audio system test tracks

Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=106890
Printed Date: April 27, 2024 at 10:49 PM

Topic: audio system test tracks

Posted By: allmet33
Subject: audio system test tracks
Date Posted: August 19, 2008 at 9:18 AM

Has anyone compiled a list of songs that are great for testing one's sound system? I mean...there's plenty of songs to choose from to simply test bass, but is there a list of songs that will show just how good your overall system really sounds? What are your favorites to use? One I really like is a live performance track by a group called Christion, the song is Come To Me (track #12).

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'06 Hyundai Azera - Pioneer FH-P4200MP / Factory center channel & tweeters / Infinity Kappa 62.7i's; all 4 doors, 2 Phoenix Gold Xenon 10D2 10" subs pushed w/Phoenix Gold Xenon 600.1 amp

Replies:

Posted By: megaman
Date Posted: August 19, 2008 at 11:17 AM

One track that is used by studio engineers to test the fidelity of the system is Def Leppard, Hysteria (album: Hysteria). 1:05 into the track is the intro into the bridge, and there is a clean guitar that strums three times in a row. If you can hear all three strums, you're onto something.

Posted By: allmet33
Date Posted: August 19, 2008 at 11:18 AM

megaman wrote:

One track that is used by studio engineers to test the fidelity of the system is Def Leppard, Hysteria (album: Hysteria). 1:05 into the track is the intro into the bridge, and there is a clean guitar that strums three times in a row. If you can hear all three strums, you're onto something.

Cool...I'm gonna check into it and see how my system stacks up!!! Thanks!

Posted By: haemphyst
Date Posted: August 20, 2008 at 1:00 AM

Def Leppard, puh-LEEZE. That's a cake track, I have it, and yes, I use it. It's OK. And yes, I can hear all three.

Jennifer Warnes - Famous Blue Raincoat
Liquid recording that'll melt your heart. Jennifer's voice is one of the most demanding I have EVER heard for female vocals.

Peter Gabriel - Secret World Live
Shakin' The Tree, track 5, disc 1. Like no live recording I've EVER IN MY LIFE heard. 22 inch infrabass drums that'll beat ANY vented woofer to the stops!

Erasure - The Innocents
Just damn fun. Good pop recording, clean. REALLY clean highs, subterranean bass. Good vocals overall, too.

Alphaville - Breathtaking Blue
One of my favorite all around groups. You can't get it anymore, it's been out of print for years, but if you see it on eBay, it's worth owning.

10,000 Maniacs - Our Time in Eden
More fantastic female vocals.

Dave Grusin - The Orchestral Album
Minimally processed from one of the very best known names in acoustic music, Dave Gruisin is GRP, and you'll be very hard pressed to find anything wrong with any track on this one.

Dire Straits - Love Over Gold
A rock and roll classic, recorded at over 27 inches per second, this one belongs in every classic rocker's repertoire. Analog at it's finest, no smiley-face EQ, a masterful recording, and I cannot say I have ever heard a cleaner 70's/80's era recording. Ever...

Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms
Need it... Get it... PLAY it! Worth whatever you have to pay for it!

Harry Connick, Jr. - She
'Nuff said... posted_image

Madonna - The Immaculate Collection
A wonderful recording, good music as well, this was from the days when Madonna still knew how to perform, and most of the music was from the days when she and Michael Jackson wouldn't go on stage to perform until the stage sounded as good as the studio. Too bad those days are long gone, now!

Sade - Love Deluxe
Trust me on this one, too...

Supertramp - Some Things Never Change and/or Crime of the Century
Two completely different selections from (arguably) one of the best rock bands of our time. Some Things has the benefit of years of technology to make certain the recording is as good as it can be, and it is. When I took the first copy I ever bought of it to the CES, I actually sold it to one of the rooms for THEM to use as a demo CD. Crime is just fantastic, another high-speed recording, don't bother me when I have it playing. Period.

Disney Soundtrack to "The Little Mermaid"
Don't laugh. It'll test your system all around, I promise. Kiss the Girl is my favorite track. If you have a good system, you'll love it too. A crap system will sound like CRAP.

The Rocketeer - Soundtrack
Another one that will TRULY show if you have a good system. Begin the Beguine will sound as if that woman landed in your lap, (and she's hot, too!) and was giving you a free lap-dance on a hi-rez system, and you'll end up with an STD if you are hearing it on a cheezy or poorly designed one. There really is no "half way" on this one. Good, or NOT good.

Steely Dan - Aja
But any album will do, here.

"Wierd Al" Yankovic - Running With Scissors
Another one you might mock, but the recording values on this one are very high, as well. It's All About The Pentiums is just plain raw, and good clean fun. It happens to be one of my theme songs! LOL

I don't buy music based on it's popularity, as you can tell. Recording values (in many to most cases) to me are FAR more important than the actual music. Some of those listed above are readily available, others... Not so much. But ALL deserve critical listening time on a GOOD system.

