46 tracks to test speakers with article

[Daddyjt 9,246]

Found this searching the inter webs.  I certainly don’t agree with many on the list (Tracy Chapman, Billie Elish, etc) BUT they DID get a few right - (Private Investigations, The Chain, Flight of the Cosmic Hippo…)

 

https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/03/best-audiophile-songs-test-speakers/?fbclid=IwY2xjawI7DW9leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHR2scdh4F4al5VNEbM-Qjtr9p3xT9iMb2PsVPYyjSRto-oGOxP9NGuwbuA_aem_c-QRHFgd9NJUy1ArtUGq_w

 

[3M_Audio 1,770]

Thanks for sharing. It's always interesting to see what selections are made for speaker testing. I would agree with some of what's posted, don't agree with some others, and will admit I don't even know some of the titles.

 

For a lot of design work, it's mostly listening to mono pink noise. But here's a list of some actual music I work with for car audio that you might like to try:

• Steely Dan, "Hey Nineteen" - lots of sharp, clean hits.
• Tom Petty, "Learning to Fly (Live)" - At one point the crowd starts singing along and Tom's voice drops out and if the system is good, you can get a real sense of the size of the auditorium. If the system isn't that great, the soundstage sort of collapses.
• Bruno Mars, "24K Magic" - very wide soundstage with a lot of instruments. Very full range.
• Winterplay, "Billy Jean" - simple clear female vocal with an upright bass and a couple other instruments. Simpler is sometimes better. Great with Sonic Holography.
• Dave Brubeck Quartet, "Take Five" - Listen for the hi-hat and cymbals in intro. Cymbals are hard to record and reproduce well. This recording is very natural and instruments are well spaced.
• Straight no Chaser, "Homeward Bound" - all a cappella and the vocals span all the way across the stage. You should be able to hear each person singing.

 

I think most of these can be found on YT. Here's Winterplay which I never get tired of listening to:

 

[xavionics 1,957]

Thanks for those audio treats guys!

 

I’ll have to do some digging and add some new tunes to last years’ AXPONA playlist.

[Kurt 2,483]

Here's my go to list.  A mish mash of songs I like, songs with great production quality, and songs that have various elements which cover my typical musical tastes.

 

Dusty Springfield- Son of a preacher man

Bob Dylan- Tangled Up in Blue

Hall and Oates- She's gone

Dire Straits- So far away

Talking Heads- Naive Medley (This must be the place)

Genesis- Abacab

Rush- Tom Sawyer

Steely Dan- Hey Nineteen

Yello- Kiss in Blue

New Order- Blue Monday

Tool- Chocolate Chip Trip

Breakout- Swing Out Sister

Vail Johnson- Bass solo

Miles Davis- So What (from Kind of Blue)

Pharoah Sanders- Harvest Time

 

I usually judge my speakers based on a few key elements:   1) how "in control" the bass is- ie not boomy. 2.) Whether or not there is the right amount of bass. 3) Presence, sound stage and clarity of the highs (if I can close my eyes and see the actual cymbal being struck and know where it is in the room). 4) Presence of details (can I hear the sound of fingers on guitar strings, or hear a breath before a horn is played).  5) Smoothness of the vocals and horns (ie. the upper mids aren't annoying at higher volumes)

Edited March 10 by Kurt

[AndrewJohn 9,914]

I love these lists.  I learn and add to my Roon "speaker test" play list all the time from these and other's curated lists.

 

 

I find that my musical tastes get expanded exponentially when I come across something that I would not have listened to, otherwise.

 

For example, using Horowitz piano recordings to test ribbons on Carver Amazings for potential buzzing..., I listen to Horowitz a lot, now.

 

All these fit my thirst and hunger to expand my listening experience.  Thanks everyone!

 

[TJActual 84]

My List

 

Eagles - Hotel California

Ambergris - Tipper

Train out of Hollywood - Keb' Mo

Yellow - Kiss in Blue

Chris Jones - Long after you're gone

Tracy Chapman - Fast Car

Steely Dan - Jack of Speed

Art Blakely - Moanin'

Mils Lofgren - Keith Don't Go - Live version

Alice in Chains - No Excuses - Live at the Majestic Theater

Jimi Hendrix - Little Wing - Live 10/12/68

Kygo - ID - Ultra Music Festival

Muddy Waters - Feed Like Going Home

Robert Cray - Times Makes Two

Mary Stallings - Sunday Kind of Love (Live from the Village Vanguard)

 

 

So maybe some strange choices (Ambergris) and some live things which might not align with the purist. But these also fit my style of listening and cover what I'm looking for.

[Sk1Bum 10,873]

Why no love for Erich Kunzel and the Cleveland Orchestra (or was it Cincinnati?) performing Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture?  

[Daddyjt 9,246]

On 3/12/2025 at 9:49 AM, Sk1Bum said:

Why no love for Erich Kunzel and the Cleveland Orchestra (or was it Cincinnati?) performing Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture?  

For Kinzel I prefer Time Warp;-). Flight Of The Cosmic Hippo (might) have deeper bass, but there is nothing like the bass hits on Star Trek Next Generation on this disc - truly scary stuff.

 

For soundstage it’s Sandman by America on SACD.

For dynamics it’s Private Investigations by Dire Straits SACD.

For just WOW its Piece By Piece by Katie Melua.

 

 

[skeevienicks 2]

On 3/12/2025 at 8:49 AM, Sk1Bum said:

Why no love for Erich Kunzel and the Cleveland Orchestra (or was it Cincinnati?) performing Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture?  

This was a great reference find! And made smile, I used to sing in the Children's Choir of Greater Cincinnati.