Best songs to test hifi speakers

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Oracle Kev FountofWisdom
I’m considering buying some speakers, maybe a vinyl turntable and amp.

Back in the day you’d listen to a Dire Straits track, for example, to check out speakers’ performance and whether you liked the sound.

Which songs would you recommend nowadays?
 
Been a while ago in the heydays of CD but I was doing exactly that for some time. Standard for comparison was this, largely unknown, jazz recording which was an obscure and pricey Japan import CD back then.

https://www.discogs.com/Flim-The-BBs-Tricycle/master/484773

The sound was... bombastic, and I bet it still is impressive on the right equipment. I'm happy to hear that anybody is still caring for an audiophile experience, since MP3 and portable devices with tiny earphones everywhere this seems almost like a culture went down the drain. The difference is like between fast food and fine cuisine.

Edit for a few more styles:
Electronic: Faithless - Insomnia
Vinyl: the original maxi single of Yes - Owner of a Lonely Heart, B-side instrumental version
Classic: https://www.discogs.com/Carl-Orff-R...ir-The-Judith-Blegen-Hakan-Ha/release/2555634 - here part 2 "In Taberna" which is a challenge to reproduce.
 
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pick 3 various songs in the genre you will be listening most to, that are complex and you can hear the different tones in. Then you can compare the different speakers more easily.
 
Bob Marley - Concrete Jungle

As soon as you play it you will understand why, and as a bonus the best guitar solo in history. You are welcome :)
 
Many thanks guys!

I’m going to listen to all the songs suggested just for the enjoyment of listening to them! :)

But I’ve had a rethink.

Sorry to let down the audiophile purists amongst us but I’ve decided to take the pragmatic option due to the logistics of my tiny flat, neighbours etc.

Going to buy a decent portable Bluetooth speaker, probably the Dali Katch.

Anyway, suggested songs much appreciated and those I like I’ll buy on iTunes to stream. :thumbup:
 
John Cage, 4′33″

:tiphat:

lol a wise guy eh?

Not enough of those in this forum so thanks! :laugh:



I love the comment “ I cried at 4:20 “ lol
 
Try

Pink Floyd - Money

so awesome to test speakers
 

In your shoes, I'd put the whole album through.

Not just the one track, I've linked.


Enjoy (I hope) :tiphat:
 
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In your shoes, Id put the whole album through.

Not just the first track, ive linked.


Enjoy (I hope) :tiphat:

And if you are at Vangelis already:
check out Conquest of Paradise
 
Mega, thanks I would never have considered that option but will give it a listen and fantastic movie of course! :thumbup:

Goni yes great song and band for the job I agree!

I used to have a decentish low-end hifi setup (Regar Planar III, Nad amp, big Rogers speakers) and was considering the vinyl option again but not really practical for me now I’ve realised.



In your shoes, I'd put the whole album through.

Not just the one track, I've linked.


Enjoy (I hope) :tiphat:
 

I'd obviously test it on 'something good' as well.... :cool:
 
I have a sound test CD :ahh: back in the day for testing car installs. would pitch through the decibels and frequencies. I am sure you can get the same sort of sound test thing online these days.
 
Darude - Sandstorm
 
I have a sound test CD :ahh: back in the day for testing car installs. would pitch through the decibels and frequencies. I am sure you can get the same sort of sound test thing online these days.

Same here , even for som DB dragrace :cool:

But album i used a lot in old days whas Josefin Nilsson Shapes ,mostly track 3 :p


And for PA stages rigs usaly difrent sorts of techno for the nice high hats:D
 
A high quality version of Madonna's Holiday.

Sometime in the late 80s I went into a music store to buy a 'cheap' pair of headphones. One of those with the aluminum band that went over your head and foam speaker covers.

I honestly didn't know any better.

The salesman tried to upsell me and I said, "What's the difference?"

He walked me over to the counter where he had a cd player, slipped a set of decent headphones on my head, and pressed play on the Madonna track.

It was at that moment I learned quality matters in audio.

I'm not a Madonna fan in general but her Holiday track is very good at least for testing headphones and likely speakers too.
 
Back in the 80's there was a company near me that built PA speakers- they always tested them with Dire Straits - Money for nothing
 

.)

(The sound in this one is pretty rare, the "original" is better)
(In case you are wondering, it's *not* Gunde who's talking)
 
Hey thanks RVA!

And Mega for posting the video.

I’ve heard that tune many times but where?

Also the video, is it from a movie?

There’s been a few tunes/songs in here I recognised but didn’t know the song name nor artist so thank you for educating me. :thumbup:



FTFY.



Gets my vote. :yup:
 
Many thanks Thoreau!

I will struggle to listen to a Madonna song. ;)

If you’d said Cyndi Lauper or Stevie Nicks then fair enough. :)

But seriously, I will have a listen and I know what you mean about audio quality and the difference a good kit makes to a song.

Pity quality costs but c’est la vie.

A high quality version of Madonna's Holiday.

Sometime in the late 80s I went into a music store to buy a 'cheap' pair of headphones. One of those with the aluminum band that went over your head and foam speaker covers.

I honestly didn't know any better.

The salesman tried to upsell me and I said, "What's the difference?"

He walked me over to the counter where he had a cd player, slipped a set of decent headphones on my head, and pressed play on the Madonna track.

It was at that moment I learned quality matters in audio.

I'm not a Madonna fan in general but her Holiday track is very good at least for testing headphones and likely speakers too.
 
Aia I don’t speak Viking but I assume that this is some kind of parody? :)

Many thanks for all your suggestions!

If I don’t thank you in this thread I will try to do so via Rep or message.

A side-effect of threads like these is that it can become a useful reference or resource I think.

And shows that whatever the troubles caused by MA there is still that strong sense of community here. :beerchug:



.)

(The sound in this one is pretty rare, the "original" is better)
(In case you are wondering, it's *not* Gunde who's talking)
 


So many suggestions :)
 
Aia I don’t speak Viking but I assume that this is some kind of parody? :)

Long time ago, when stereo was new:ish in Sweden, there was a regular short program called "stereo test". What it was that it said "This voice should now come from the left side", "this voice should now come from the right side", "This voice should now come from an undetermined Place in the room". Pretty much it was to see that stereo worked, and after the right speaker has been placed in the room Place the left speaker. lol.

This is a (much later) parody of it, coming from a radio show.

In a way, it's practical because often you don't know if you put the left/rigfh speakers right; often computer speakers are cabled so it's sometimes easier to put them wrong.

Right away, I guess this is a fairly good song to test sound quality:
 
Long time ago, when stereo was new:ish in Sweden, there was a regular short program called "stereo test".

I found the "short version" (2 minutes). Listen on it if you're really bored lol.

 
Aia you you must be a mind reader because I was thinking the same re Africa!

And yes, whenever I move house I used to struggle to get speaker placement right with those 5.1 and 7.1 systems.



Long time ago, when stereo was new:ish in Sweden, there was a regular short program called "stereo test". What it was that it said "This voice should now come from the left side", "this voice should now come from the right side", "This voice should now come from an undetermined Place in the room". Pretty much it was to see that stereo worked, and after the right speaker has been placed in the room Place the left speaker. lol.

This is a (much later) parody of it, coming from a radio show.

In a way, it's practical because often you don't know if you put the left/rigfh speakers right; often computer speakers are cabled so it's sometimes easier to put them wrong.

Right away, I guess this is a fairly good song to test sound quality:
 
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