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It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."

Posted By: Steven Kephart
Date Posted: August 20, 2008 at 1:45 AM

Nickel Creek - Self Titled and Reasons Why albums. They have quite a few instruments and vocals with solid images across the soundstage that will mush together on lesser systems.

Jack Johnson - In Between Dreams Here's proof that they do still make well recorded music that is popular.

Alyson Krauss - New Favorite

Mickey Hart - Planet Drum Absolutely amazing imaging with this one, and it is all percussion. Track 7 has a huge earth drum that resonates at 32 Hz. posted_image

The Fifth Element soundtrack This one also features a great Peter Gabriel song. Plus the bass drop on track 3 is really fun. I believe it goes all the way down to 10 Hz, so be careful with those ported enclosures.

Posted By: haemphyst
Date Posted: August 20, 2008 at 2:30 AM

haemphyst wrote:

Peter Gabriel - Secret World Live
Shakin' The Tree, track 5, disc 1. Like no live recording I've EVER IN MY LIFE heard. 22 inch infrabass drums that'll beat ANY vented woofer to the stops!

That'd be THIRTY-two inch drums... Not TWENTY-two.

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It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."

Posted By: megaman
Date Posted: August 20, 2008 at 12:24 PM

Ok so Def Leppard was an easy one.. so we'll go deeper.

Lyle Lovett - Church. Not sure what album it is, but the depth of the choir sets the weak systems from the good ones.

Eric Johnson - Bloom. Pick a track. This guy was once interviewed and he was able to tell the interviewer what brand of battery was in his foot pedals just by the tone. I wouldn't have beleived him if he didn't prove it.

Van Zant - Rage; from Brother to Brother. The overall dynamics of this track is crazy, and the bass drops are intense. If your system is even a little sub-par then it sounds like #$%.

The others are mostly listed by Haemphyst... kinda scary since I thought that only I used these tracks for testing.

BTW.... Little Mermaid.... SHHHH it's a trade secret. lol.

Posted By: DYohn
Date Posted: August 20, 2008 at 2:22 PM

haemphyst wrote:

haemphyst wrote:

Peter Gabriel - Secret World Live
Shakin' The Tree, track 5, disc 1. Like no live recording I've EVER IN MY LIFE heard. 22 inch infrabass drums that'll beat ANY vented woofer to the stops!

That'd be THIRTY-two inch drums... Not TWENTY-two.

AHA! A CHALLENGE!!

However I doubt it will stress the system as much as my personal favorite test disc: https://www.telarc.com/dvd/title.asp?sku=DVD-A-70541 This is the DVD-A but you can order the 2-channel CD or 6-channel SACD from them with the same earth-shattering cannons and mid-tweet splitting carilion. One of the best recordings ever made.

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Posted By: megaman
Date Posted: August 20, 2008 at 4:41 PM

Ahhh the 1812 Overture. :)

A home audio shop I used to work at a long time ago banned that music because we kept blowin out the speakers with the cannon part. lol. good times.

Posted By: memfus_boi
Date Posted: August 21, 2008 at 12:45 AM

lil wyte- hoods run down (the first minute)

3-6 mafia- late nite tip

lil jon- throw it up

these are alot of songs u will hear when ppl show off their subs on you tube

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If I'm to loud, then you're too old!!!

Posted By: Steven Kephart
Date Posted: August 21, 2008 at 1:04 AM

memfus_boi wrote:

lil wyte- hoods run down (the first minute)

3-6 mafia- late nite tip

lil jon- throw it up

these are alot of songs u will hear when ppl show off their subs on you tube

You may want to re-read the first post in this thread and rethink your recommendations. Because I have yet to hear a rap song that belonged on an SQ demo track list. Some of it can barely be called music IMO.

Posted By: Steven Kephart
Date Posted: August 21, 2008 at 1:07 AM

DYohn] wrote:

p>
haemphyst wrote:

haemphyst wrote:

Peter Gabriel - Secret World Live
Shakin' The Tree, track 5, disc 1. Like no live recording I've EVER IN MY LIFE heard. 22 inch infrabass drums that'll beat ANY vented woofer to the stops!

That'd be THIRTY-two inch drums... Not TWENTY-two.

AHA! A CHALLENGE!!
However I doubt it will stress the system as much as my personal favorite test disc: https://www.telarc.com/dvd/title.asp?sku=DVD-A-70541 This is the DVD-A but you can order the 2-channel CD or 6-channel SACD from them with the same earth-shattering cannons and mid-tweet splitting carilion. One of the best recordings ever made.

That selection is always classic demo material. Care to share some more of your favorite tracks you use to test speakers with?

Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: August 21, 2008 at 5:32 AM

Steven Kephart wrote:

Some of it can barely be called music IMO.

Somebody is giving Rap WAY too much credit

Posted By: allmet33
Date Posted: August 21, 2008 at 8:21 AM

Guys...sorry I'm just now responding. Thank you so much for the feedback.

As far as rap music goes, it does have it's place and just like you stated...really great for showing subs off mostly. In most cases, you can go with any rap music with southern influences as they usually have HEAVY bass tracks. However, there are a few rap songs out there that actually have some production behind them that sound good (just not too many).

I really do appreciate your posts and I will go about trying all of the songs mentioned to see what you guys are talking about. I've almost completed my upgrade as far as speakers go (just have the tweeters to replace), but I will check and see how it sounds so far.

Posted By: DYohn
Date Posted: August 21, 2008 at 10:30 AM

Steven Kephart wrote:

That selection is always classic demo material. Care to share some more of your favorite tracks you use to test speakers with?

To be honest, I don't do that at all. I believe that a well-designed and installed loudspeaker system should be able to reproduce whatever music the user desires. Being good at one thing or another is fine, but to me a system has to be good at it all, and that means everything from country to rap to rock to classical. I usually just throw on whatever I've been listening to lately (or whatever the client desires) and if it sounds good, it is good. To test a speaker system, I use tones and meters.

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Posted By: jayson33
Date Posted: August 21, 2008 at 10:48 AM

Boston Accustics Has a good test track Its called woolfer cooker its not all just bass But Its got some bass the hurts

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My wife thinks bagging a truck means you kick it in the truck nuts

Posted By: megaman
Date Posted: August 21, 2008 at 11:16 AM

DYohn] wrote:

p>To be honest, I don't do that at all. I believe that a well-designed and installed loudspeaker system should be able to reproduce whatever music the user desires. Being good at one thing or another is fine, but to me a system has to be good at it all, and that means everything from country to rap to rock to classical. I usually just throw on whatever I've been listening to lately (or whatever the client desires) and if it sounds good, it is good. To test a speaker system, I use tones and meters.

Lol. I feel like I've just been scolded for having my hand in the cookie jar. posted_image For about 99% of my installs I follow DYohn's approach. When your customer replaces factory speakers and maybe adds an amplifier, it's hard to be amazed by your favorite SQ tracks. No sense in listening to superior music when all you do is listen to all the flaws. If the latest and closest cd sounds good, then the customer is happy.

Posted By: 04nata
Date Posted: August 21, 2008 at 11:22 AM

Back in the "old school" there was a song called "BachBusters" which mixed Bach with some serious bass, I do not have it any longer but I would really like to, if anybody has this track please post so I can get it.

Thanx in advance

Posted By: haemphyst
Date Posted: August 21, 2008 at 7:32 PM

DYohn] wrote:

o be honest, I don't do that at all. I believe that a well-designed and installed loudspeaker system should be able to reproduce whatever music the user desires. Being good at one thing or another is fine, but to me a system has to be good at it all, and that means everything from country to rap to rock to classical. I usually just throw on whatever I've been listening to lately (or whatever the client desires) and if it sounds good, it is good. To test a speaker system, I use tones and meters.

Oh, sure... then I re-tweak to the music. I don't know about you, Dave, but I listen to music, not tones! Mics and meters and test-tones, oh, my! (Just pokin' the bear!) posted_image

DYohn] wrote:

owever I doubt it will stress the system as much as my personal favorite test disc: https://www.telarc.com/dvd/title.asp?sku=DVD-A-70541 This is the DVD-A but you can order the 2-channel CD or 6-channel SACD from them with the same earth-shattering cannons and mid-tweet splitting carilion. One of the best recordings ever made.

Holy Stereo Infrasonic Information, Batman! I didn't even know it was still available! In ANY format! Already ordered the DVD-A... posted_image

(It's just too bad it was single-bit (DSD) mastered.)

megaman wrote:

Lyle Lovett - Church. Not sure what album it is, but the depth of the choir sets the weak systems from the good ones.

Forgot about Church. You are right regarding that track in particular, but the REST of Joshua, Judges, Ruth is also really good, too.

megaman wrote:

BTW.... Little Mermaid.... SHHHH it's a trade secret. lol.

It SHOULD be a trade secret. posted_image

Disney (pre-Sony Disney, that is) offered up some very good recordings in their day. This one just happens to be favorite of mine!

04nata wrote:

Back in the "old school" there was a song called "BachBusters" which mixed Bach with some serious bass, I do not have it any longer but I would really like to, if anybody has this track please post so I can get it.

Not a song, an entire album. Don Dorsey. Readily available, still, check Amazon, or even (preferred) your local small music store. Buy from them, please. (Might cost an extra dollar or two, but you will keep them open longer. We are already becoming a society of eBayers and online shoppers.)

