Whats cds do you use for testing out new equipment

polkfarmboy
polkfarmboy Posts: 5,703
edited September 2010 in Music & Movies
Just wanted to know whats your fave cd for trying out new audio gear

I am trying to build up a lot of good music that realy works out speakers and amps
Post edited by polkfarmboy on
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  • Erik Tracy
    Erik Tracy Posts: 4,673
    edited September 2010
    polkfarmboy wrote: »
    Just wanted to know whats your fave cd for trying out new audio gear

    I am trying to build up a lot of good music that realy works out speakers and amps


    What music do you like to listen to?

    I would not recommend a CD for music you don't usually like to listen to - would seem odd to recommend a heavy metal CD if you like Classical, and vice versa.

    H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music.
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  • polkfarmboy
    polkfarmboy Posts: 5,703
    edited September 2010
    anything with good vocals
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  • pmckeealaska
    pmckeealaska Posts: 808
    edited September 2010
    For CD's I dont use many for demo's. I'd put in my MOFI copy of Rush's Permanent Waves any day, but if I really wanted to show off the system i would put in the DVD-Audio version of either Metallica's Black Album or Beck's Sea Change. Actually, now that I think about it, Sammy Hagar's Not 4 Sale album might not be the best music out there but the album is audio heaven. Crank up the song "Stand Up" and get ready for your cornea's to melt off!
    Music and Movie Rig

    Samsung 40" HDTV 1080p
    LSi25 Front Speakers
    LSiC Center Channel
    LSiFX Surrounds
    Rotel RB 1080 2-Channel Amp
    NAD T763 Reciever
    Denon DVD 2900 Universal Player
    Audiosource 10 Band Digital Equalizer
    Audioquest CV-8 speaker cables
    Audioquest Sub-X subwoofer cables
    Audioquest King Cobra Interconnects
    Monster AVS 2000 Voltage Stabilizer
    Playstation 3 120GB Slim
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  • headrott
    headrott Posts: 5,496
    edited September 2010
    pmckeealaska wrote: »
    For CD's I dont use many for demo's. I'd put in my MOFI copy of Rush's Permanent Waves any day, but if I really wanted to show off the system i would put in the DVD-Audio version of either Metallica's Black Album or Beck's Sea Change. Actually, now that I think about it, Sammy Hagar's Not 4 Sale album might not be the best music out there but the album is audio heaven. Crank up the song "Stand Up" and get ready for your cornea's to melt off!

    I ordered a copy of Beck's Sea Change done by MFSL. I've read it is better than the SACD, which is saying a lot because the SACD sounds pretty darn good. I will let you know after I hear it.

    Greg
    Relayer-Big-O-Poster.jpg
    Taken from a recent Audioholics reply regarding "Club Polk" and Polk speakers:
    "I'm yet to hear a Polk speaker that merits more than a sentence and 60 seconds discussion." :\
    My response is: If you need 60 seconds to respond in one sentence, you probably should't be evaluating Polk speakers.....

    "Green leaves reveal the heart spoken Khatru"- Jon Anderson

    "Have A Little Faith! And Everything You'll Face, Will Jump From Out Right On Into Place! Yeah! Take A Little Time! And Everything You'll Find, Will Move From Gloom Right On Into Shine!"- Arthur Lee
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  • Erik Tracy
    Erik Tracy Posts: 4,673
    edited September 2010
    polkfarmboy wrote: »
    Just wanted to know whats your fave cd for trying out new audio gear

    I am trying to build up a lot of good music that realy works out speakers and amps

    Well,
    For me - I like using Bryan Ferry's (from Roxy Music) "Boys & Girls" - very clean mix. I also have some Dianna Krall on hybrid SACD that can play either SACD or CD redbook layer. One I really like is the MoFi hybrid SACD of the Doobie Bros "Captain and Me".

    All have some nice clean/clear vocals, but the music is pretty darn good too! :D

    H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music.
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  • dpowell
    dpowell Posts: 3,068
    edited September 2010
    ....and how about Stevie Ray Vaughn In Step? That blew me away when you played it at the last gathering Erik. Can't wait for it to be released in SACD.
    ____________________________________________________________

    polkaudio Fully Modded SDA SRS 1.2TLs + Dreadnaught, LSiM706c, 4 X Polk Surrounds + 4 X ATMOS, SVS PB13 Ultra X 2, Pass Labs X1, Marantz 7704, Bob Carver Crimson Beauty 350 Tube Mono Blocks, Carver Sunfire Signature Cinema Grande 400x5, ADCOM GFA 7807, Panasonic UB420, Moon 380D DAC, EPSON Pro Cinema 6050
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  • messiah
    messiah Posts: 1,790
    edited September 2010
    polkfarmboy wrote: »
    Just wanted to know whats your fave cd for trying out new audio gear

    I am trying to build up a lot of good music that realy works out speakers and amps

    Always stuff I'm very familiar with, and never all of one genre. Maybe one rock/metal, one jazz/experimental, and one classical or vocal.
    "They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."
    Benjamin Franklin, February 17th, 1775.

