Reference tracks

joecoulson · September 2018

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.

Try that one. I dare you

How about you guys?

BlueFox · September 2018

Whatever I am playing is my reference. It either sounds better, the same, or worse.

jeremymarcinko · September 2018

Ray Charles and Natalie Cole “Fever” from the Genius loves company album.

joecoulson · September 2018

jeremymarcinko wrote: »

Ray Charles and Natalie Cole “Fever” from the Genius loves company album.

Awesome. Just added that to one of my track lists. Thank You

stretchl · September 2018

Great thread...

ZLTFUL · September 2018

Highwayman by The Highwaymen
Jurassic Park Main Theme

joecoulson · September 2018

jeremymarcinko wrote: »

Ray Charles and Natalie Cole “Fever” from the Genius loves company album.

Got a chance to listen to this today, great track. The keyboard is almost surround sound
Thank You

halo · 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)

joecoulson · September 2018

Thank You all will try those too

VR3 · September 2018

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)

VR3 · September 2018

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

mhardy6647 · September 2018

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.

erniejade · September 2018

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.

tonyb · September 2018

jeremymarcinko wrote: »

Ray Charles and Natalie Cole “Fever” from the Genius loves company album.

Good one....he sings Elton's song, better than Elton. Man injects soul into every piece on that recording.

miner · September 2018

Robert Palmer's "Sneakin' sally Through the Alley"
Trilogy of 'Hey, Hey, Julia', 'Sailin' Shoes', and 'Sneakin'.......

honestaquarian · 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

joecoulson · September 2018

“So” is great,”Us” is even better.

tonyp063 · September 2018

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.

Mikey081057 · September 2018

West of Hollywood Steely Dan Two Against Nature

Near perfect mix/recording.

joecoulson · September 2018

Been stupid busy this week
I have some listening to do this weekend.

mlistens03 · September 2018

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.

decal · September 2018

miner wrote: »

Robert Palmer's "Sneakin' sally Through the Alley"
Trilogy of 'Hey, Hey, Julia', 'Sailin' Shoes', and 'Sneakin'.......

Good call miner.

steveinaz · 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.

Tony M · September 2018

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.

mlistens03 · September 2018

Oh man, I completely forgot, The Who, Who's Next.

stretchl · September 2018

Joss Stone, "The Chokin' Kind," from "Soul Sessions"

WLDock · 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

Lou Rawls & Phoebe Snow - A Lover's Question (Great contrast yet complementary vocals. The music will make you tap your foot!)
Gregory Porter, featuring Kem - Holding On (I'm a big fan of both Gregory and fellow Detroiter Kem. Great track, Great vocals and recording)
Gregory Porter - Be Good (Lion's Song) (The vocals are just SO pure and smooth!)
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!)
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)
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)
Earth Wind & Fire - Let's Groove (midbass test track!)
Michael Jackson - Dirty Diana (Sub bass and Mike rocking out test track!)

INSTRUMENTAL

Yellojackets - Man Facing North (Great studio track from one of my favorite jazz fusion bands!)
Fourplay – Chant (Looking for a controlled low end. Large tom hit in this track and the bass drum should be very tight!)
Pat Metheny - The Sound of Silence (This track is just pretty!)
Jashua Redman Quartet - St. Thomas (Recorded Live at the village Vanguard!)
Manhattan Jazz Quintet – Song For My Father (Listen for sharpness and controlled dynamics! Great recording!)

polrbehr · September 2018

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.

codycatalist · September 2018

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
Lou Rawls & Phoebe Snow - A Lover's Question (Great contrast yet complementary vocals. The music will make you tap your foot!)

Gregory Porter, featuring Kem - Holding On (I'm a big fan of both Gregory and fellow Detroiter Kem. Great track, Great vocals and recording)

Gregory Porter - Be Good (Lion's Song) (The vocals are just SO pure and smooth!)

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!)

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)

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)

Earth Wind & Fire - Let's Groove (midbass test track!)

Michael Jackson - Dirty Diana (Sub bass and Mike rocking out test track!)

INSTRUMENTAL
Yellojackets - Man Facing North (Great studio track from one of my favorite jazz fusion bands!)

Fourplay – Chant (Looking for a controlled low end. Large tom hit in this track and the bass drum should be very tight!)

Pat Metheny - The Sound of Silence (This track is just pretty!)

Jashua Redman Quartet - St. Thomas (Recorded Live at the village Vanguard!)

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.

Tony M · 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..

.

Beautiful guitar picking and the recording of it!

Clipdat · 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.

Reference tracks

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