What kind of recording is suitable as a reference?

To OP

Make sure you include dull and bright recordings in the list. When played back, distinction should be as much noticable as posible.

Dull recordings should sound dull.
I agree.

There are bright sources like Norah Jones that are often used as a reference for Audiophile's listening tests. Also in older jazz recordings, there are clearly peaky parts, such as in famous recordings like Ella & Louis.

I think everyone has experienced some level of confusion when using such sources as a reference. However, this is not the circle of confusion or anything like that. I think many audiophiles tend to adjust the characteristics of their equipment gently because of such bright sources, but we just need to simply recognize that a fact that there are bright recordings/masters, and there's no need to worry that our environment is too bright.

We should not treat the source/master as the word of God.
 
How do you measure stereo illusion soundstage imaging width, depth, and localization of voices/instuments under dynamic (changing volume level) conditions?
Using the Head-related Transfer Function. Localization and size is accomplished using frequency response, as it is altered striking the ear lobe and entering the ear canal. The perception of imaging or placement is an evolutionary development. It’s possible, using two front speakers only, to convince listeners a sound is coming from behind them by altering the frequency response in accordance with the established model for HRTF.
 
I don’t want to go so far off topic, so I’ll close with a bit of background on this lesser-known subject.

One of my final dissertations was on the topic of the Head-related Transfer Function. At the time, the discussion included arguments that the human auditory system did not perceive phase magnitude, but instead, differentiated direction using the transfer magnitude.

Having but two ears only, which early on conducted from the lower jaw bone, the auditory system was likely to have evolved the means to hear direction as a survival tool. At current, it can discriminate the entire horizontal axis and part of the vertical axis using the modified response of the ear lobes.

This phenomenon can also be reversed using replica ears attached to stereo microphones. Continuing that, I demonstrated the effects were reduced to mere left-right detection when the lobe were replaced with conical inlets. This made for an argument that the exterior ear evolved not only as a means of amplification.

With numerous papers covering the details of HRTF and their availability for decades, it remains virtually unknown to so many. The upside is, the HRTF has found use in the recording industry, particularly the film and video game soundtrack side. Manipulating the response and channel balance can move the sound beyond the physical locations of the loudspeaker system.
 
If the Phantom center is not well defined, the instrument's sound image may waver or become vague and enlarged.
This occurs when the sound from the left and right speakers in a stereo system fails to blend well and create a clear sound image in the center for the listener.
In such a situation, the listener cannot clearly identify the position of the sound image, which may result in an improper music listening experience.
 
Using the Head-related Transfer Function. Localization and size is accomplished using frequency response, as it is altered striking the ear lobe and entering the ear canal. The perception of imaging or placement is an evolutionary development. It’s possible, using two front speakers only, to convince listeners a sound is coming from behind them by altering the frequency response in accordance with the established model for HRTF.
You don't believe in ITD?
Maybe see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_localization
 
I believe this is not an entirely genuine question, and the link is even worse.

Humans hear in the frequency domain, and of course they can hear start and stop differences in the frequency domain. There was never any solid evidence of phase discrimination, however.

While not the exact same thing in this case, consider the phase behaviors of loudspeakers and the media we listen to. The final playback has often undergone hundreds of degrees of shift, yet none noticed.
 
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There was never any solid evidence of phase discrimination,
Really? How about if there are four frequencies, and the two of them get phase shifted, with no other changes to the signals? No audible difference?
A good example of how audible phase shift can be at: https://purifi-audio.com/2019/12/07/amfm/ There are two wave files with the differences I just described. Do they sound the same to you?

Regarding ITD:
"The ITD has been recognized as a dominant localization cue for over a century"
https://pubs.aip.org/asa/jasa/article/135/6/3530/607058/A-comparative-study-of-interaural-time-delay
 
Yes of course. Measurements are objective, listening is not.


Choice of measurements is objective. Believing they tell you what an amplifier sounds like is objective.

Measurements are tools. The user needs to know how to use them. Listenign can be a toola s well. But it is also the end goal. A sound that we find brings us pleasure and entertainment.

dave
 
This is taken directly from my playlist for auditioning sound / speakers.