    "The day that I have to give up my constitutional rights AND let some dude rub my junk...well, let's just say that it's gonna be a real bad day for the dude trying to rub my junk!!"
    messiah, November 23rd, 2010
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited September 2010
    Beck - Sea Change
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • HB27
    HB27 Posts: 1,518
    edited September 2010
    http://cgi.ebay.com/Monster-Blues-Various-Artists-CD-Oct-2001-Mons-/350394191353?pt=Music_CDs&hash=item51951f0df9

    This is the main CD I use for testing out speakers and evaluating gear.
    Like any "test" cd you should know it well. This one is burnt in my brain.
    It gives me a quick overall test for what I want to hear from speakers and amps. It's also detailed to evaluate cables and wires.
    Etta James Vocals, Track 5 Molly O and Dog boy digs deep and will strain woofers, Track 9 has 3 lead guitars, etc.
    It's a remastered Various hits and spreads a lot of engineering around .
    Good Music IF you're a blues fan and a must have.
    Mark Knoffler/Dire Straights, Robert Cray, finish off the CDs.
    And then I dig into some Masters Collection Vinyl I picked up from George Grand. Classical on some of the best recorded vinyl around.
    Female vocals, strings, acoustical guitar, Piano, Alexander Zonin HDCD for flute.
    It's obviously a strenuous test for me to keep a component.
    I listen to a lot of different types of music depending on my moods or "company".
    I wish one system could do everything I like to listen to. My ears are good, I'm picky, and I know I'll never find the perfect system but It's fun to play with a lot of gear. Different amps, cables, caps, speakers, etc. I can usually find something I like in about any piece of audio gear and I can always find flaws too.
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  • kuntasensei
    kuntasensei Posts: 3,263
    edited September 2010
    Nickel Creek on SACD. Very clean vocals and string instruments will let you know how well your speakers handle detail pretty quick.
    Equipment list:
    Onkyo TX-NR3010 9.2 AVR
    Emotiva XPA-3 amp
    Polk RTi70 mains, CSi40 center, RTi38 surrounds, RTi28 rears and heights
    SVS 20-39CS+ subwoofer powered by Crown XLS1500
    Oppo BDP-93 Blu-ray player
    DarbeeVision DVP5000 video processor
    Epson 8500UB 1080p projector
    Elite Screens Sable 120" CineWhite screen
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  • camp21178
    camp21178 Posts: 273
    edited September 2010
    I use my Alan Parsons - I Robot remaster. It's an older recording and it's probably not the greatest but I'm so familiar with it that I know what to listen for.
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  • kawizx9r
    kawizx9r Posts: 5,150
    edited September 2010
    I too use Metallica's Black Album.

    The copy I've got is an older non-remastered version. I've heard a remastered version and it sounded a bit compressed. Great CD though!
    Truck setup
    Alpine 9856
    Phoenix Gold RSD65CS

    For Sale
    Polk SR6500
    Polk SR5250
    Polk SR104


    heiney9 wrote: »
    Any clue how to use the internet? Found it in about 10 sec.
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  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,183
    edited September 2010
    camp21178 wrote: »
    I use my Alan Parsons - I Robot remaster. It's an older recording and it's probably not the greatest but I'm so familiar with it that I know what to listen for.

    I used to use Alan Parsons "Instrumentals" CD for years too.:cool:

    I then used SADE's greatest hits and George Michaels "Faith" CDs for years.

    Now it's pretty much of what's sitting on top of a stack.
    Twin Peaks "soundtrack" is pretty good as is The Doobie Bros. "The Captain and Me".
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
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  • ESavinon
    ESavinon Posts: 3,066
    edited September 2010
    http://www.amazon.com/Dark-City-O-S-T/dp/B00004YYXI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1284864535&sr=8-3-catcorr

    This is my absolute favorite soundtrack to date. It's dark, depressing and sublime.
    The bass is incredible and the dynamic range is out of this world.
    I've literally blown up amplifiers and speakers with this recording.
    SRT For Life; SDA Forever!

    The SRT SEISMIC System:
    Four main satellite speakers, six powered subs, two dedicated for LFE channel, two center speakers for over/under screen placement and three Control Centers. Amaze your friends, terrorize your neighbors, seize the audio bragging rights for your state. Go ahead, buy it; you only go around once.
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  • ESavinon
    ESavinon Posts: 3,066
    edited September 2010
    http://www.amazon.com/Gladiator-Hans-Zimmer/dp/B00004STPT/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1284864967&sr=1-1

    Here's another recording with excellent dynamic range.
    SRT For Life; SDA Forever!

