analyzing sound
Some recordings may demonstrate better audiophile-related variables (e.g., soundstage, imaging, blackness, quickness, microdynamics, dynamic range, low/mid/high frequencies, sibilance, etc.) than others. Playlists are therefore offered as examples of music to use when evaluating hifi components or systems. I assume, for example, that it is necessary to have a recording that is able to demonstrate a wide soundstage in order to evaluate whether a system/component produces a wide soundstage. However, I have not found a playlist that also identifies which specific recordings are good for evaluating which specific variable that an audiophile may be interested in.
For example, is there an annotated playlist that provides something like the following entirely fabricated example: Bill Frisell's recording of Baba Drame on The Intercontinentals is a good track for evaluating imaging (but not microdynamics), whereas John Eliot Gardiner's Volume 3 recording of Bach Contatas is excellent for evaluating microdynamics (but not imagining), or Imogen Heap's recording of First Train Home on her Ellipse album is good to use for determining the degree of sibilance (but not low frequency definition) of your system.
Or is any good recording capable of demonstrating all qualities of interest?
An interesting effect that I’ve encountered. On the Beatles Love SACD, as they "work into" Lucy in the Skies as the harpsichord pans left, it pans rearward (toward the front wall) and when it then pans right, it pans forward toward the listened to form an "oval" rotating in front of you. Only happens as they work into the song and for a moment at the end. |
Plus 1 @snilf I use Chesky albums all the time for this very reason and to check the bass in speakers. All the best. |
@jrdavisphd Are you not able to just determine for yourself the quality of recordings, which recordings do the audiophile 'parameters' well, etc? You need some other guy to make a playlist for you with artists and tracks you may not like? What is even the point of looking for such 'audiophile parameters" in artists/tracks/genres that don't fit your tastes in music? |
To deep_333 I tend to ask others for advice in order to expand my horizons of intellectual understanding of something. Audiophiles are, in general, a rich source of information (sometimes utter BS, of course) about this topic. I have already learned about Chesky from "snilf" just now, and I did not know about Chesky five minutes ago. It matters to me, as I am awaiting new speakers I bought on a whim and am really hoping to be able to set them up properly. The spirit of the OP was to ask for help from others - something that seems to be happening quite well. Perhaps you could contribute to his understanding, rather than to denigrate the impulse to seek out the opinions of others.
|
Are you not able to just determine for yourself the quality of recordings, which recordings do the audiophile ’parameters’ well, etc? You need some other guy to make a playlist for you with artists and tracks you may not like? What is even the point of looking for such ’audiophile parameters" in artists/tracks/genres that don’t fit your tastes in music?
Sometimes you have to kiss a lot of frogs to find a prince. Wouldn’t it be nice if someone had already sorted out those frogs for you so that you could select the prince of your choosing and leave the other frogs alone? |
