Sound Q’ Buffs

One of the most kick-ass tracks that I have ever found for setup, testing, and display is called "Pull Me Under" by a band named Dream Theatre.  It is track one on the album "Images and Words"  It combines some excellent SQ areas with some chest cavitating bas about 3:50 into it.  You will not be disappointed.  BTW if you do find it I would give my first born child to have it as an mp3, I have destroyed both of my disc copies of the album, and am having a hard time finding another at the record stores in my area.  The rest of the album rocks out pretty well as well, and the song really describes most installers I know with the chorus line"Pull Me Under, I Am Not Afraid..."

Check out just about anything from this label:  https://www.naim-audio.com/  they have some good sampler cds in addition to their regular catalog.

Also anything recent from the label Verve https://www.ververecords.com (Diana Krall's records are usually quality)

I've found CDs from both of these labels to be excellently recorded.  The disc: Paganini: After A Dream is excellent. 

The Josh Groban CDs are of good quality and probably the best thing out there for demoing male vocals. 

https://www.mecacaraudio.com/merchandise.htm

I bought the Focal Demo CD....Its what they use in MECA to judge SQ events....All the tracks are recorded very clearly, and there are different types of music on there to be able to bring out different aspects of the system....(Mids Highs Lows Etc) Very good cd...

Other than that I like to use Steavie Ray Vaughan's Music to setup....His song "The Sky is Crying" has everything in it needed to setup a system....

any tracks from theses albums:

aja by steely dan

for the love of you by candy dulfer

future shock by herbie handc**k

aliens ate my buick by thomas dolby

ive used all of these for sound quality demos.....ill try and think of some more later....

u  basically want songs that were recorded good and that are not over equalized and over processed

For some good percussion, check out Mickey Harts; Planet Drum.  It has some incredible imaging and soundstage and the percussion covers the whole audio spectrum.  This includes a giant earth drum on track 7 that resonates at 32 Hz.  Another one to check out is Kodo.

I recently picked up Nickel Creek on SACD.  I am very impressed with the quality of the sound.  It is all acoustic, so it is very clean. 

I also really enjoy the live version of Hotel California by the Eagles. 

A great CD for sub bass duties is the Fifth Element soundtrack.  It has some very deep stuff, and the opera vocals are incredible.

I also enjoy the Gladiator soundtrack mentioned above as well.

Steven Kephart

Adire Audio

Steven Kephart wrote:

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I recently picked up Nickel Creek on SACD.  I am very impressed with the quality of the sound.  It is all acoustic, so it is very clean.

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it just sucks that there isnt any decks that can play sacd formats, or are there?

Wiseguy wrote:

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Steven Kephart wrote:

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I recently picked up Nickel Creek on SACD.  I am very impressed with the quality of the sound.  It is all acoustic, so it is very clean.

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it just sucks that there isnt any decks that can play sacd formats, or are there?

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There aren't, yet.  But I'm sure once SACD wins out against DVDA, we will start seeing them.  My boss actually wants to modify a home audio SACD player and use it in his truck.  Then he will be the first person we know of to have one in the vehicle.  But even still, I have an SACD player at home and we have an SACD player on two of the three systems here at work, so it is still worth it.  Plus we only buy hybrid CD's so they work on any CD player.

Steven Kephart

Adire Audio

gus1]< wrote:

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r>make an effort to actually spend money on the actual CD, instead of downloading it. The artists need to be supported, and one way of doing that is to get off yourn wallet, spend the $20, and BUY THE DISC!
Gus

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I'll agree 100% that the original CD is the only way to get top quality sound.  However, $20 per CD is total and complete BS. 

1)  At least 41 States think the RIAA is involved in price fixing in violation of federal antitrust laws.

I happen to agree.  I'm frankly disappointed that the states involved with the suit decided to settle.  https://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20020930-1254.html

2)  Walmart, the evil beast it is, undoubtedly helps consumers in some product markets by pushing prices lower through competition.  The music industry is still engaging in what looks like anticompetitive behavior, probably in violation of their settlement, with agreements that limit low cost provider's, like walmart's, promotional ability.  See this:  https://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20041014-4313.html

3)  The artists need more money?  Give me a break.  If I see another rap star driving a Bentley I think I'll vomit.

Francious70 wrote:

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Nowadays it's hard to find a CD that's been mastered properly.

Read this to know what I'm talking about.

Current Trends in the Recording Format Arena

Paul

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That's why I cringe sometimes when I see some of the recomendations for these topics.  An example of this is when I got a demo of Metalica's DVDA on a high end system (Wilson Audio speakers all around).  Now I really enjoy Metalica's music, but it is by far not a reference recording.  I prefer something that shows a good solid image, a good soundstage, and provides the full audio spectrum.  If the music is already distorted, how can you tell if the distortion is coming from the speakers or not?

Steven Kephart

Adire Audio

Rushman wrote:

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Tbirdman...............Dream Theater really IS an awsome group. The album you were talking about is called Images and Words. I am very lucky to still own the original CD I bought when it came out. I too use the CD to test a systems limits and sound qualities. Every song on the album at one time or another test every parameter a system is designed to have. Crisp clean highs , good solid mids , thumping mid bass , and low low hard BASS. Channel seperation and overall ambience. Just an incredibly well recorded album with lots of good head bangin tunes. Oh yeah.......Im a throw back head banger from the 80s.

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Have you heard their second album, Awake? The opening track has a very nice drum intro that would be good to test with. Some of the other tracks also have some directional sounds that would be useful. Not to mention that the album as a whole is really good. Anyone interested, give it a try.

Hey, if your going to talk throwback, don't forget Holly Cole's version of "I can see clearly". I have been using the new Matchbox 20 ep for demos as well. It doesn't have a lot of percussion, but it has some good acoustic tracks, and when younger people are here with their parents it is something they can all listen to and identify with. It does a great job teaching kids about listening for imaging and staging as well.

My all time favorite "demo" CD was Spyro Gyra Three Wishes.  They are contempary Jazz.

The disc was DDD.  Extremely tight bass, but never too heavy or overdone. 

A very wide variety of different instruments, a very tight and killer album. 

Also, if you like  "new age"  stuff any of the Hearts of Space samplers CD.