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What to listen for?

This is aside to the obvious ones such as does a piano sound like a piano, the singer's voice sound close to them live, etc.

So, what I am trying to put together a list of songs where there is something specific to listen for. For instance, in the song Guinevere (CS&N) I have read that Crosby should sound as if he's standing in your room, front and center. On the acoustic Hot Tuna Album, they are playing in a bar and a beer bottle breaks landing on the floor  - it should be sharp and sound like it's in the room with you. On Babylon Sisters there are some cymbal crashes on the left that should be crisp and not smeared. On a Beatles song (I forget which), a chair squeaks and a door opens and closes in the studio. 

A good system will revel these little things. Any other that you have heard of? 

 

 

128x128deadhead1000
russ69's avatar
russ69
3,360 posts
 

A real super defining system will let you hear feet shuffle and music sheets flipping. Not sure if that will enhance your music listening experience. 

rar1's avatar
rar1
1,745 posts
 

On Elvis’ ’Kentucky Rain’, I swear you can hear the air in the recording studio just as Elvis starts to sing ... ’Seven lonely days and a dozen towns below" and again at the start of the next verse ... ’So I am walking through the rain, thumbing for a ride.’

On Frank Sinatra’s ’Night and Day’ there is a drum roll in the background right before the opening fanfare kicks off.

Rich

 

yyzsantabarbara
4,443 posts
 

I heard something recently that I had never heard before. On SWEET HOME ALABAMA at the 56 second mark. There is a background vocal saying SOUTHERN MAN. I like those little gems because it makes me feel like I am there with the performers when I hear those subtle sounds. I also think it adds to the musical experience.

The trick is for me to get this level of detail with no fatigue. I was listening to this above example on a tube headphone amp.

Just for curiosity’s sake, I just played the song on my KEF LS50 Meta and Benchmark preamp and amp with Lumin X1 DAC. You could hear it at the 56 mark too but if I did not know to listen for it, I would have missed it. Listening to the song on my headphones was a better experience because I was more immersed in the song. That is, I heard everything. My headphones are also known for extreme detail.

 

 

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