earthquakes, title track. Tests: even midrange frequency response. The chorus is overdubbed and panpotted L/R, which collapses to a solo voice for the verse. The change should almost suck you into the image. Doing this properly means getting female vocals right.

Harry Connick Jr, When Harry Met Sally, It Had To Be You w/big band (track 1). Tests: dynamic range, imaging. The band starts off quietly with clarinet, builds up with brass, until an enormous crescendo which drops right into Connick's vocal. Set up right, the intro will knock people flat. Systems with good imaging will show everything placed precisely on the soundstage; even the piano should have a decent width on solo tracks like WInter Wonderland.

Thomas Dolby, Aliens Ate My Buick, Airhead. Tests: upper bass/lower midrange coherency. Lots of drums & bouncy synth in this one. Systems with the right amount of tautness (not thick, not thin) should make you want to get up & dance. The next couple of tracks (Hot Sauce, Pulp) aren't slouches, either.

Danny Elfman, Edward Scissorhands. Tests: upper midrange transients, dynamic range, imaging. It's a movie soundtrack in the lush romantic style, with lots of 1940s Disney "ooooo" choruses and strings, along with some trademark Elfman chimes and pizzicatos. This is another soundstage-past-the-speakers disc, and a transparent system should distinguish the various orchestral sections. If you can close your eyes and think of a splendid old movie house, great!

I have more, but I tend to use movie soundtracks because they seem to provide that dramatic experience I like to have for showing off my system. No immaculately presented happy little dulcimers for me, thanks, I prefer a presentation in the grand manner!
 
What a bunch of Sissies :)
Forget the theatrical advertisements for THX crap, and the 'any system sounds good' Elevator music Dross

Try a something actually 'challenging' for your system to reproduce... something overcompressed with massive content.
Try something Like PJ Harvey .. that will take the wind out of yr average Audio Sails
No mistake it Sounds just awfull on midfi systems.. BUT.. the higher the resolving power the better it sounds.. on a Genuinely "good' system the woman's Cat screeching becomes ..very ..enticing Vocals.. the Voice is surprisingly v damned good. The recordings are v well done by the way.
 
I use these tracks for demo-ing new gear always.

Bella fleck - Flight of ths Cosmic Hippo. that first Dropping Bass note and then the massive attack of the banjo plucks tell me right away if a speaker has "it".

Sass Jordan - Racine - Track: You Don't Have to Remind Me. Sass's voice falls right into a range that tells you if the midrange is right. I use this track for setting up P.A. systems mostly as her voice is right in the horn range and most horns tend to sound really honky sounding. a good P.A. box will be smooth through her voice range.

Dallas Wind Symphony - Tritico. Lots of dynamic range here. huge kettle drums in the back ground should make the room go "WOOOOOOM". wind instruments can sound harsh on some systems but should be very clean and very very detailed.

Milla Jovovich - The Divine Comedy. Extremly well recorded and clean. lots of very good image placment. Very 3D album.

Grace Jones - Slave To The Rythm. very clean triangle transients. tend to sound musshy on lesser systems, or ringy on some amps. track 7 has subsonic's in two spots. about 5hz or so. gets missed on most systems. also digital stereo tricks really tell of the mid/highs are right.

The Crystal Method - Vegas - Played at high volume level. Test's for power handling. and visceral impact. if you are exauhsted by the end of this story CD. your there.


and the gold. The first Crown audio SASS-P demo CD. two Tracks. Street Harley and fireworks in the mountains. the harley should rattle your privates and the fireworks well. IF your system survives with any sort of volume level at all......be carefull with this track.


Zc
 
Bare said:
Try something Like PJ Harvey .. that will take the wind out of yr average Audio Sails
No mistake it Sounds just awfull on midfi systems.. BUT.. the higher the resolving power the better it sounds.. on a Genuinely "good' system the woman's Cat screeching becomes ..very ..enticing Vocals.. the Voice is surprisingly v damned good. The recordings are v well done by the way.

"I say, Chauncey, does Ms Harvey's guitar amplifier sound a tad different? Perhaps around the third 6CA7?"