And, I might add... the last track - Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring still gives me goosebumps. A beautiful piece of music, and I think Bach would approve of Mr. Dorsey's translation, I really do.

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It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."

Posted By: 04nata
Date Posted: August 22, 2008 at 12:34 PM

Thanx haemphyst, I looked on Limewire but all I got was PORN and VIRUSES, yes I know they go together.....so I looked on EBAY and found one for $5.00 bid so far. Anybody got this that I could download? Providing we have all the correct license stuff, after talking about it, I want it NOW, not in a week....lol

Posted By: allmet33
Date Posted: August 22, 2008 at 12:38 PM

04nata wrote:

Thanx haemphyst, I looked on Limewire but all I got was PORN and VIRUSES, yes I know they go together.....so I looked on EBAY and found one for $5.00 bid so far. Anybody got this that I could download? Providing we have all the correct license stuff, after talking about it, I want it NOW, not in a week....lol

Also try BearShare...I've used that site and they've got a lot fo music there too. Haven't heard of as many issues with viruses from there, but it's a public share site so proceed with caution.

Posted By: haemphyst
Date Posted: August 22, 2008 at 3:01 PM

04nata wrote:

Thanx haemphyst, I looked on Limewire but all I got was PORN and VIRUSES, yes I know they go together.....so I looked on EBAY and found one for $5.00 bid so far. Anybody got this that I could download? Providing we have all the correct license stuff, after talking about it, I want it NOW, not in a week....lol

This one is really worth waiting for. Any MP3 rip will destroy the fidelity catured in the original recording. Five dollars on eBay? Buy it right now, or (as I suggested earlier) go down to the local record store, and buy a real, full-blown, NEW copy of it for your very own.

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It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."

Posted By: upzaw2000
Date Posted: August 23, 2008 at 10:53 AM

haemphyst wrote:

DYohn] wrote:

o be honest, I don't do that at all. I believe that a well-designed and installed loudspeaker system should be able to reproduce whatever music the user desires. Being good at one thing or another is fine, but to me a system has to be good at it all, and that means everything from country to rap to rock to classical. I usually just throw on whatever I've been listening to lately (or whatever the client desires) and if it sounds good, it is good. To test a speaker system, I use tones and meters.

Oh, sure... then I re-tweak to the music. I don't know about you, Dave, but I listen to music, not tones! Mics and meters and test-tones, oh, my! (Just pokin' the bear!)

DYohn] wrote:

owever I doubt it will stress the system as much as my personal favorite test disc: https://www.telarc.com/dvd/title.asp?sku=DVD-A-70541 This is the DVD-A but you can order the 2-channel CD or 6-channel SACD from them with the same earth-shattering cannons and mid-tweet splitting carilion. One of the best recordings ever made.

Holy Stereo Infrasonic Information, Batman! I didn't even know it was still available! In ANY format! Already ordered the DVD-A... (It's just too bad it was single-bit (DSD) mastered.)

megaman wrote:

Lyle Lovett - Church. Not sure what album it is, but the depth of the choir sets the weak systems from the good ones.

Forgot about Church. You are right regarding that track in particular, but the REST of Joshua, Judges, Ruth is also really good, too.

megaman wrote:

BTW.... Little Mermaid.... SHHHH it's a trade secret. lol.

It SHOULD be a trade secret. Disney (pre-Sony Disney, that is) offered up some very good recordings in their day. This one just happens to be favorite of mine!

04nata wrote:

Back in the "old school" there was a song called "BachBusters" which mixed Bach with some serious bass, I do not have it any longer but I would really like to, if anybody has this track please post so I can get it.

Not a song, an entire album. Don Dorsey. Readily available, still, check Amazon, or even (preferred) your local small music store. Buy from them, please. (Might cost an extra dollar or two, but you will keep them open longer. We are already becoming a society of eBayers and online shoppers.)

And, I might add... the last track - Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring still gives me goosebumps. A beautiful piece of music, and I think Bach would approve of Mr. Dorsey's translation, I really do.

Holy crap, can we quote anymore.... lol this must be close to a record.

DYohn!!!!! CALL Guiness world records!!!!!!!!

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Team Sundown Audio
Team Cascade Designs
89 Crx Dx - Automatic :)

Posted By: haemphyst
Date Posted: August 23, 2008 at 3:29 PM

upzaw2000, your post helped the opening poster how? It just so happens that I have quoted MANY more times than that in a single post. I try to be helpful in my responses, and if I have to address more than one question or response in a single post, this is how I do it. It is far less confusing to do it that way than to just string all the answers together with no point of reference to what I am speaking of.

You'll notice I responded to three people, and 4 or 5 COMPLETELY different issues in that post.

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It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."