A lot of styles and eras here. Some songs are better for testing certain "features" such as bass, impact, treble. Some are just some fantastic recordings as old as 50 years ago done on analog equipment. Today's music has no "atmosphere." Much of this does. Occasionally a song here might have multiple recordings or masterings, some stand out and some are terrible. The tracks I use are the best versions I could find of each song. I didn't duplicate songs on the same album, or more than one by the same artist for brevity:


ABBA - 1981 - The Visitors - 04 - Soldiers
ACDC - 1990 - The Razors Edge - 01 - Thunderstruck
Aesma Daeva - 2002 - The Eros of Frigid Beauty - 03 - In my Holy Time
Afrojack, Eva Simons - Take Over Control (Dinthey Remix)
A-Ha - 1990 - East of the Sun, West of the Moon - 04 - Slender Frame
Alannah Myles - 1989 - Alannah Myles - 04 - Rock this Joint
Aldo Nova - 1982 - Aldo Nova [2004 Remaster] - 01 - Fantasy
Anathema - 1998 - Alternative 4 - 10 - Destiny
Andrew Lloyd Weber - Overture To Phantom Of The Opera
Arcturus - 2002 - Hiems Symphonia Constellation My Angel [CD02] - 02 - Cosmojam
Asia - 1982 - Asia - 02 - Only Time Will Tell
Billy Idol - 1990 - Charmed Life - 03 - Prodigal Blues
Billy Joel - 1983 - An Innocent Man - 02 - An Innocent Man
Billy Ocean - 2014 - The Real Billy Ocean - 29 - Loverboy
Birdy - Shelter (The XX Cover) [Clark Kent Remix]
Blackmore's Night - 2002 - Past Times With Good Company - 09 - Beyond the Sunset
Blues Traveler - 1994 - Four - 01 - Run-Around
Book of Love - 1991 - Candy Carol - 07 - Wall Song
Borknagar - 2019 - True North - 09 - Voices
Boston - 1976 - Boston - 01 - More Than A Feeling
Bryan Adams - 1984 - Reckless - 04 - Heaven
Cân Bardd - 2021 - Devoured By the Oak - 01 - Echoes of the Moss
Carach Angren - 2012 - Where The Corpses Sink Forever - 05 - Sir John
Chicago - 2002 - The Chicago Story - 02 - Hard to Say I'm Sorry
Chris Isaak - 1989 - Heart Shaped World - 06 - Blue Spanish Sky
Christopher Cross - 2011 - Cross Words (Best of) - 02 - Sailing
Crowded House - 1996 - The Very Best of - 02 - World Where you Live
Cutting Crew - 1993 - The Best Of Cutting Crew - 01 - (I Just) Died In Your Arms Tonight
Cyndi Lauper - 2003 - The Essential Cyndi Lauper - 06 - I Drove all Night
Daft Punk - 2013 - Random Access Memories - 04 - Within
Damn Yankees - 1990 - Damn Yankees - 04 - High Enough
Daryl Hall & John Oates - 2005 - The Essential - 21 - Maneater
Datsik - Animale (Don Diablo Ft. Dragonette)
Dave Matthews Band - 1996 - Crash - 09 - Lie in Our Graves
David & Steve Gordon - 1994 - Sacred Earth Drums - 01 - Prayer For the Four Directions
Dead Can Dance - 1987 - Within the Realm of a Dying Sun - 07 - Summoning of the Muse
Dead Can Dance - 2012 - Anastasis - 07 - Return of the She-King
Deadmau5 - Where My Keys (Original Mix)
Depeche Mode - 1990 - Violator [Remastered] - 11 - Memphisto
Dethklok - 2009 - Dethalbum II - 04 - Laser Cannon Deth Sentence
Devo - 1980 - Freedom of Choice - 03 - Whip it
Dimmu Borgir - 2007 - In Sorte Diaboli - 01 - The Serpentine Offering
Dire Straits - 1985 - Brothers in Arms - 03 - Walk of Life
Duran Duran - 1982 - Rio - 08 - Save a Prayer
Eagles - 1975 - One of These Nights - 06 - Take it to the Limit
Echoes of Eternity - 2009 - As Shadows Burn - 09 - Funeral in the Sky
Electric Light Orchestra - 1981 - Time - 06 - Another Heart Breaks
