Test Tracks

Jstas

I know there's been a few discussions around this before but nothing seems to have stuck.

With the Legend L200 demo going around, I thought it prudent to start this again.

Intending here to collect a bunch of test track suggestions for folks to not only find new music but to also find some reference stuff that is not only pleasant to listen to but will showcase a speaker's faults as well as it's strengths.

Preferably, give a sample of the music in some sort of media being a video from YouTube, Vimeo or what have you to a streaming service like SoundCloud or something. The sample doesn't have to be lossless or anything like that, just a reference so people can hear the track so if they go try to find it, they will recognize it.

My first track is from an album called "American River" from an artist named Jonathan Elias. He's a composer that's done quite a few arrangements for artists and movies and this album is one of his forays into making his own mark on the industry. I have an original print CD that I got from Japan before a Valspar Paints commercial made his work famous. The CD isn't an SACD or anything but it was printed in Japan and is decidedly higher quality than the re-release after the paint commercial. I like this track because of it's dynamics, complexity and range of instruments. That and it's just real nice to listen to.

The track is called "Towards Home"

https://youtu.be/KDurza1o2dA

mhardy6647

just one?



Track 9

https://youtu.be/rdT58JW1yF8

(sorry, I don't stream)

Jstas

No, post as many as you want. I have others I use, just didn't want to hog the spotlight.

joecoulson

https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/183470/reference-tracks#latest

Jstas

Yeah, well, that's in 2 Channel Audio and called "reference tracks". Not exactly intuitive to find.

joecoulson

The guy mentioned “reference”
🤷🏻‍♂️

joecoulson

None taken Skipper

Jstas

You're taking reference out of context and assigning a different meaning.

I used reference in both instances to mean that someone looking for a decent test track could use your post as a reference for finding one. They may not even like the one you chose but maybe they reference that artist and find something different from the same artist that showcases what they are looking for in gear.

You are taking reference to mean a de facto, agreed upon standard by which all others are judged. That's not the intent here.

What I find as a good test track may not be what others find to be a good test track. But having a single place to reference a bunch of different ones from a bunch of different people/perspectives seems like a good resource to me.

So if y'all are gonna be smug about it, then don't participate. But don't sit here mocking my post because you think it's something it isn't.

Jstas

ANYHOO, back on topic.

"Thunder Undeground" from Ozzy Osbourne's "Ozzmosis" album.

I like this track for a few reasons. "Ozzmosis" is very well produced so quality is top notch. The track itself, though, has a very bass and drum heavy melody with the lead guitar playing "second fiddle" of sorts with a heavy dose of feedback for that metal growl. That playing over a bass line accentuated by a 1 and 3 bass beat gives almost a hellacious locomotive feel to it. But that can really show the short-comings on the low end performance of a speaker, especially bookshelf speakers.

But Ozzy's unique vocals from his voice in general to his styling laced with reverb makes his natural vibrato seem other worldly. It often spans crossover curves because of his natural vocal harmonics. It can expose short comings in the mid range and high range crossover curves and response.

All of that makes for a complex and busy track that seems like it would be a train wreck of a song but it's the opposite. There's a dynamic range here that goes from a screaming metal guitar to gritty vocals to thunderous bass and drums all on the same track, at the same time. It's particularly useful for seeing how well a crossover network is laid out. It's a wall of sound that if something is missing because of a poorly cross response curve set, it's obvious because it sounds dull and/or muted. If the speaker gets it right, this track just shines.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2YFirVguEk

joecoulson

.

daddyjt

When You Say Nothing At All, by Allison Krauss -

The real magic in this track is in the first minute or so. The opening guitar should sound very crisp and smooth, with superb detail. When she starts singing, you should hear every detail, right down to the intake of breath. In the second sentence she sings, "…. You can light up the dark, listen for the "k" in dark. It should be a very subtle "kiss" of a sound, but very well defined. On some systems, it ranges from inaudible, to a muddy, incoherent sound. When the drums kick in, and she really opens up with her voice, the system/component in question should be able to handle the dynamic increase in volume without making you want to turn it down. It should be a powerful, slightly scary moment, as the overall system output jumps significantly. On MANY systems, this moment will come across as shrill, and very unpleasant. The bass should also be solid and deep, but not boomy. This is my number one track for judging equipment.

https://youtu.be/1SCOimBo5tg

westmassguy

Jack Savoretti "Home" from Written in Scars.
Excellent bass. Jack's acoustic guitar and gravelly voice remind me of early Bryan Adams.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MTXonJsppo&list=RD2MTXonJsppo&start_radio=1&t=0

mpitogo

With the L800 demo I attended I could only remember two. If anyone knows more let me know.

https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/polk-l800-sda/pl.u-VoyEh1Jr5p

jdjohn

Civil Wars "My Father's Father":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGwnFz_5xRE

headrott

Jonathan Elias is a great writer/producer. He has produced some great sounding songs for YES (on the Union album).

I would recommend some Ryuchi Sakamoto songs from Left Handed Dream, and all of the YMO (Yellow Magic Orchestra) albums.

jrice1972

I still use my IASCA competition cd...

Tony M

Steely Dan's " Reelin in the Years" sure was a test track for my RTA12b's and Pinnacles this afternoon.

rooftop59

Bump