Reference Playlist Tracks?

msg
msg Posts: 10,131
edited December 2015 in Music & Movies
I'm thinking about doing a brief review of some speakers I'm testing out. I was listening to a bunch of stuff last night, and making notes about performance in sections of tracks I use for testing. A lot of the stuff I listen to isn't very mainstream, so I'm not sure my notes would be relatable to a majority. I'd only be able to speak relative to instruments or characteristics, and would like to be able to speak to sections in better known pieces for evaluation.

Do we have a list of tracks for a Reference Playlist anywhere yet?
If not, anyone got any suggestions for maybe a handful of tracks for testing/demonstration purposes? I'll hit the web for a search next, but just curious what you guys do for this.
I disabled signatures.
Post edited by msg on
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • gudnoyez
    gudnoyez Posts: 8,124
    edited December 2015
    Black Cow off the Steely Dan Aja cd perfect tune for testing speakers out and turn it up a bit.
    Home Theater
    Parasound Halo A 31 OnkyoTX-NR838 Sony XBR55X850B 55" 4K RtiA9 Fronts CsiA6 Center RtiA3 Rears FxiA6 Side Surrounds Dual Psw 111's Oppo 105D Signal Ultra Speaker Cables & IC's Signal Magic Power Cable Technics SL Q300 Panamax MR4300 Audioquest Chocolate HDMI Cables Audioquest Forest USB Cable

    2 Channel
    Adcom 555II Vincent SA-T1 Marantz SA 15S2 Denon DR-M11 Clearaudio Bluemotion SDA 2.3tl's (Z) edition MIT Terminator II Speaker Cables & IC's Adcom 545II Adcom Gtp-450 Marantz CD5004 Technics M245X SDA 2B's, SDA CRS+

    Stuff for the Head
    JD LABS C5 Headphone Amplifier, Sennheiser HD 598, Polk Audio Buckle, Polk Audio Hinge, Velodyne vPulse, Bose IE2, Sennheiser CX 200 Street II, Sennheiser MX 365

    Shower & Off the beaten path Rigs
    Polk Audio Boom Swimmer, Polk Audio Urchin B)
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • msg
    msg Posts: 10,131
    thanks, I'll add it to the list!
    I disabled signatures.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • afterburnt
    afterburnt Posts: 7,892
    I use some tracks from celine dion all the way album, so much so that I hate celine dion
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • msg
    msg Posts: 10,131
    sooo, don't use Celine Dion unless I want to hate her?
    which tracks? I need specifics, and any particularly passages/characteristics to listen for would be helpful.
    I disabled signatures.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • afterburnt
    afterburnt Posts: 7,892
    Well if you use it for test a million times i doubt you will enjoy just listening lol one is the titanic song the others i would have to look up when i get home
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • msg
    msg Posts: 10,131
    edited December 2015
    Thanks Skip.

    That's a good point. Some of this stuff I'm familiar with, but without the history behind it, without having been using it along the way in my evaluations, I wouldn't really have any sense of performance of new gear with new music. Obvious oversight now that you mention it.

    I guess I'll just use what I know, and mention the piece, passage, and performance with the changed equipment relative to what I know it can do on my standard gear.

    At least this list will give me some common pieces to start testing with, generally speaking, moving forward.
    I disabled signatures.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • voltz
    voltz Posts: 5,384
    gudnoyez wrote: »
    Black Cow off the Steely Dan Aja cd perfect tune for testing speakers out and turn it up a bit.

    plus I like the song Aja also, especially near the end when the drum's really pick up the tempo.

    dire straits - steely dan - supertramp - natalie merchant -don henley but by then I forget what I am doing and get lost in just listening!
    2 ch- Polk CRS+ * Vincent SA-31MK Preamp * Vincent Sp-331 Amp * Marantz SA8005 SACD * Project Xperience Classic TT * Sumiko Blue Point #2 MC cartridge

