Songs for speaker try outs

chluffey

Hi all, I am going speaker shopping this weekend and need to add some tracks to a CD I am taking with me to demo the speakers. I have several tracks with lots of bass, can anyone recommend some good track to test the midrange and highs ?

I am looking at the Polk RTi150's, I know a lot of people on here will tell me to get the LSi's, but I think the RTi's will match my RM7600 surround system better.

Thanks !

organ

It's best to bring music that you're very farmiliar with. I can't really recommend anything because I don't know what type of music you listen to. Don't just bring heavy bass music. Make sure you have all kinds so you'll know how well the RTi150 performs each piece.
Let us know your impressions of those beasts after the demo. And remember that they will sound much better in your home than Circuit City's **** demo room and set-up.

Good luck

Maurice

stevew14

I have found Mark Knopfler's Sailing to Philadelphia and Ragpicker's Dream CDs to have some very good material on them. When I was changing out some of my interconnects I found some of the tracks to be very helpful in the mids and highs comparison. Low end as well. I can't really suggest any particular tracks off hand but both are excellent CDs to havein your collection and do offer some great demo stuff. Good separation also.

I hope you like the 150s. I have some and think they are great. With proper setup and good power supplied, they are incredible. My other speakers matched them better than the lsi would have as well. I don't regret it one bit!

pjdami

I always like to listen to the following to test speakers:

Pink Floyd, Darkside of the Moon, "money" great for imaging

Dire Straits, Sultans of swing, "money for nothing"

Jewel, Spirit cd, "Barcelona" great bass and midrange / highs

Enya, A day without rain, "Only time" excellent midrange (good cd too for midrange and highs)

Sting, The Best of, almost any of the songs here (midrange, bass, everything)

I like to test speakers with women's vocals. Women's voices really will reveal if a speaker is well balanced or overly bright.

P.

ncw

Don't forget to test it on spoken voice, male and female. Good speakers should reproduce them naturally. It will be best if you are familiar with the speakers' own voice.

If you are familiar with the sound of piano, find a piece of piano music to test. You would want to test lows and highs. You should be convinced that the speakers reproduce piano music like it is.

danger boy

I like to demo with some jazz like Diane Schuur. Her CD Music is my life is pretty good. It's got good female vocals, with piano, bass. It's in HDCD if that matters to anyone. Besides liking her music, it has good bass without being that pop thump that can get old pretty quick.

From the Diane Schuur CD good tracks are ... I only have eyes for you
Nardis, she also does a good rendition of Somewhere over the Rainbow... solo, no instruments.

Another good one from Diane Schuur is the Diane Schuur Collection CD. First track, Love Dance.... it's very spacious and airy sounding. Also The Very Thought Of You... good strings on this song.

The CD Natalie Cole did of her dads songs from a few years ago. Lots of vocals there too.

setzer808

Yeah, Dark Side of the Moon is a great demo album.

I also like using a rare CD I found that has Led Zepplin Songs performed by an Egyptian Orchestra.

ZZ Top's Recycler and Eliminator albums have some good rock demo material.

Cheap Trick's Live and Budokan is a torture test that can very quickly tell you if a speaker/amp is too bright for your tastes...its an older live recording that can really take some nice gear and some gear tweaking to sound its best.

In the end it really matters what you like to listen to.

Steve@3dai

I personally use Lamb's Trans Fatty Acid (remixed by Kruder and Dorfmeister). It's got amazing background details, unbelievable vocals, jazzy instruments, bass, everything. Plus, and most importantly, I know the song VERY well, I know what it "should" sound like.

The key is getting something your are very familiar with and comfortable listening to at louder levels. Don't be afraid to crank it up a little when you are demoing, as you're the one blowing the money for these little puppies.

RTi150s, I still need to get a REAL demo of those.

nadams

Enya/Watermark/Storms in Africa II

*drool*

Enya will test pretty much full range, no matter what song you pick off of whatever album...

nadams

dcarlson

I'll have to third DSOTM, specifically Money. The 30th aniversary Remaster would be ideal.

Derick.

chluffey

Thanks everyone for the input. I'm going to burn a few of those tracks along with some that I am very familiar with and go see what happens. I'll let you know how it turns out after I demo this weekend.

chluffey

Ok, I tested out the 150s at CC for about an hour and I loved them, so I ordered a pair and they should be here this week. Thanks again to everyone that wrote back

Chuck

pjdami

Congrats Chuffey.

Be sure that you give us a review on how they sound in your setup. That's all we ask for in return for advice

PJ.