    The SRT SEISMIC System:
    Four main satellite speakers, six powered subs, two dedicated for LFE channel, two center speakers for over/under screen placement and three Control Centers. Amaze your friends, terrorize your neighbors, seize the audio bragging rights for your state. Go ahead, buy it; you only go around once.
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  • ESavinon
    ESavinon Posts: 3,066
    edited September 2010
    http://www.amazon.com/Frida-Motion-Picture-Elliot-Goldenthal/dp/B00006LLNV/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1284865025&sr=1-1

    Superb recording. Great for sda.
    SRT For Life; SDA Forever!

    The SRT SEISMIC System:
    Four main satellite speakers, six powered subs, two dedicated for LFE channel, two center speakers for over/under screen placement and three Control Centers. Amaze your friends, terrorize your neighbors, seize the audio bragging rights for your state. Go ahead, buy it; you only go around once.
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  • wild-bill
    wild-bill Posts: 14
    edited September 2010
    I use my 2 John Coltrane's CDs. And Rush's Moving Pictures. Last week I was reading a professional review of Paradigm's Atom Monitor, the author stated he used Rabih Abou-Khalil's The Sultan's Picnic CD to try out the speakers. I downloaded it from Amazon, and wow! Lots of acoustical imsturments. And today I went to Soundwaves and got Miles Davis' Kind of Blue. It will be a good one for testing-sounds so good with the TSi200s.
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  • foghorn2
    foghorn2 Posts: 18
    edited September 2010
    Sparkle in the Rain- Simple Minds
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  • cnoat
    cnoat Posts: 315
    edited September 2010
    Heart -Magic Man
    Parasound Avc-1800
    Mains-Rti 12 -Parasound 1500a
    Center-Csi5-Parasound 1000a
    Rears-Rti 8-Parasound 750a
    Sub SVS Ultra Tv 12
    Diamondback and King Cobra IC's
    AQ T4 SC
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  • coolsax
    coolsax Posts: 1,824
    edited September 2010
    DMB - Crash
    norah Jones - come away with me
    Count Basie - the Atomic Basie
    Zac Brown Band - the foundation
    Main 2ch -
    BlueSound Node->Ethereal optical cable->Peachtree Audio Nova 150->GoldenEar Triton 2+
    TT - Pro-ject Classic SB with Sumiko Bluepoint.

    TV 3.1 system -
    Denon 3500 -> Dynaudio Excite 32/22
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited September 2010
    I have a collection of Lifescapes 24-bit, DDD CD's I use; some Donald Fagan, some Karen Carpenter, David Benoit, and a few others. Of course everything gets the grand finale of Metallicas "Enter Sandman"--this test MUST be passed for a piece to stay in the system.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • fatchowmein
    fatchowmein Posts: 2,637
    edited September 2010
    Beethoven Symphonies 5 & 7, Carlos Kleiber, SACD.
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  • gimpod
    gimpod Posts: 1,793
    edited September 2010
    I don't use CD's for testing out a system but the LP I like to use is Foxy by Bob James Side 1,Track 1 Ludwig, That track will knock stuff off shelves and wall's and maybe blow a tweeter or two (Done that:o)
    “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” ~ Mark Twain
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,734
    edited September 2010
    Too many good choices, here's but a few...
    Aimee Mann - Lost In Space and Bachelor No. 2 (both SACD)
    Beck - Sea Change (SACD)
    George Faber - Blues (Redbook)
    Robert Lucas - Luke And The Locomotives (XRCD2)

    I disagree with stronzo's (the name fits) viewpoint. Crappy recordings sound better on crappy gear as you can't hear how crappy it really is. Besides, life is too short to listen to crap.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • MillerLiteScott
    MillerLiteScott Posts: 2,561
    edited September 2010
    Anything by Weird Al.:rolleyes:
    I like speakers that are bigger than a small refrigerator but smaller than a big refrigerator:D
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  • halo71
    halo71 Posts: 4,604
    edited September 2010
    A few that come to mind first.....

    Flim and the BB's- Tricycle
    Sting- Ten Summoner's Tales (especially 'Heavy Cloud No Rain' and 'Seven Days')
    --Gary--
    Onkyo Integra M504, Bottlehead Foreplay III, Denon SACD, Thiel CS2.3, NHT VT-2, VT-3 and Evolution T6, Infinity RSIIIa, SDA1C and a few dozen other speakers around the house I change in and out.
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited September 2010
    CoatsCollection200.gif
    Jake
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  • hockeyboy
    hockeyboy Posts: 1,428
    edited September 2010
    I use Queen- The Game SACD
    or
    Master and Commander BD
    My Main Gear
    Mitsu HC5000 (Proj.)
    Marantz SR8001 (AVR)
    Sunfire TGA7200 (AMP)
    Marantz DV7001 (SACD)
    Samsung BD-P1500 Blu-Ray
    LSi 15's (Front)
    LSiC (Center)
    LSiFx (Surrounds)
    DUAL SVS 20-39 CS Plus     (Passive Subs)
    Marantz IS201 I-Pod Dock[/SIZE]
    Panamax M5300EX
    Carada Criterion 106" Brightwhite Screen
    Sunfire TGA 5200 & (4) B&W 605's in the party room
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