Top 3 songs to evaluate a system
Here is a list from Head-Fi.org. Not 3 songs, but what's somewhat unique about it is that it tells you what you are looking for e.g. male vocal tone, deep bass, etc. https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/geshelli-labs-j2-dac.25177/reviews
Tingvall Trio “Beat” - piano tonality
Sinne Eeg “We’ve Just Begun” - multiple layer soundstage
Molly Johnson “What a Little Moonlight Can Do” - female vocal tone
Leslie Odom Jr. “Under Pressure” - male vocal tone
Eric Clapton “Change the World” - soundstage, layering and placement
Yo Yo Ma “Ecstasy of Gold” - acoustic instrument timbre
Adam Baldych “Spem in Alium” - acoustic instrument timbre
Pain of Salvation “Stress” - percussion balance
Michael Buble “When I Fall in Love” - orchestral dynamics
Patricia Barber “Code Cool” - sibilance check
Christian Scott “New New Orleans” - shouty upper mids
Tool “Chocolate Chip Trip” - imaging
Hans Zimmer “Why So Serious” - sub bass extension
Marcus Miller “No Limit” - bass control
Dave Holland Quartet “Conference Of The Birds”- bass check
Ilhan Eshkeri “47 Ronin”- orchestra and bass dynamics
Hans Zimmer :2049” - sub bass extension
Cher: Believe - sibilance
Stanley Clarke - Passenger 57 main title - percussion, bass, seperation and placement
Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra - The Pine of the Appian Way - soundstage, imaging and seperation
Houston Person - You are my Sunshine - tone and timbre |
So many here I know and use to test. Nils Lofgrem "Keith don’t go" WILL sound good/great on most systems and I want Shelby Lynne to be my baby sitter. If she can’t then please send Patricia Barber. London Grammar, "Hey Now" is one my list too. alanhuth.. nice find esp the Houston Person track I love threads like this as often great music is gathered for my playlists. In addition to all Rodrigo y Gabriela kind of stuff I also use tracks I don’t really typically listen to for pleasure but rather to test. "Poinciana" by Keith Jarrett’s Trio Whisper Not - Live in Paris 1999 is always going to sound great...(Playing now) These will test any system "Bop" Mr. Machine Brandt Brauer Frick..Dare yah! "Toothbrush" Nothing But The Water (Album Version) Grace Potter and the Nocturnals "IDKT" The Books "Koyaanisqatsi" (Soundtrack) Philip Glass first 30 seconds. Points if you last. "Duende" Black Light Syndrome Bozzio Levin Stevens I wish I knew how to share Qbouz playlists |
I recommend the followings to name a few: 1. TakeDake: #6 Japanese Roots - breadth and depth of soundstage, instrument separation and dynamics; 2. Voodoo by John Zorn & The Sonny Clark Memorial Quartet - bass, edgeness of alto saxophone, keyboard notes reproduction, separation, transients, treble extension (airy highs of cymbal); and 3. London Symphony Orchestra - Bohemian Rhapsody, Classics. - Let you test everything when the music/intruments/vocals get busier. |
@hilde45 - we’re on the same wavelength... Shelby Lynne’s "Just a Little Lovin" cover to cover is a benchmark whenever I’m giving new gear a twirl. My mother used to play Dusty "Live in Memphis" on her Mac/Thorens/AR rig till the wheels fell off! Big fan of Hans Theessink, "My Girl" off Sounds of the Southland & Derrin Nauenforf, "Danielle" & "Ghost Town" off Live at the Boardwalk" too when trying on new speakers. Simple stuff but the decay of plucked strings speaks to me. Most anything by Ben Harper; always clean and snappy. Like JJ Grey and Mofro’s "Lockloosa" - wildly satisfying. Could keep going... Beck, "Cycle" & "Morning" off Morning Phase give you some deep clear bass that is pretty telling. Anyway, great topic 👍 |