Elton John - 2002 - Greatest Hits - 23 - I Don't Wanna Go on With you Like That
Empyrium - 2021 - Über Den Sternen - 03 - The Oaken Throne
Enya - 1988 - Watermark - 07 - Orinoco Flow
Fine Young Cannibals - 1996 - The Finest - 04 - Good Thing
Fiona Apple - 1996 - Tidal - 03 - Shadowboxer
Fleetwood Mac - 1982 - Mirage - 09 - Hold Me
Foreigner - 1992 - The Very Best of - 14 - I Want to Know What Love is
Genesis - 1981 - Abacab - 01 - Abacab
George Michael - 1987 - Faith [Remastered] - 09 - Kissing A Fool
Gojira - 2012 - L'enfant Sauvage - 10 - Born In Winter
Great White - 1989 - Twice Shy - 07 - House of Broken Love
Haken - 2018 - Vector [CD2] - 06 - Host (Instrumental Version)
Herbie Hancock - Rock it
Hootie & the Blowfish - 1994 - Cracked Rear View - 03 - Let Her Cry
Huey Lewis and the News - 1986 - Fore - 04 - Doin' it (All For my Baby)
Ian Ocean - Curium
Infected Mushroom - 2003 - Converting Vegetarians - 08 - Deeply Disturbed
Irene Cara - Flashdance...What A Feeling
It's a Beautiful Day - 1969 - It's a Beautiful Day - 04 - Girl With No Eyes
Jeff Buckley - 1994 - Grace [24-192] - 07 - Lover, You Should've Come Over
John Fogerty - Centerfield
John Mellencamp - 2004 - Words and Music - 18 - Cherry Bomb
Joker - Psychedelic Runway
Julee Cruise - 1989 - Floating Into the Night - 03 - I Remember
Kansas - 1977 - Point Of Know Return - 07 - Dust In The Wind
Kenny G - Songbird
Kool & the Gang - Emergency
Kraftwerk - 1978 - The Man Machine [Remastered] - 06 - The Man Machine
L Wiz - Cowboy Universal
Laura Branigan - 1993 - Over My Heart - 05 - Is There Anybody Here But Me
Linda Ronstadt - 2002 - The Very Best of - 04 - Don't Know Much [With Aaron Neville]
Little River Band - 1979 - First Under the Wire - 04 - Cool Change
Live - 1994 - Throwing Copper - 06 - Top
London After Midnight - 1992 - Selected Scenes From the End of the World - 03 - Spider and the Fly
Loops Haunt - 2015 - Exits - 01 - Exits
Lou Gramm - Just Between you and Me
Lycia - 1996 - Cold - 04 - Colder
Madonna - 1990 - The Immaculate Collection - 02 - Lucky Star
Make Us Stronger
Marvin Gaye - What's Going On (NiT GriT)
Massive Attack - 1994 - Protection - 04 - Weather Storm
Mazzy Star - 1993 - So Tonight That I Might See - 01 - Fade Into you
Melotron - 2014 - Werkschau [CD2] - 06 - Venus
Metallica - 1988 - And Justice For All [Remastered] - 01 - Blackened
Michael Mcdonald - 2005 - The Ultimate Collection - 08 - On my Own
Michael Stearns - 1998 - Within the Nine Dimensions - 10 - The Terrible Beauty
Morrissey - 1992 - Your Arsenal - 09 - I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday
Mors Principium Est - 2017 - Embers Of A Dying World - 10 - Apprentice Of Death
Neil Diamond - 2014 - All-Time Greatest Hits - 09 - America
Nirvana - 1993 - In Utero - 06 - Dumb
NiT GriT - Shut The **** Up
Nox Arcana - 2012 - Winter's Majesty - 03 - White Woodlands
Oingo Boingo - 1983 - Good For Your Soul - 02 - Good For Your Soul
Orgy - 1998 - Candyass - 07 - Blue Monday
Pat Benatar - 2006 - Crimes of Passion - 01 - Treat Me Right
Paul Janz - Rocket to my Heart
Peabo Bryson - If Ever You're in my Arms Again
Persefone - 2013 - Spiritual Migration - 01 - Flying Sea Dragons
Pet Shop Boys - 1993 - Very - 01 - Can you Forgive Her
Peter Murphy - 1989 - Deep - 08 - A Strange Kind Of Love (Version One)
Phelios - 2012 - Astral Visions - 03 - Deadspace
