Test CD


Can anyone recommend a CD to use that can test the frequency response of a speaker? And what will it cost and where can I find one?

Also, is a burn in CD required? In the past I've used Classical CD's in my collection that have a wide range of frequencies to burn in a new pair of speakers. Wondering if a dedicated CD would be better?
will62
Will62-

I concur, the Stereophile test CDs are more than sufficient.
I still use these discs to "touch up" my system.

Any of you guys use the DALI test cds? If so, please post your impressions!
Keep me posted & Happy Listening!
I got an Isotek CD free with some hifi mag...it's great (the "sound going
around your head" feature is cool), but I never use the "burn in"
feature because I think it's silly (maybe if I was a speaker reviewer or something
I'd use it). I also have the Stereophile test CDs and they're cool...I have a meter
thing in an iPhone to get db levels when I need to so it's nice to have a tone
generator around...like recently when a channel was losing level...bad tube...also,
why use a "burn in " CD when you can listen to a component burn in? Otherwise
you don't know from whence it burns...what the unburned sound is...when it
ripens...you know?...or you don't.
Had a thought after reading the following. Need some feedback.

A guy that also owns the Jamo C601 bookshelf speakers said he was able to measure the bass response on this speaker down to near 40hz. But it is rated by Jamo for 62hz. I've read other reviews that claim the bass is better than advertised. I tend to believe this since it creates a lot of bass in the smaller room where they presently sit.

In light of this, I am wondering if I buy another pair of C601's, use a Test CD to properly break in the speakers and then use my heavy duty speaker stands (3 large legs of steel) in the larger room where they will probably be used, if I can get just a little stronger bass? And is it possible to buy a new pair of IC's that will retain the high end and midrange of this speaker but add a little low end?

Any ideas?
Nordost website has details on a setup,and test cd
I got one free at an audio expo .... Worked better than all the others I've test driven
Highly recommended

Nordost System Set-Up & Tuning Disc:
Finally, all those invaluable test and set-up tracks on a single disc!

Nordost’s System Tuning and Set-Up disc contains everything that you need to get a system sounding its best – and keep it that way. An extensive range of proven diagnostic tracks – plus a few innovative and extremely useful ones – helps with speaker placement (and sub-woofer integration), performance checks and assessment, problem location and system conditioning.

The disc comes with its own instruction book as well as supporting PDF downloads, which clearly lay out the purpose and benefits of each track. A little practice and pretty soon you’ll wonder how you got along without it.

As well as basic channel and phase checks (boring we know, but oh so useful) there are discrete left and right channel pink and white noise tracks, as well as alternating ones, which are ideal for checking that speakers are working properly and voicing them in-room. The computer generated LEDR tests provide a repeatable method for mapping and adjusting sound-staging and toe-in while uncompressed drum tracks test dynamic range and rhythmic integration. As well as conventional sweeps, there is a timed low-frequency sweep that will allow you to identify principal room modes. Used in conjunction with the discrete low-frequency tones this is a huge help in diagnosing problem environments, placing speakers and integrating and optimizing sub-woofers. Throw in system burn-in and degauss tracks and you can see why we consider this an invaluable part of our audio armory. In fact, the only thing missing is the plinky-plonky audiophile music tracks that clutter up most test CDs!

It’s everything you need and nothing that you don’t.
"I'm going to spend less than $500 for a pair of bookshelf speakers. I know the kind of sound that I desire in a speaker and have narrowed my choices down to around 5 models that possess these traits based upon both professional reviews and user reviews."

"A guy that also owns the Jamo C601 bookshelf speakers said he was able to measure the bass response on this speaker down to near 40hz. But it is rated by Jamo for 62hz. I've read other reviews that claim the bass is better than advertised. I tend to believe this since it creates a lot of bass in the smaller room where they presently sit.

In light of this, I am wondering if I buy another pair of C601's, use a Test CD to properly break in the speakers and then use my heavy duty speaker stands (3 large legs of steel) in the larger room where they will probably be used, if I can get just a little stronger bass? And is it possible to buy a new pair of IC's that will retain the high end and midrange of this speaker but add a little low end?"

The problem of doing it this way is that you're trying to fix problems that you don't have yet. Who's to say that you will even need to buy a pair of IC's in an attempt to retain your highs, while adding low end? I would try to avoid putting myself in that position in the first place. If you need to start buying cables to fix your mistakes, you've already failed and are just making the problem worse.

Also, I don't think its necessary to keep focusing on break in. The speakers are going to break in regardless of what kind of CD you use. Its an issue that takes care of itself as long as you use the speaker.