"I do believe you're right, Percy. It sounds as though someone's replaced a Sylvania with a Svetlana."

"Quite, quite. Without swapping the other thermionic valves, eh? Well, one must make do with the exigencies of the studio. Right. Who do you favour for the mud wrestling match this evening?"
 
I use many of the ones posted above. Here are a few more I use as well:

(Artist - Album - Song)
Billy Cobham - Warning - Mozaik
Barry White - Staying Power - Low Rider (This has some of the lowest frequency content of any CD I own. It will really show the bass extension and control limits of your subwoofer/room setup.)
Eddie Daniels - Blackwood - Blackwood

Bill
 
Ministry. - Jesus built my Hotrod.

That'll get the lead out.

Serously? I dunno. Whatever seems to be in reach and fun.

like a 12" ep of, oh...Billy Idol, White wedding.

Maybe the Holly Cole temptation album, or maybe some Ike Quebec.

Whatever slab is up next to keep the groove goin'.
 
Wyloch said:
What albums do you use to show off/break in/test your system(s)
I would definetly say anything off my "Who do we think we are" record (Deep purple) -- Amazing sound.... Excellent tone,etc....


Also maybe

Bostons first album - I have the first pressing (Orange epic label) -- Fabulous!!!!
The Who - Whos next - I have the first Decca pressing (Black label) - Fabulous!!
 
Robbie Robertson, Somewhere down the crazy river

Wait, did you hear that
Oh, this is sure stirring up some ghosts for me
She said, "There's one thing you've got to learn
Is not to be afraid of it"
I said, "No, I like it, I like it, it's good"
She said, "You like it now
But you'll learn to love it later".
was hooked on this when it came out, totally forgot about it, need to dig it out again:)
 
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Rock:
Large Time - Atlanta Rythm Section, Champagne Jam
Who Do You Love? - Quicksilver Messenger Service, Happy Trails
Echo - Joe Satriani, Time Machine

Jazz:
Phase Dance - Pat Metheny (white album) (ECM records; outstanding dynamic range, zip noise!)
Elenore Rugby - Stanley Jordan, Magic Touch.
This Masquerade - George Benson, Breezin.

Female vocalist:
Annie Haslam/Renaissance, Scheherazade, Ashes Burning
Sylvia Frickert - Ian & Sylvia, Early Morning Rain

Acoustic:
Down Yonder - Doc Watson, first Circle album.
Southern Exposure - Alex Degrasi - Southern Exposure

I could go on for days...
Doc
 
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when you're in the mood for just girls and guitars

Eva Cassidy - Tall Trees in Georgia, Fields of Gold, Autumn Leaves - Live at Blues Alley;

the Wailin' Jennys - Deeper Well, Summertime - Live at the Mauch Chunk Opera House

a bit more density:
Holly Cole - Jersey Girl, Temptation, Invitation to the Blues - Temptation (songs of Tom Waitts

want some piano in the mix?
Patricia Barber - Constantinople, Post Modern Blues (Modern Cool), and just for the lyrics - If This Isn't Jazz - Companion

Stanley Clarke Trio (with Hiromi) - Paradigm Shift, Sakura Sakura, Under the Bridge - Jazz in the Garden

my absolute favorite version:

k d Lang - Hallelujah - Hymns of the 49th Parallel


dynamic contrast:
Lorenna McKennitt - Lady of Shalott / Dante's Prayer, Huron 'Beltane' Fire Dance - Nights from the Alhambra


Ya see, these men got the blues, right here:
Buddy Guy - Blues Singer, just play the whole damned thing
Terry Evans - Please no more, The River - Come to the River

Pink Floyd - Shine on you crazy diamond - Wish you were here

dam, doc was right, one could go on for days
 
I always like to listen for the differences in audience noise on small venue live recordings - best two that come to mind, and are on my short list above for that reason are the Patricia Barber "Companion" and Eva Cassidy "Live at Blues Alley"

ones recorded in liquor serving establishments are particularly interesting - tinkling of glasses and all that - sometimes you can almost smell the beer or cocktails
 
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