Nab2,
I never did answer your question about CDs, figured you would not like my stuff. Music is very personal and it is why I do not recommend music for demos very often. Most often what ever you are listing to most frequently at the time makes for the best demos.
With that being said I alway demo the same CDs for speakers demos and add what even I am listening to at the time. Below is a list of CDs I take, be it some are very unconventional but I have chose them for a reason. I am not really into audiophile music (jazz, classical) and the CDs I take may not be the best but they work for me.
Eric Clapton's Unplugged
- "Layla" This is an all acoustic track and will let you tell tone and timbre. The crowd clapping also gives a since of sound stage. Imaging is a little right of center on this recording though.
Michael Jackson's Bad Remastered.
- any song really, but "just good friends" comes to mind. This CD has good bass drums and bass guitar. On good speakers you can hear every pluck and strum of the bass guitar. "Bad" also has good pace and drum line
Metallica's Black album.
- This CD was a staple of my youth and if the speakers can't get rock right they have to go....
Tori Amos' Under the Pink.
- It is mostly Piano and Vocals. It is recorded pretty well. I am just listening to the upper mids hear and the scale of the piano. The CD has a bit of sibilance though and if the mids are peaky it will stand out on this CD.
Apocalytica' Inquisition Symphony.
- This is my midrange stress test, if there is a hiccup in the bass-mid-tweeter handoff you will hear it. This is a cello quartet but they cover heavy metal tracks. This CD has gotten a few raised eye brows during demos. It is very well recorded... but not for everyone. Give it a demo on itunes or amazon before you buy the CD.
Evanescence " The open door" not the best recording (its ok still) but I just like it....
Thats about it, I will add in what ever I am into at the time. I have taken everything from Devo's "Some thing for everyone" (electronic base lines) to Dream Theater to demos...
I value scale and dynamics above all things and like a high energy speaker that has a softer side too. I also need the small details to get into the music. I am VERY picky on spoken word (can't stand boxy-ness during a movie). But I am not a stickler for highs and find most "highend" speakers' highs are good enough for me.
For what it is worth B&W always show well with rock music. Turn them up and they just have a sense of power. Maybe it is the forward mids with the strong bass but it works.
I never did answer your question about CDs, figured you would not like my stuff. Music is very personal and it is why I do not recommend music for demos very often. Most often what ever you are listing to most frequently at the time makes for the best demos.
With that being said I alway demo the same CDs for speakers demos and add what even I am listening to at the time. Below is a list of CDs I take, be it some are very unconventional but I have chose them for a reason. I am not really into audiophile music (jazz, classical) and the CDs I take may not be the best but they work for me.
Eric Clapton's Unplugged
- "Layla" This is an all acoustic track and will let you tell tone and timbre. The crowd clapping also gives a since of sound stage. Imaging is a little right of center on this recording though.
Michael Jackson's Bad Remastered.
- any song really, but "just good friends" comes to mind. This CD has good bass drums and bass guitar. On good speakers you can hear every pluck and strum of the bass guitar. "Bad" also has good pace and drum line
Metallica's Black album.
- This CD was a staple of my youth and if the speakers can't get rock right they have to go....
Tori Amos' Under the Pink.
- It is mostly Piano and Vocals. It is recorded pretty well. I am just listening to the upper mids hear and the scale of the piano. The CD has a bit of sibilance though and if the mids are peaky it will stand out on this CD.
Apocalytica' Inquisition Symphony.
- This is my midrange stress test, if there is a hiccup in the bass-mid-tweeter handoff you will hear it. This is a cello quartet but they cover heavy metal tracks. This CD has gotten a few raised eye brows during demos. It is very well recorded... but not for everyone. Give it a demo on itunes or amazon before you buy the CD.
Evanescence " The open door" not the best recording (its ok still) but I just like it....
Thats about it, I will add in what ever I am into at the time. I have taken everything from Devo's "Some thing for everyone" (electronic base lines) to Dream Theater to demos...
I value scale and dynamics above all things and like a high energy speaker that has a softer side too. I also need the small details to get into the music. I am VERY picky on spoken word (can't stand boxy-ness during a movie). But I am not a stickler for highs and find most "highend" speakers' highs are good enough for me.
For what it is worth B&W always show well with rock music. Turn them up and they just have a sense of power. Maybe it is the forward mids with the strong bass but it works.