    HT - Polk 703's * NAD T-758 * Adcom 5503 * Oppo 103 * Samsung 60" series 8 LCD
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Polkie2009
    Polkie2009 Posts: 3,834
    That whole Aja album is worth listening to. :)
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • afterburnt
    afterburnt Posts: 7,892
    afterburnt wrote: »
    Well if you use it for test a million times i doubt you will enjoy just listening lol one is the titanic song the others i would have to look up when i get home
    Because You Loved Me (Theme From ''Up Close & Personal'')
    dunno if it does you any good but I have heard this and that titanic one some much I can make it play on my fillings
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • msg
    msg Posts: 10,131
    haha, thanks B B)
    wait, this isn't gonna me me cry, is it?
    I disabled signatures.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • afterburnt
    afterburnt Posts: 7,892
    If it dont you aint got a heart lol
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • gudnoyez
    gudnoyez Posts: 8,124
    Polkie2009 wrote: »
    That whole Aja album is worth listening to. :)

    Agree desert island disc for sure! One of these days I would love to own the SACD of Aja however it fetches a pretty penny on the used market, one of these days.
    Home Theater
    Parasound Halo A 31 OnkyoTX-NR838 Sony XBR55X850B 55" 4K RtiA9 Fronts CsiA6 Center RtiA3 Rears FxiA6 Side Surrounds Dual Psw 111's Oppo 105D Signal Ultra Speaker Cables & IC's Signal Magic Power Cable Technics SL Q300 Panamax MR4300 Audioquest Chocolate HDMI Cables Audioquest Forest USB Cable

    2 Channel
    Adcom 555II Vincent SA-T1 Marantz SA 15S2 Denon DR-M11 Clearaudio Bluemotion SDA 2.3tl's (Z) edition MIT Terminator II Speaker Cables & IC's Adcom 545II Adcom Gtp-450 Marantz CD5004 Technics M245X SDA 2B's, SDA CRS+

    Stuff for the Head
    JD LABS C5 Headphone Amplifier, Sennheiser HD 598, Polk Audio Buckle, Polk Audio Hinge, Velodyne vPulse, Bose IE2, Sennheiser CX 200 Street II, Sennheiser MX 365

    Shower & Off the beaten path Rigs
    Polk Audio Boom Swimmer, Polk Audio Urchin B)
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,086
    I don't know about "reference" but these sound good on my setup

    Talking Heads "Speaking In Tongues"
    Tool "Lateralus"
    Primus "Sailing The Seas of Cheese"
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Polkie2009
    Polkie2009 Posts: 3,834
    "Riders On The Storm" by The Doors ?
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,306
    SANTANA - ABRAXAS-SACD-Whole album
    Shangri-La (Mark Knopfler album)-SACD
    Black Sabbath-SHM-War Pigs
    2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
    Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
    Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
    Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC

    erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,321
    Tin pan alley stevie ray Vaughan.
    Time of season ben taylor
    Kind of blue entire sacd
    take 5 dave brubeck entire sacd
    beatles love entire cd.
    Klipsch The Nines, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,507
    edited December 2015
    Erich Kunzel & Cincinnati Pops Orchestra / Time Warp / Strauss: Introduction to Also Sprach Zarathustra

    Patty Larkin / Regrooving the Dream; 'Hand Full of Water' features an acoustic guitar with notes that decay into tomorrow. 'When' has a blistering guitar and drum duel. 'Mink Coats,' haunting vocals and deep drum.

    A short, good one note system resolution test is in Pink Floyd / The Wall; The simultaneous kick drum/choked snare at the beginning of The Happiest Days Of Our Lives.
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    Nightfall wrote: »
    I don't know about "reference" but these sound good on my setup

    Talking Heads "Speaking In Tongues"
    Tool "Lateralus"
    Primus "Sailing The Seas of Cheese"

    Not familiar with the Talking Heads album, but agree with the other two.

    I would add the 44/24 download of Marilyn Manson 'The Pale Emperor'. The CD is also good, but the download has more range and power.

