Merged thread of demo songs, tracks and CDs

[sam9]

I have the Parsons disc, too. My only quibble is the rudimentary spectrum analyzer built into the box is not very sensative. Maybe it's OK for near field use, butmore than three feet from the speakers it doesn't function unless volume is cranked up mercilessly. Nonetheless I can use the disc with a "real" spectrum analyzer or with a RS SPL meter just fine.

[hongrn]

Where can I buy a copy of the WILSON AUDIO Ultimate Reference CD?

Thank you.

[Nordic]

The Orb, cd title live 93, also good Ufo, Orb
This is incredible music, or soundscapes rather...
These guys use sounds from the natural world, (i.e. sounds you instictively know what they sound like), things like motorbikes, coughs, dogs barking etc, to create some of the most intelligent music you will ever experience...

This CD will absolutely test the strenghts of your speaker system, it doesnt matter how nice anything else sounds on my sound system, when I stick the orb cd in there, it is clear that my system is severley lacking, especialy on the track with the fog forn sound, Heck I bet it has sub 20Hz components (and we are not talking litte bass guitar sonic blips).

One day we were parked next to the road in the mountains in the town I grew up in, the CD was playing loudly in the car, some old people stopped to have a sightseeing... one old unlce aproached us, I thought he was going to reprimand us for making a noise in the mointain, instead he asked what music was playing, as it made the place feel like heaven... that to me is alot comming from an lod man, considering it is music he has never been exposed to before... it is not electronica or anything like that.

Lol only other CD i like nearly that much is Black sabbath, Black sabbath, and its kinda a shame that it had to be so black metal... some of the best guitar riffs (if you like normal music), it should be illegal to play in a car while driving, as it just makes your gas foot heavy...

[BWRX]

The first disc I like to use is a 17 track sampler disc from Sony and Telarc. It was made in 1987 and came with an old Sony CDP which I use in my system.

The tracks I seem to play more frequently are:

R.Strauss: Intro to Also Sprach Zarathustra
Williams: Olympic Fanfare (this is one of my favorite tracks)
Silvestri: Back to the Future
Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture, excerpt (great deep transients from the cannons firing off)
Vivaldi: Four Seasons (this is just a great classical piece)
Pachelbel: Kanon, excerpt
J.S. Bach: Toccata and Fugue in d (absolutely stunning at volume with a good sub)
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5, Mvt. I, excerpt
J.S. Bach: Presto!, synthesizers (cool synthesizer interpretation)
Ben Luxon, Bill Crofut and Friends: Dance to Your Daddy
Papa Doo Run Run: I Get Around

Of course all of my other CDs get tested eventually, but a listen with this disc usually tells me how much I'll enjoy them.

[Perry Babin]

How about the Sheffield Lab CDs? They are out of print but many are still available on Ebay and and Amazon.

James Newton Howard and Friends - CD-23 - excellent drum tracks

Clair Marlo - Let it Go - CD-29 - very nice vocals, very nice recording

Amanda McBroom - Amanda - 10066-2-G - Great vocals, excellent recording

[thomgun_lc]

Wow, i'm interested with Alan Parson CD.I'm sure the price is High.
If there is a free mp3 sample of Parson CD or other soundcheck CD......
I only have an old CD "Sampler 2"by NAXOS recording DDD(made 1988).It is a good classic CD like Bach, Beethoven,Mozart.The record is very clean and detail.

[bobhayes]

Nordic,

I listen to the orb too from time to time, and I agree. The heavy signals they sometimes create in the lower bass and upper treble are a good test, and the sounds are just hypnotic.
"There's a machine, right there inside of his body"
That's the one isn't it?
If you like the orb, you gotta get your hands on some 'Shpongle' CD's also.
Similar theme, but more weird still.
And 'Future sounds of london' or FSOL.

They're all good

[PauSim]

Sorry for taking so long to reply.

Soundcheck V2 is available here

For $ 35 it´s not that expensive...

With analyzer it´s $ 75.

Mine was second-hand without analyzer, so can´t tell. But I trust my ears...

[thomgun_lc]

Try trueaudio software for realtime analyzer using PC.http://www.trueaudio.com

[haiqu]

So many good test tracks to choose. Here are some of my favourites:

Jennifer Warnes, The Hunter, track 10 - "I Can't Hide"
Kirk Lorange, No Apostrophe, track 6 - "Montreal"
Béla Fleck, UFO TOFU, track 6 - "Ufo Tofu"

Rob