Phil Collins - 1985 - No Jacket Required - 05 - One More Night
Pink Floyd - 1979 - The Wall - 05 - Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2)
Pretty and Twisted - 1995 - Pretty and Twisted - 03 - Souvenir
Puscifer - 2020 - Existential Reckoning - 08 - Personal Prometheus
Quarterflash - Harden My Heart
Queen - 1991 - Innuendo [Remastered] - 12 - The Show Must Go On
Queensrÿche - 1990 - Empire - 01 - Best I Can
R.E.M. - 1991 - Out of Time - 07 - Belong
Rammstein - 2001 - Mutter - 03 - Sonne
Randal Collier-Ford - 2017 - Promethean - 06 - Reverence Of Wounds (Feat. Simon Heath)
Red Hot Chili Peppers - 1991 - Blood Sugar Sex Magik - 08 - The Righteous & The Wicked
Rockwell - Somebody's Watching Me
Rush - 1982 - Signals - 07 - Losing it
Sabled Sun - 2012 - 2146 - 09 - Deep Within
Saturnus - 1998 - For the Loveless Lonely Nights - 05 - Rise of Nakkiel (Live)
Seventh Harmonic - 2011 - Garden of Dilmun - 07 - Soporanimi
Shiny Toy Guns - 2005 - We Are Pilots [Version 1] - 13 - Ritz
Simply Red - 1989 - A New Flame - 09 - If you Don't Know Me By Now
Skrypt - Tokyo Shadows (Bass N Drums Psystep Mix)
Solar Fields - 2001 - Reflective Frequencies - 06 - Echoing Spectrum
Sopor Aeternus - 2011 - Have you Seen this Ghost - 01 - I Don't Believe in Ghosts
Steve Winwood - 1987 - Chronicles - 08 - Higher Love
Stevie Nicks - 1981 - Bella Donna - 03 - Stop Draggin' My Heart Around (With Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers)
Stray Cats - 1996 - Runaway Boys - 15 - I Won't Stand in your Way
Styx - 1995 - Greatest Hits - 02 - The Best of Times
Supertramp - 1985 - Brother Where you Bound - 03 - No Inbetween
Supertramp - 1987 - Free As a Bird - 02 - Not the Moment
Survivor - 1993 - Greatest Hits - 01 - Eye of the Tiger
Talking Heads - 1985 - Little Creatures - 09 - Road to Nowhere
The Alan Parsons Project - 1983 - Ammonia Avenue - 05 - Don't Answer Me
The B-52's - 1989 - Cosmic Thing - 03 - Deadbeat Club
The Firm - Radioactive
The Fixx - 1982 - Shuttered Room - 05 - Red Skies
The Flashbulb - 2012 - Opus At The End Of Everything - 19 - Something That Had Died
The Honeydrippers - Sea of Love
The Human League - 1995 - Greatest Hits - 15 - Human
The Moody Blues - 1988 - Sur La Mer - 01 - I Know You're Out There Somewhere
The Police - 1981 - Ghost in the Machine - 01 - Spirits in the Material World
The Smiths - 1987 - Strangeways, Here We Come [Remastered 24-96] - 01 - A Rush and a Push and the Land is Ours
Theatre of Tragedy - 1998 - Aégis - 01 - Cassandra
Therion - 2004 - Lemuria - 08 - An Arrow From the Sun
Tina Turner - 2014 - Greatest Hits - 09 - Private Dancer
Tom Petty - 1989 - Full Moon Fever - 05 - Runnin' Down a Dream
Toto - 1982 - Toto IV - 01 - Rosanna
Trees Of Eternity - 2016 - Hour Of The Nightingale - 07 - Broken Mirror
Uaral - 2007 - Lamentos a Poema Muerto - 04 - Surrendered to the Decadence (Parte 2)
Van Halen - 1984 - 1984 [Remastered 24-192] - 02 - Jump
Vangelis - 2017 - Delectus [CD08] - 01 - Soil Festivities Movement 1
Welle Erdball - 2003 - Nur Tote Frauen Sind Schoen Cdm - 04 - Mensch Aus Glas (C=64)
Whitesnake - 1989 - Slip Of The Tongue [30th Anniversary Remix] - 06 - Judgment Day
Yann Tiersen - 2001 - Amelie [Soundtrack] - 11 - La Valse D'amelie (Orchestra)
Yes - 1983 - 90125 - 01 - Owner Of a Lonely Heart
 
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