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Best song for immediate impact when presenting or testing?

I, as most of you, have my regular tunes that I play or listen to when trying out a new system or playing music for friends. My current starter is 'Feels like Rain' by Aaron Neville. It engages me immediately because I love it so, but it is also very well recorded and has a bass voice doing backup which in the right system has a real visceral impact.

I was at an Audio shop recently, listening to my standards, and wanted to show the sales consultant a piece that he might not have heard. I played 'Golden Rust' off the Miles Gurtu album. After about 30 seconds, he pulled out his device and added the song to his favorites. I asked why did he add so quickly, and he said that the opening electronica had a three dimensional stereophonic quality that made a remarkable impression right off the bat. I paraphrase lightly; that was his comment.

What pieces do you play of any genre that have an immediate impact, especially for people listening to a good system for the first time?
128x128cmjones
voiceofvinyl's avatar
voiceofvinyl
93 posts
 
I usually start with David Manley’s "Toolbox" (VTL 008). First track side 1 "The Loft". It has everything that I find difficult for a system to reproduce well: Piano, kick-drum, Tenor sax and flute. Within the first minute, I can tell approx. where a system is relative to what I like. This CD does not have female vocals so I go elsewhere for that.

The CD is very well-recorded (all tube chain, Manley enhanced 1/2 tape, Manley preamps etc.., 20-bit A to D converter, Precision Mastering digital master) Has a depth to the soundstage that is missing from most CD’s I listen to.

For my unwashed guests, I have them sit in my parlor, break out the candles and put on a 180 gram Living Stereo copy of Elvis is Back...most say they thought he was in the room...

Tawdry?
sleepwalker65's avatar
sleepwalker65
832 posts
 
Green Grass and High Tides by the Outlaws
audioabyss
22 posts
 
This one kicks.....”why is it” by Yellowjackets
dorkwad
534 posts
 
@agrippa,

Man, I agree with you 100%. About 20 years before my dad died, He came in to see me a couple times when I was separated from my wife for a couple years. I went out and bought a barber shop quartet album because my dad used to sing in one long ago and I thought he would love it. He was beginning to have hearing problems at that point,
but he sat there and sang along with the tunes and got this look in his eye of love, the remembering the times look, and the outward appreciation he showed me was way more important than how great the recording was. I then played a Virgil Fox Direct to Disc organ record. He went nuts as He felt and heard the big pipe organ just like he was in his church and the pipe organ started to play. This recording IS great, but the music itself was WAY more important than the recording quality.

I have a good friend that can play most anything with his Spotify and Roon but he usually chooses stuff that he knows I like to play at his house. I need to return to the guy who also does that most of the time.

Bob
dentdog's avatar
dentdog
469 posts
 
When I want to be cheap and tawdry I play one cut that gets me every time: Steve Hunter The Deacon-The idler. Even sounds good on You Tube. 
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