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Reference tracks

joecoulsonjoecoulson Posts: 3,570
in 2 Channel Audio
I know Skip has that other thread going, and I didn’t want to hijack but I did want to ask what others use for ref tracks.
Mines a moving target but I have recently pushed this track to the very top. When all is right with my setup, jaws drop with this track.


oet583b4byna.png

Try that one. I dare you

How about you guys?
Auralic Vega G1/Rega TT/Denon SACD - Parasound P6 - PS Audio M700x2 - Elac Adante AF-61
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  • BlueFoxBlueFox Posts: 12,180
    Whatever I am playing is my reference. It either sounds better, the same, or worse.
    Bud - Silicon Valley

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  • jeremymarcinkojeremymarcinko Posts: 3,492
    Ray Charles and Natalie Cole “Fever” from the Genius loves company album.
    96difsq63b9w.jpeg
    Oh, Listen here mister. We got no way of understandin' this world. But we got as much sense of this bird flyin in the sky. Now there is a lot that bird don't know, but it don't change the fact that the world is happening to him all the same. What I am tryin to say is, is that the course of your life, well its changing, and you don't even see it- Forest Bondurant
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  • joecoulsonjoecoulson Posts: 3,570
    jeremymarcinko wrote: »
    Ray Charles and Natalie Cole “Fever” from the Genius loves company album.
    96difsq63b9w.jpeg
    Awesome. Just added that to one of my track lists. Thank You
    Auralic Vega G1/Rega TT/Denon SACD - Parasound P6 - PS Audio M700x2 - Elac Adante AF-61
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  • stretchlstretchl Posts: 1,295
    Great thread...
    “Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.'”
    - Isaac Asimov
    Hi-Fi
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  • ZLTFULZLTFUL Posts: 5,103
    Highwayman by The Highwaymen
    Jurassic Park Main Theme
    "Some people find it easier to be conceited rather than correct."

    "Unwad those panties and have a good time man. We're all here to help each other, no matter how it might appear." DSkip
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  • joecoulsonjoecoulson Posts: 3,570
    jeremymarcinko wrote: »
    Ray Charles and Natalie Cole “Fever” from the Genius loves company album.
    96difsq63b9w.jpeg
    Got a chance to listen to this today, great track. The keyboard is almost surround sound
    Thank You
    Auralic Vega G1/Rega TT/Denon SACD - Parasound P6 - PS Audio M700x2 - Elac Adante AF-61
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  • halohalo Posts: 5,245
    edited September 2018
    Geez, there are so many. If it's music I'm familiar with, and can easily recognize how I think it's "supposed" to sound to me, then that's what I use.

    Some tracks I like...

    Patty Larkin:

    Wolf at the Door (Perishable Fruit)

    When (Regrooving the Dream) - Probably her best album (my favorite, at least)

    River (Regrooving the Dream)

    Casandra Wilson

    Drunk as Cooter Brown (Belly of the Sun) - This whole album is very good.

    Ani DiFranco:

    Out of Range (Living in Clip)

    Shameless (2006-11-10, Boston; Official Bootleg)

    Terry Evans:

    Get Your Lies Straight (Blues for Thought)

    Larry Carlton

    Take Me Down (Sapphire Blue)

    Norah Jones:

    In the Morning (Feels Like Home) - there's an "error" in this song, see if you can pick it out (it happens more than once - consistently in the same spot repeated).

    Vanessa Fernandez:

    Here but I'm Gone (Use Me)

    Talk Talk

    Happiness is Easy (The Colour of Spring)

    Janiva Magnes

    The Devil is an Angel Too (The Devil is an Angel Too)
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  • joecoulsonjoecoulson Posts: 3,570
    Thank You all will try those too
    Auralic Vega G1/Rega TT/Denon SACD - Parasound P6 - PS Audio M700x2 - Elac Adante AF-61
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  • VR3VR3 Posts: 23,463
    A few

    The dead can dance - ubiquitous Mr love Grove... The carnival

    Chicken foot - soap on a rope

    Gov't mule - blind man in the dark

    Ben harper - I want to be ready..... Glory and consequence

    Blue man group - the complex (whole album)
    - Not Tom

    Vr3Mods.com ///// Version3Audio.com

    "No, that's silly talk. Dude, you can't possibly be this audio dumb so quit the act." - Doro
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  • VR3VR3 Posts: 23,463
    That Angus stone song is killer, the whole album is good too, the vocals are recorded very well.. Interesting instrument placement throughout the album

    The ray Charles song is also very well recorded

    - Not Tom

    Vr3Mods.com ///// Version3Audio.com

    "No, that's silly talk. Dude, you can't possibly be this audio dumb so quit the act." - Doro
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  • mhardy6647mhardy6647 Posts: 23,335
    halo wrote: »
    Geez, there are so many. If it's music I'm familiar with, and can easily recognize how I think it's "supposed" to sound to me, then that's what I use.

    Some tracks I like...

    Patty Larkin:

    Wolf at the Door (Perishable Fruit)

    When (Regrooving the Dream) - Probably her best album (my favorite, at least)

    River (Regrooving the Dream)

    Casandra Wilson

    Drunk as Cooter Brown (Belly of the Sun) - This whole album is very good.

    Ani DiFranco:

    Out of Range (Living in Clip)

    Shameless (2006-11-10, Boston; Official Bootleg)
    ...
    I knew there was a reason I liked you! ;)

    PS, and strictly FWIW, I think Patty Larkin's live album a gogo is her best, and is one I whip out ;) for evaluating new-to-me components, but... I like 'em all.

    I'd add Burning Down , Hand Full of Water and Beg to Differ from Regrooving the Dream as good evaluation/demo tracks, too (again, FWIW) :)
    Yeah -- it is a good, and good sounding album... but, then again, almost all of her albums are outstanding and almost all of them sound great, as well.

    :)

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  • erniejadeerniejade Posts: 5,076
    Try this one if you haven't heard it https://youtube.com/watch?v=4Q8j_rjL4jw

    Careful on the volume around 40 -50 seconds in.
    Den: Lumin D1,Wireworld Silver Eclipse, KEF LS50 Wireless, Velodyne SPL1200, Technics 1200, Denon DL160, Jolida D9,

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  • tonybtonyb Posts: 31,635
    jeremymarcinko wrote: »
    Ray Charles and Natalie Cole “Fever” from the Genius loves company album.
    96difsq63b9w.jpeg

    Good one....he sings Elton's song, better than Elton. Man injects soul into every piece on that recording.
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  • minerminer Posts: 1,266
    Robert Palmer's "Sneakin' sally Through the Alley"
    Trilogy of 'Hey, Hey, Julia', 'Sailin' Shoes', and 'Sneakin'.......
    [
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  • honestaquarianhonestaquarian Posts: 2,507
    edited September 2018
    I'm gonna send a shout out to @gmcman for helping me realize Peter Gabriel's SO album sounds WAAAYY better on SACD than it does on CD.
    (even HE was kinda surprised at the difference we heard)
    Also Madonna's 40th birthday album Ray of Light. The entire CD is filled with all kinds of phase manipulated stuff that flies all over the room on SDA's. It also has some interesting electronic tones at the beginning of track one which used to come through distorted until I upgraded my crossovers with the Great ones that I got from @VR3
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  • joecoulsonjoecoulson Posts: 3,570
    “So” is great,”Us” is even better.
    Auralic Vega G1/Rega TT/Denon SACD - Parasound P6 - PS Audio M700x2 - Elac Adante AF-61
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  • tonyp063tonyp063 Posts: 682
    Mark Hardy put the Wailin' Jennys 'Live at the Mauch Chunk Opera House" into the mix for me.
    Best for sussing out upper register clarity & response.

    I also use a Deutsche Gramaphon half-speed master of the Berlin Phil doing "Carmina Burana" for low to mid response.

    Bela Fleck & Edgar Meyr "Music for Two" esp. "Wooly Mammoth", to see how things respond without getting muddy.
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  • Mikey081057Mikey081057 Posts: 6,633
    West of Hollywood Steely Dan Two Against Nature

    Near perfect mix/recording.
    My New Year's resolution is 3840 × 2160

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  • joecoulsonjoecoulson Posts: 3,570
    Been stupid busy this week
    I have some listening to do this weekend.
    Auralic Vega G1/Rega TT/Denon SACD - Parasound P6 - PS Audio M700x2 - Elac Adante AF-61
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  • mlistens03mlistens03 Posts: 2,639
    The one I use for stereo effects is "I've got a feeling" by the Beatles. Just about nothing in the center, and it sounds sweet. If I have more time, I'll do all of Pink Floyd DSOTM. Then Abbey Road.
    Not Tom or Trey or Jim just Micah
    KEF Q150s, NAD 1155 preamp and 4155 tuner courtesy of DaddyJT, NAD C352 playing power amp, BJC Belden cables, Technics SL3200, Marantz CD6004 courtesy of Clipdat, Salamander Archetype rack, Millenium Falcon :)
    I've always thought the goal of high-end audio was not to have your neighbors bang on the wall and say, 'Turn that darn music down' but to have your neighbors bang on the wall and say, 'Tell your friends to go home and you can practice later this week'.

    Resident Child of Club Polk
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  • decaldecal Posts: 3,179
    miner wrote: »
    Robert Palmer's "Sneakin' sally Through the Alley"
    Trilogy of 'Hey, Hey, Julia', 'Sailin' Shoes', and 'Sneakin'.......

    Good call miner.
    If you can't hear a difference, don't waste your money.
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  • steveinazsteveinaz Posts: 19,054
    edited September 2018
    For vocals, anything Karen Carpenter or Sarah Maclachlan; for accuracy/depth of bass, "Hard Day" George Michael. For mids/complexity/layering, practically any Steely Dan or Donald Fagen.
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  • Tony MTony M Posts: 8,356
    I JUST used some tracks off of George Michael's "Faith Album" while demoing some speakers an old friend, who visited a couple of weeks ago, was interested in. :) B)

    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
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  • mlistens03mlistens03 Posts: 2,639
    Oh man, I completely forgot, The Who, Who's Next.
    Not Tom or Trey or Jim just Micah
    KEF Q150s, NAD 1155 preamp and 4155 tuner courtesy of DaddyJT, NAD C352 playing power amp, BJC Belden cables, Technics SL3200, Marantz CD6004 courtesy of Clipdat, Salamander Archetype rack, Millenium Falcon :)
    I've always thought the goal of high-end audio was not to have your neighbors bang on the wall and say, 'Turn that darn music down' but to have your neighbors bang on the wall and say, 'Tell your friends to go home and you can practice later this week'.

    Resident Child of Club Polk
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  • stretchlstretchl Posts: 1,295

    Joss Stone, "The Chokin' Kind," from "Soul Sessions"
    “Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.'”
    - Isaac Asimov
    Hi-Fi
    Apple Lossless --> Squeezebox Touch --> Joule Electra LA-100 Mark iii --> Yaqin MC-10t --> LSiM-705's
    Cabling by Groneberg
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    http://Vimeo.com/channels/stretchphoto
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  • WLDockWLDock Posts: 2,651
    edited September 2018
    Not sure who may have similar taste. I listen to a wide range of music but this limited list is some of what I would demo on my own or other systems. Some of the tracks I've used for years so I've listened to them on many systems in the home and some SQ car audio systems.

    VOCAL
    1. Lou Rawls & Phoebe Snow - A Lover's Question (Great contrast yet complementary vocals. The music will make you tap your foot!)
    2. Gregory Porter, featuring Kem - Holding On (I'm a big fan of both Gregory and fellow Detroiter Kem. Great track, Great vocals and recording)
    3. Gregory Porter - Be Good (Lion's Song) (The vocals are just SO pure and smooth!)
    4. Natalie Cole - Route 66 (This is just a nice catchy track off of the Unforgettable album. Natalie just swings on it. Her Dad would have been proud!)
    5. Seal - Killer (Acoustic Version) (I love Seal's work. I saw him live once and his performance and his band was simply Awesome! I love the original track but this one makes for a cool demo track)
    6. Quincy Jones - The Places You Find Love (At the end there's a ton going here! A bad system will smear the hell out of this track)
    7. Earth Wind & Fire - Let's Groove (midbass test track!)
    8. Michael Jackson - Dirty Diana (Sub bass and Mike rocking out test track!)
    INSTRUMENTAL
    1. Yellojackets - Man Facing North (Great studio track from one of my favorite jazz fusion bands!)
    2. Fourplay – Chant (Looking for a controlled low end. Large tom hit in this track and the bass drum should be very tight!)
    3. Pat Metheny - The Sound of Silence (This track is just pretty!)
    4. Jashua Redman Quartet - St. Thomas (Recorded Live at the village Vanguard!)
    5. Manhattan Jazz Quintet – Song For My Father (Listen for sharpness and controlled dynamics! Great recording!)

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  • polrbehrpolrbehr Posts: 2,407
    I'm going to throw SRV's version of Little Wing into the fray here. The first minute or so almost begs you to lean forward and close your eyes so you can picture him playing. It's also very dynamic, and gets in your face for awhile before switching gears
    back to mellow. It's my new favorite go-to demo piece for the 2Bs.
    So, are you willing to put forth a little effort or are you happy sitting in your skeptical poo pile?


    http://audiomilitia.proboards.com/
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  • codycatalistcodycatalist Posts: 2,555
    WLDock wrote: »
    Not sure who may have similar taste. I listen to a wide range of music but this limited list is some of what I would demo on my own or other systems. Some of the tracks I've used for years so I've listened to them on many systems in the home and some SQ car audio systems.

    VOCAL
    1. Lou Rawls & Phoebe Snow - A Lover's Question (Great contrast yet complementary vocals. The music will make you tap your foot!)
    2. Gregory Porter, featuring Kem - Holding On (I'm a big fan of both Gregory and fellow Detroiter Kem. Great track, Great vocals and recording)
    3. Gregory Porter - Be Good (Lion's Song) (The vocals are just SO pure and smooth!)
    4. Natalie Cole - Route 66 (This is just a nice catchy track off of the Unforgettable album. Natalie just swings on it. Her Dad would have been proud!)
    5. Seal - Killer (Acoustic Version) (I love Seal's work. I saw him live once and his performance and his band was simply Awesome! I love the original track but this one makes for a cool demo track)
    6. Quincy Jones - The Places You Find Love (At the end there's a ton going here! A bad system will smear the hell out of this track)
    7. Earth Wind & Fire - Let's Groove (midbass test track!)
    8. Michael Jackson - Dirty Diana (Sub bass and Mike rocking out test track!)
    INSTRUMENTAL
    1. Yellojackets - Man Facing North (Great studio track from one of my favorite jazz fusion bands!)
    2. Fourplay – Chant (Looking for a controlled low end. Large tom hit in this track and the bass drum should be very tight!)
    3. Pat Metheny - The Sound of Silence (This track is just pretty!)
    4. Jashua Redman Quartet - St. Thomas (Recorded Live at the village Vanguard!)
    5. Manhattan Jazz Quintet – Song For My Father (Listen for sharpness and controlled dynamics! Great recording!)

    Gregory Porter is absolutely fantastic. I love when Holding On hits on the bass line and it jumps from left to right and back.
    Just a dude doing dude-ly things

    "Temptation is the manifestation of desire which equals necessity." - Mikey081057
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  • Tony MTony M Posts: 8,356
    edited September 2018
    polrbehr wrote: »
    I'm going to throw SRV's version of Little Wing into the fray here. The first minute or so almost begs you to lean forward and close your eyes so you can picture him playing. It's also very dynamic, and gets in your face for awhile before switching gears
    back to mellow. It's my new favorite go-to demo piece for the 2Bs.

    I came within seconds of posting SRV's "Little Wing" earlier! But I left and did something else instead. :#

    Little Wing also sounds like SRV's "Riviera Paradise". I think they start the same way.. B) .

    Beautiful guitar picking and the recording of it! ;)
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
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  • ClipdatClipdat Posts: 7,204
    edited September 2018
    polrbehr wrote: »
    I'm going to throw SRV's version of Little Wing into the fray here. The first minute or so almost begs you to lean forward and close your eyes so you can picture him playing. It's also very dynamic, and gets in your face for awhile before switching gears
    back to mellow. It's my new favorite go-to demo piece for the 2Bs.

    @arthurs played this track for my wife and I on vinyl via the Destination Audio horns on the final day of the 2018 California Audio Show earlier this year, as the last track to close out the show.

    I'd never heard the song before. It was an incredible musical experience that I won't ever forget.

    hhh54xjezp7g.jpg
    "Electronic music is human sound adapting to indulge technology, and for some, it feels like the signature sound of energy. New and abstract sounds over hypnotic rhythms can conjure vast soundscapes for escape, pleasure, and transcendence."
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