    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • msg
    msg Posts: 10,131
    great contributions so far, guys, I'll check these out, thanks. and hanks for the tips on bits to listen for.
    I disabled signatures.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • MrBuhl
    MrBuhl Posts: 2,419
    Espresso Love off Dire Straits "Making Movies" is a good one I use. Knopfler does a count-out at the very beginning I've come to use to judge the timbre of equipment. It's fairly faint, so depending on how good it separates, how clear it is, etc is a good test I use frequently.

    Also, it's just a killer song on a killer album, great guitar, vocals, snappy crisp drums and punchy bass.!
    VA HT HK AVR20II, Sony S9000ES CD/DVD/SACD, Polk Audio RC80i / Polk Audio CSi3, 60" Panasonic Plasma, Nordost / Signal Cable A2 / Wireworld / Pangea / Magic Power
    VA 2 Channel Focal Electra 926 speakers, Pass Labs X150.5 Amp, Eastern Electric MiniMax Preamp (Tutay mods), Eastern Electric Minimax CDP (Scott Nixon mods), Music Hall mmf 5.1 Turntable, Parks Audio Budgie Phono Pre , Audioengine B1 streamer, MIT S3 IC's / MIT Shotgun S3 Speaker Cables / PS Audio power cables
    Noggin Schiit Valhalla, Pangea, Phillips Fidelio X1, Polk UF8000

    Polk SDA1c modded
    Polk CRS+ 4.1TL modded (need veneer)
    Polk SDA2BTL (fully modded)
    A/L 1000VA Dreadnought Canare 4s11 SDA cable
    SACD Marantz DV8300
    Sony S9000ES CD/DVD/SACD
    Yamaha YP-D6
    Soundcraftsmen PCR800
    Audible Illusions L1 Preamp
    Vincent MFA based Cocci Tube Preamp
    Pho-700 Phono Pre
    Signal Cable Silver Resolution IC's






    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • dromunds
    dromunds Posts: 10,018
    +1 on the Knopfler Shangri-La SACD.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • WLDock
    WLDock Posts: 3,073
    edited December 2015
    Here is my old list...been using these for years to listen and tune.

    FOURPLAY – Between The Sheets -Track 1 – “Chant”
    BéLA FLECK and the FLECTONES - Left of Cool -Track 1 - "Throwdown at the Hoedown"
    BéLA FLECK and the FLECTONES - Left of Cool -Track 4 - "Sojourn of Arjuna"
    QUINCY JONES – Back On The Block -Track 7 – “The Places You Find Love”
    NORA JONES – Come Away With Me -Track 3 – “Cold Cold Heart”
    VANESSA WILLIAMS – The Comfort Zone -Track 6 – “Save The Best For last”
    JOSHUA REDMAN QUARTET – Spirit of the Moment, Live at the Village Vanguard
    Disc One, Track-7 – “St. Thomas"
    MANHATTAN JAZZ QUINTET – Funky Strut -Track 5 - "Song for My Father"
    TRACY CHAPMAN – Tracy Chapman -Track 2 - "Fast Car"
    TRACY CHAPMAN – New Beginning-Track 9 - "Give Me One Reason"

    Here is about the only real review I've done back in '08 when I was more into car audio. It was just to get a feel for some new speakers I purchased and one set I received for free. I'm not very good at the wording and such but I thought it came out ok. It was hard to be too judgmental when the install was lacking. http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/member-reviews-product-comparisons/27577-pioneer-premier-prs-3-way-component-set-ts-c720prs-ts-s101prs.html

    Also, here is a nice site: Commercial Reference CD's
    http://www.johnvestman.com/commercial_cds.htm
    2.2 Office Setup | LG 29UB55 21:9 UltraWide | HP Probook 630 G8 | Dell Latitude | Cabasse Stream Amp 100 | Boston Acoustics VS 240 | AUDIORAX Desk Stands | Mirage Omni S8 sub1 | Mirage Omni S8 Sub2
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,507
    Sergio Mendes / Brasileiro , Magalenha

    https://youtu.be/uoblz9g13NA
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter