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Top 3 songs to evaluate a system

Hi everyone,

So here is the question: what are your Top 3 music pieces to evaluate a system?

The songs should be complementary to cover a wider range of features, but not necessary. If you only listen to one type of music, it would make sense to only evaluate with this type.

Bonus: identify one good part of the piece where you pay extra attention because this is where the difference between systems is more visible.

I'll start:

Holly Cole Trio - Girl Talk - My Baby Just Cares For Me
Highlight: The vibrating cord at 1:59

MaMuse - All The Way - Glorious
Highlight - The clean guitar and the high drum beat that rythm the whole piece

Metallica - ... And Justice for All (Remastered) - One
Highlight - The first drums at 0:53, but the whole guitar as well


Doing this myself, I realize it's very hard to only pick 3!!

papyneau
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,313 posts
 
1.  Concordia Viols - Crye by Concordia Viols (2001-10-02) - Amazon.com Music  The gorgeous sound of the consort of viols will tell you everything you need to know about a speaker's midrange.

2.  John O'Conor - Beethoven: Piano Sonatas, Vol. 1 (Moonlight, Pathetique, Appassionata) - Amazon.com Music  Well-recorded piano music tells you a lot about a speaker.

3.  Samuel Barber, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, André Previn, London Symphony Orchestra, André Previn, Gil Shaham - Barber: Concerto for Violin & Orchestra, Op. 14 / Korngold: Much Ado about Nothing Suite, Op. 11 - Amazon.com Music  Here's a real litmus test.  On speakers that are tipped up or otherwise too bright, the violin tone will be edgy or astringent.  On good speakers it will be just right.  As for bass extension, there are bass figures here that are not loud but should be audible; listen to hear how clear they are.
danager's avatar
danager
869 posts
 
I can barely pick just three just to evaluate bass.

Frazey Ford  U Kin B the sun  Purple and Brown 
Deep Bass 

Soul Coughing Soft Serve
Feel in chest impact and power

Woong San Round Midnight
Realistic string bass

I'll stop... but it's just scratching the surface
sgreg1
612 posts
 
First is Stevie Ray Vaughan vinyl version of “Tin Pan Alley”. This song gives you everything needed. Good bass guitar breaks from light to hard pick control, and the part when you can hear the drum stick hit the rim before the skin. Not all systems will render this.
Second is anything Doors. Their albums have great sound stage and depth. You actually feel Jim is closer than the rest to you.
Third is Jethro Tull “Thick as a Brick”. This album front to back is one of the best produced you will ever hear. Wide rang of instruments to check system balance.
Artist to never use Joe Bonamassa the bass on his albums is mud and sounds terrible.
bcool57
24 posts
 
After posting mine earlier and reading these comments, we all have failed to mention one group who still sounds phenomenal: The Beatles. Put on Hey Jude and it sounds like McCartney is right in front of me playing bass and piano and singing. Ringo never sounded better on the drum kit with the cymbals crystal clear. Of course, there are others: Something, Penny Lane, and the list could go on.
mitchagain
410 posts
 
From the album "Turn Of The Cards" by Renaissance:

1) Black Flame
2) Running Hard
3) Things I Don't Understand.

All three will feature copious amounts of acoustic piano, harpsicord, Rickenbacker bass and an orchestra. Annie Haslam is an incredible vocalist. The use of the cliche' "sing like a bird" rarely applies or is deserved but, on the song Things I Don't Understand Annie actually sings like a bird from the 5;00 to the 6:50 mark of the song. So, there is much here to challenge any audio system.
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