Favourite test tracks for wide bander drivers

Jump to Latest
F

FRFT

Member
Joined 2019
#1
Hi, all. Just wondering what everyone's favourite test tracks are for full range drivers.


Particularly any tracks that you find full range drivers excel at compared to multiway designs. Would be interested to hear!
 
#5
I listen to all kind of music and use always the same tunes to test everything. Fullrange like less complex sound structures in general, but that is not absolute.

The 3 records i always take tot test (often from vinyl, but i also have them in hi res digital):

- Shakara from Fela Kuti (1970's Afrobeat with very complex ritmes played by the genious drummer Tonny Allen)
- Songs in the key of life from Stevie wonder (just perfect recorded/mixed music from great musicians)
- And to test how it handles big extreme low bass and electronic drums, i play "Light up your spliff" from the Bush Chemists (electronic UK dub from the mid 90's).

But again, i don't think you should use special tracks to test fullrange drivers, good sound is good sound, and the main importance with test music is that you know the music inside out, and heared it on many different systems so you got a reference.
 
Last edited:
#6
1993 collection from "newbies" of live folk songs on martha's vineyard (I think)
mostly voice + guitar but some piano, chorus.
stories and humor.
https://www.amazon.com/Times-Small-Town-Various-Artists/dp/B0000003UE

track 9 "star spangled banner"
https://www.amazon.com/Christine-Lavin-Presents-Times-Vineyard/dp/B0010VYIUQ

goes like this "I was minding my own business with a mug of herbal tea"
the words mug and herbal are tougher to under stand on a non 6db time/phase aligned speaker, or on a full range driver...…………..


I'll add more stuff as I look at music cd's over time.
But girl/guitar, you are pretty safe.
 
#7
 
#8
Thanks to everyone for their input. I'll be sure to listen to everyone's suggestions 🙂



waxx said:
But again, i don't think you should use special tracks to test fullrange drivers, good sound is good sound, and the main importance with test music is that you know the music inside out, and heared it on many different systems so you got a reference.
Click to expand...


I appreciate that. The main reason I'm asking is for when I show my speakers to people, and I want some songs for when comparing to multiway speakers
 
#10
Wish i could remember, there is a drum run (going midish downwards), maybe in an elo song.

Most any 3-way multiway fail this as the phase rotates around 250hz ( if that is the crossover point) while the frequency sweep right through it.

Hurts bass guitars also.
 
#11
I think a good test for *any* system is... (in no particular order)


1) 4th movement of Beethoven's 9th as conducted by Kurt Mazur at the Leipzig Gewandhaus in ~ 1995... a good system will clearly portray the triangle on top of the drums.


2) Strauss "Also Sprach Zarathustra" from the soundtrack to "2001: A space Odyssey" great for dynamic range, accuracy in the organ pedals...



3) Bach "Little G Minor" BVW578... another good test for IM distortion.
 
#12
Here are some songs I turn to when testing new amplifiers or speakers. I will usually test out a new amplifier's first sound with a female vocal like Natalie Merchant or Norah Jones. I will then move to a track that has a lot of contrasting texture and 2Pac's Skandalouz is great for that as well as Chocalate Trip by Tool. Add some Metallica and Infected Mushroom to make sure the speaker or amp can handle complex sounds without getting mushy. Then some classic rock like Pinball Wizzard by the Who and some male vocals from Pearljam. Add some pop vocals like Leona Lewis and Adele. Throw in some jazz classics like Take Five by Dave Brubeck, and it is always good to listen to a piano as played by Chick Correa. Piano is difficult to reproduce properly if an amp or speaker has too much distortion. Then I check for timing and reproduction of transisents, so songs with drum rimshots, bongos, marimba, etc are goood.

Here is one of my test playlists on Amazon HD.
 
#13
In no particular order:
Loreena McKennitt, “Caravanserai”, Nights at the Alhambra;
Rodrigo y Gabriella “Stairway to Heaven”;
Stevie Ray Vaughn, “Tin Pan Alley”;
Patricia Barber, “Postmodern Blues”;
Jacqui Naylor, “Miss You”;
Muddy Waters, “My Home Is In The Delta”;
Harry Manx, “San Diego - Tijuana”;
2 Cellos, “Thunderstruck”;
Jerry Douglas, Russ Barenberg & Edgar Meyer, “From Ankara to Izmur
......

Geeze, one could go on forever
 
#14
Holy sh|t that Stevie Ray Vaughn, “Tin Pan Alley”; sounds good! (Probably make any speaker sound good)

I'll offer Dave Grusin's 1976 classic "show off the stereo" Sheffield Labs "Discovered Again" - full of HF material I can no longer even hear.
 
#15
With some of SRV’s live takes, y’all can almost smell the combo of chilies, grease and sweat.i quite loved the live duet with Johnny Copeland.
Rumour has it that he played just about the fattest strings available and bent / slid them so hard that the callouses on his fingertips would sometimes peal off, and he’d crazy glue them back on.

One more to add, and just ‘cause it’s my singular all time favorite lead solo - “Comfortably Numb”
 
#16
norman bates said:
Wish i could remember, there is a drum run (going midish downwards), maybe in an elo song.

Most any 3-way multiway fail this as the phase rotates around 250hz ( if that is the crossover point) while the frequency sweep right through it.

Hurts bass guitars also.
Click to expand...




Would be interesting to hear if you remember.




To the people who suggested Tin Pan Alley, that is certainly a song that sounds good on almost any speaker, I don't think I have ever heard it sound bad 😀


Thanks again for all the input, everyone. I have a good list of test tracks to try now
 
#17
I'm amazed at the stuff you guys are recommending.

I listen 7-15' away and most anything with bass sounds way too distorted to my ears.


should be at 20 second mark of elo "evil woman", when the drums go mid then lower and lower.
Makes a mess of an 200-80hz crossover point.
might be here (can't verify right now)

Evil Woman - YouTube
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom