New speakers you say?
Loveless is the answer…
Let Leila wake those f@@kers up!
I have 3 tracks I use to assess a system or system change :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uv7y6PKEYms
Can tell if it's for me with those three, probably before having to play all of them
This is also instructive :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5anLPw0Efmo
I've heard one set of power amps that seemed to smooth out her voice and remove the 'yearning' element from it.
Who broke the thread posting a load of videos in one post? No one will watch them anyway! and it crashes ipads. Duh!
Works ok on mine...
LED down, Tipper.
When I was messing about with crossovers and re-voicing my speakers, these were my test tracks.
Amy Winehouse : Lioness Hidden Treasures
There’s a slower version of Wake Up Alone.
Nirvana: MTV Unplugged
Whole album sounds lovely, great soundstage and imaging.
Katie Melua : Pictures
Ghost Town
As someone with Mordaunt short fronts and a liking of q acoustics ... Which actual speakers did you go from and to please @steveid?
When I was messing about with crossovers and re-voicing my speakers, these were my test tracks.
The guy who runs Harbeth using a recording of his daughters voice for voicing crossovers - assumes that you have very good recording gear though
One above is a remix with a great range
Wait, I don't get this, surely you just play stuff you like. I mean if you've bought nice kit, everything will sound OK/better, so if you're having to find bits of music that go to extremes, what are you "testing for"?...This is like buying a 170mm travel enduro bikes when you live in Norfolk, or a Porsche when you just drive in 30/40 zones...Listening to Phil Collins* just because there's some techno/nerd part where you can hear "x "low frequency is a pretty sad thing to do...No?
* Unless Phil's yer thing, in which case, crack on, obvs.
Depends what your testing for. If it's sound quality then the source, amplifier and speaker / listener location is far more important.
Listening to MP3s or something played through a PC will never sound any good quality wise.
Song wise, I've always gone for the below as a basic guide *
Yello - The race (and all of the Flag album)
Dire Straights - Money for nothing
Michael Jackson - Beat it
Fleetwood Mac- tango in the night album
Roachford - Cuddly Toy
And loads more if your after this type of thing.
* yes I am old.
For years Dark Side of the Moon used to be the go-to album for testing systems. I sounded out my system with Beggar's Banquet, Bach's cello suites and some Van the Man. I think you've got to really know and like the piece of music to be able to spot the subtle differences if for no other reason than that's what you'll be playing.
Might be a contentious suggestion but Michael Jackson 'Bad' album is brilliantly produced and one of my go to sound tests.
Which actual speakers did you go from and to please
Gone from MS302 satellites/304 centre + 308 sub to Q 3050 floorstanders, 3090 centre with 3010 surrounds on Partington stands.
Cheers, I have 302s for the rear and 902 fronts which are actually pretty decent on sound, but I do like the idea of some floorstanders with a bit of a kick to them!
Also had the 308 sub, but it went bang last year, so got replaced.
just because there’s some techno/nerd part where you can hear “x “low frequency is a pretty sad thing to do…No?
There is a whole universe of utter bollocks when it comes to hi-fi equipment. And hardly any of it has anything to do with musical taste.
Not a world I bother trying to understand.
First 2 tracks, Jambi and Vicarious from TOOL 10,000 days
You are welcome.
I used to work Saturdays in a hifi shop in town, family owned, dad used to look after the running, son looked after sales, etc, so got to try out all sorts of kit at home.
I was round his place one evening, listening to some new albums, and there were some very low frequency thumps, like someone walking across another room. As we were the only people in the house, it was a little spooky! We replayed the track, same result, there some very low frequencies being played, that were barely audible, more felt than heard. The track is ‘Gravity’s Angel’, on Laurie Anderson’s album ‘Mr Heartbreak’.
Don’t even think about streaming it, if it’s even available, that sort of frequency won’t show on streaming media. Not sure if we were playing a CD or vinyl, it’s a 1984 release, but you’ll need some pretty good kit to resolve that level of low-frequency detail, and really good quality pressing if playing vinyl, ‘cos it’s very subtle.
I think we were using the Logic DM101 turntable I’ve now got, but I’ve got a different arm on it, a Zeta. With the AT m/c cartridge on it, that’s £2.5k...
Bet you weren't using a turntable to get that low bass...
If the sound coming from my eldest lads room is anything to go by then 21 pilots "Fairly Local" has got some decent bass but also covers everything else off too.