Music to take to Demo....

[Fuzz]

Just wondering what your choice of CD would be to take to the shop with you when you are going to listen to a demo rig..

My thoughts are
Maddonna for a punchy bass mixed with clear vocals
Katie Melua for the clarity of the higher notes

and a bit of Prodigy's "smack my bitch up" to abuse the demo room.


Andy

[Knyght_byte]

if you really wanna find the equipments good and weak points and you have the demo room for a reasonable amount of time then i'd offer the following as a suggestion....

firsly take 4 or 5 CDs with tracks on you know intimately on your own equipment, portable player, have heard in a pub etc....

then, try taking the following as well.......

a Naxos or Chandros recording of classical music, take something orchestral (Holsts Planets for example) and something Piano based (some Debussy is always good) and something Violin/strings based (Four Seasons). These tracks will test the systems upper bass, mid and treble to the max, they allow you to discern what the different equipment does to music because you can pick out things easier as the music is often clearer than most pop music.......even if you dont like classical normally its good for testing...

then grab a few Jazz/Big Band CDs, can be modern stuff like Joss Stone or older stuff, doesnt matter too much what, this is to test how well voices can sound whilst the speakers are also handling musical extremes, also tests how well they fare under sudden changes in volume/speed, Jazz can often pick up and slow down depending on the instruments being used, it can have nice deep notes as well as higher notes.....also singers in Jazz type music often have very complex voices.....

finally you need some thrash metal to test the speakers ability to keep pace with the music, and some extra heavy drum'n'bass and/or hiphop, usual suspects being Goldie and MOP.......oh, Shaggy is actually very good too in this point....these last few will help you test real bass depth and control, plus volume levels and can the speakers really handle odd sounds (Goldies Timeless album rules here, it has some of the strangest sounds going that can tell you if a speaker has the control and the amp the power to handle it..heh)

but as i say, also make sure you have stuff you are very very familiar with too....if it makes your foot tap and your head bob then its good! if you sit there thinking whats for dinner then try the next bit of equipment...lol

[mr jones]

surely take the kind of music your gonna play!

[Kenny Glasgow]

Mr.Jones - Spot On

[shadowritten]

I can agree with the suggestion of taking along Chandos discs, for those inclined to classical music. Chandos seems to produce extremely well-engineered/produced recordings. Naxos can be more hit and miss, however ...

Def Leppard's Hysteria CD would be among my choices: very over produced, but with a huge dynamic range and very taut basslines.

[huwg]

What do you use to demo/audition kit

Is there any kit available that makes Hysteria sound good ? (sorry)

I also like to use Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel

[per-Sony-fied]

ooh eer.... mixed opinions I see.

Systems gell together in different ways and therefore become more suitable for particular types of music which caters well for a variety of music but not extremes of music so with this in mind and your ears too I would take music that is well known to yourself and the type of music you are going to play on the system. No point trying to get an even balance for everything as this will ultimately compromise the whole system for the majority of music you like.

However it is always good to take a top quality reference recording along to show how good the system can actually sound when the source is at it's best.

I always like to take something that has good clear uncomplicated drum tracks so I can listen to the drum skins and cymbals, something that has super dynamics,try Ryuichi Sakamoto, Beauty. This is a little wierd, kind of Japanese disco with Japanese and english singing. Truly tremendous recording. A live album (Hot august night does it for me) so I can hear the applause and natural singing and more importantly (actually as important)something that shows off the equipments ability of dynamic inflections... how it handles soft quiet notes and gradualy increases in amplitude to it's max sound level. I can only think of one track for this and it is Little Feat's, Day or night... or possibly Ravel's Balero.

[per-Sony-fied]

Originally Posted by huwg

[url]

I also like to use Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel

As long as it's the remastered version. The original is well over produced at the top end and as a result sounds well messed up.

[per-Sony-fied]

Originally Posted by huwg

[url]Is there any kit available that makes Hysteria souind good ? (sorry)

Would that be the one with the distorted amp and blown speakers

[shadowritten]

Hey, Hysteria is a rock classic!

Well, I like it.

[pwood]

For voice imaging I like Diana Krall's - the girl in the other room.
Loud hard rock music is a good test of systems warmth and ability to resolve detail as multi tracked guitars tend to swamp a lot of mixes and a good system / component will demonstrate the ability to pinpoint individual instruments easier.
Hysteria is multi tracked beyond belief ( Mutt Lang trademark) so is not a bad demo disc for this purpose.

[huwg]

Originally Posted by shadowritten

Hey, Hysteria is a rock classic!

Well, I like it

I know, so do the millions who also bought it.

Personally I find the hugeness (is that a word?) and over production too much to take. I think it is the whole reverb and massive electronic drum sound. I've never been a fan of the 80's US big hair poodle 'rawk' scene (poison, bon jovi etc), and that particular era of def leppard reminds me too much of it. You'd never know they were from Sheffield.

Anyway, that's my opinion and personal taste, and I'm usually wrong
It probably does make a good demo disc, but it's not one I'd ever use

[per-Sony-fied]

Originally Posted by shadowritten

Hey, Hysteria is a rock classic!

Well, I like it.

Def Leppard I take it?

Not the sort of track to reach to my music system. Proud owner of NO Def leppard

Gonna run away now and hide........

[lovemunkey187]

My choices would be.....

Guns N Roses - Appetite For Destruction

Pantera - Cowboys From Hell

Pantera - Vulgar Display Of Power

Swingers - OST (just for the Big Bad Voodoo Daddy tracks)

[shadowritten]

Originally Posted by per-Sony-fied

Def Leppard I take it?

Not the sort of track to reach to my music system. Proud owner of NO Def leppard

Gonna run away now and hide........

Don't get me wrong - I'm not a Def Leppard die-hard! Just like that album.

Think I'd also take Pulp's Hits album, too. Very rich production and lots of detail.