looking for a test

[glenbo]

i am looking for the most testing piece (or pieces ) of music i can find
something that can test the stereo separation,screaming guitars,deep bass,haunting vocals
any suggestions

 

[dlg78]

See if you can hunt down "My disc A2TB Test disc" by Sheffield Labs, it contains an instrumental cover of "dock of the bay" by Lincoln Mayorga and his distinguished colleagues.

That should fit the bill nicely

 

[glenbo]

thanks i will have a look for that

 

[phil t]

any suggestions

You’re better off taking a few of your own tracks along, then you’ll know if your choice of music works for your intended system.

 

[formbypc]

Why test a system with something that's alien to you, and which you won't normally listen to?

Take your familiar stuff, the stuff you play every day or every week. Find the system that performs best with what you know and like. You want to enjoy your system, not observe its performance in a detached manner.

However, in the screaming guitars and deep bass vein, I heartily recommend Dream Theater's Train of Thought. Track 4, "Honor thy Father".

 

[dlg78]

Why is the instant assumption that this person wants a "test" disc to test a system in a store? There was no mention of that at all.

 

[formbypc]

Yes, you're the first to mention the word 'store'. Nobody else did.

 

[dlg78]

Yes, you're the first to mention the word 'store'. Nobody else did.

Well it seemed to me that the author was asking for a piece of material that would test a system, i.e. one of great production quality that would reveal the best in ones home system.

You yourself said "take your familiar stuff...", take it where?

 

[D.D.D.]

Take a look on Chesky Records - they have some collection for testing:
Welcome to Chesky Records: The Premiere Audiophile Record Label

select category test discs.

There are also SACD and DVDA available.

Take a look on this one:
Spirit of Sound JM LAB FOCAL Demonstration TEST CD 6pcs | eBay

And this one:
TAG McLaren test CD

And Usher Audio test CDs:
Usher Audio - Be There - Be Series Demo Cd
(this is CD2, but there were 3 of them)

 

[formbypc]

You yourself said "take your familiar stuff...", take it where?

Wherever the test system is to be found.

Friend's house - HiFi Exhibition - Store - Factory - etc

 

[glenbo]

Well it seemed to me that the author was asking for a piece of material that would test a system, i.e. one of great production quality that would reveal the best in ones home system.

You yourself said "take your familiar stuff...", take it where?

sorry didn't explain myself very well,i have recently got some new speaker cable (much better stuff ) & added a dacmagic plus & now looking for a couple of tracks that will show off the improvements if indeed they improvements

 

[D.D.D.]

... got some new speaker cable (much better stuff ) & added a dacmagic plus ...

What are your speakers and amp?

 

[glenbo]

my system is mission 775sm turntable zeta arm & AT5
cyrus cd 6 & cyrus interconnects dacmagic plus audiolab 8000c chord chameleon interconnects denon 4400 monoblocks kimber 8 to a pair of neat motive one speakers

 

[phil t]

It really depends on what genres of music you like.

I could recommend John Scott plays Liszt (Guild label), organ music played on the instrument of St Paul’s. It’s a good test of any system.

Swing when you’re winning recorded by Robbie William is another well recorded album, but isn’t to everyone’s taste.

Welcome to the pleasure dome by Frankie goes to Hollywood, especially the first two tracks, has some good testing moments.

Born Slippy by Underworld has an interesting interplay between the bass drum and bass guitar.

Maverick a Strike by Finley Quaye, especially Even after all, will test a systems ability to play deep. When the bass guitar drops an octave, it should be effortless and not overblown.

The list is endless and very much depends on what music you like listening to.

 

[formbypc]

On another forum, someone recommended something by Amon Tobin as a test disc, suggesting it would "work out every nook and cranny of your speakers" - which sounds like a good recommendation, so I went looking on YouTube for his work.

Almost random electronic noise. Barely discernible rhythmic structure. No vocals that I could find.

Won't be using it to test my system. Again, to the OP, use the music you like and want to listen to. Nothing else matters.