As Ive posted elsewhere, I am in the market for a new 2.1 system, starting from scratch. I have gotten a lot of good advice, and am ready to start auditioning a bunch of different equipment -- I have a couple appointments for next week already
Now -- I mainly listen to folk/blues/rock/vocal jazz, but I also listen to a lot of orchestral and piano classical when in that kinda phase. I need some recommendations about good CDs/music/artists to take with me that would really bring out the difference in equipment. Its already obvious to me that I should bring something I enjoy listening to, but are there certain CDs that you folks have found that really help to discriminate when shopping?
You're definitely on the right track in using CDs that you enjoy listening to. But I'll add to that and say use CDs (or at least tracks) that you know inside and out - that will give you the best frame of reference for what the equipment brings to the table.
Now to answer your question.. here are some CDs that I use for auditioning equipment:
Thelonius Monk - Live at the "It" Club. Monk's playing, especially live as it is on this well-done digital remaster, gives you so much information for judging equipment - significant dynamic changes, a full range of frequencies, heavy syncopation, as well as the ability to hear the tonality and decay of the piano strings.
Polyphonic Spree - Together We're Heavy. Horns, multiple and varied percussion instruments, and an 18-person choir on a very well-recorded album.
Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. SO much going on on this CD. The better the equipment, the better you'll be able to resolve all the underlying pieces of the recording.
October Project - s/t. Mary Fahl's voice is simply amazing, and this recording is beautiful.
one of my favorite CD's for evaluating equipment is Lizz Wright's "Dreaming Wide Awake"
Her voice is like scotch and honey, something that you would kick back and listen to with pillar candles lit, and the lights down low to hear all the details.
As you can tell, I think her voice is totally amazing. The recording quality is great as well, with a lovely warm quality that goes well with her vocals.
The track that I usually use for seraious evaluations (although the whole CD is wonderful) is track 5, "Im confessin'." It's lizz on vocals, a guitar, a bass, drums, and keys. Very simplistic so the music just FLOWS and draws you in, BIG TIME! on good equipment, its almost impossible to let go!
Here is the link to the CD I am referring to on Amazon.com, Take a listen to the song "Im confessin'." It's amazing delivery tantalizes the senses.
Trust me, the CD gives me goosebumps. It really is that good. Try to get past the poor sample quality of amazon.com
I would recommend Natalie Merchant, talk about a silky voice and great range. Use her Tiger lilly album.
There is also a Dizzy Gillespie album recorded in Paris that will be good to try different range of music.
Some people here will swear by Norah Jones and she certainly did help me find a problem with a used NAD Cd player I bought, but she sings a little too much through the nose to me to stand listening to too much.
pink floyd will do justice to good systems, and let you know the "pretenders". Dark side of the moon, and animals for subtleties.
Anonymous
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I find The Wall is also pretty good for evaluating a system, particularly in terms of dynamics and low volume detail. I definately heard the difference when I upgraded speakers.
psychoman365
Unregistered guest
Posted on
My list:
Morcheeba (Really good recording as well.) Craig David (R&B type but very smooth) Sade Natalie Merchant (or 10,000 Maniacs) The Carpenters (Karen Carpenter - no frills, no nasals, no silky whispers, just pure sweet meoldious voice.) Buddha Bar (I dont remember the name of the album, but it was one with Chinese Mandolins... Excellent quality of recording.)
Also you can depend on Flaming Lips for quality of recording and layers of electronic sounds.
Any album by A.R.Rahman. (Indian mainstream music.) His recordings are of excellent quality, lot of percussion instruments, beats and details in his compositions, and a huge emphasis on good vocals.
Male vocals, I use James Taylor live at the Beacon. Straight guitar as well. For piano, I like Supertramp's'lord is it mine" or 'the last resort' from The Eagles(I sing that one with piano only with the band) For ANY drumming I pick Rush(Neil Peart), period. Some folks like Andy Summers? from the police, I don't know why.
There's a paradigm shift from sultry and sexy to "nasal" that I just can't get my arms around.
T-Man describes her voice as like fine "sandpaper" but I don't hear that either. So, I'd nominate Norah for fantastic voice, simple instrumentation that backs her up but brings her home.
Any Diana Krall, but my favorite, "Live in Paris".
Try something classical with lots of dynamics, mood changes and instruments, i.e., Holst "The Planets" - the L.A. Philarmonic is a good recording, Stravinsky's "Firebird Suite" - the Telarc version or just about any decent recording of Handel's "Messiah" for something provocative and seasonal. IMHO
I don't dislike all nasal voices. Some of Barbara streisand stuff is pretty nasal too, and I like her. I just can't listen to it too long. Some of Norah Jones songs you can hear it more than others.
Oscar Peterson Trio, Night Train, track 9 (I got it bad). Loads of mood and feeling with nuance. Also track 3 (Georgia on my mind) for some pianistic flash. 1962 and yet wonderful - especially the latest reissue (20-bit digital transfer sounds great)
Joni Mitchell, Hejira, track 1 (Coyote) Awkward rhythms and fast pace with smooth vocal. Nasty 1974 recording, so it's also a good test to see if the component copes with that kind of thing.
Ludovico Einaudi, Le Onde, track 2. Beautifully recorded modern recording of piano on its own. Should sound like a proper grand which expands and contracts depending on the strength of the notes. Fabulous.
Chris Botti, First Wish, tracks 1 & 2. 1) Deep tuneful bass with pure blown trumpet sounds. 2) Haunting pure trumpet with warm bass. Good modern recording.
Stan Getz & Charlie Byrd, Jazz Samba, track 1. Latin American beats with great tenor sax and acoustic guitar. Early sixties recording, the 20-bit digital transfer of the latest reissue is excellent.
Fruhbeck de Burgos, Albeniz, Suite Espagnola, track 2 (Asturias). Fantastic dynamics and orchestral colour. I use this on vinyl listening but the CD should be good too.
"Oscar Peterson Trio, Night Train, track 9 (I got it bad). Loads of mood and feeling with nuance. Also track 3 (Georgia on my mind) for some pianistic flash. 1962 and yet wonderful - especially the latest reissue (20-bit digital transfer sounds great)"
Ah, thanks Frank. I've picked this up a few times now but have balked at purchasing because I wondered about the SQ. Now I'll give it a go for sure.
I'll add Georgie Fame's "The Blues and Me" to the list. Bobby Mallach's tenor sax is breathtaking. The jazz is laid back to furious. Great recording for a reference cd imo.
1. Holly Cole- It Happened One Night. Live Female Jazz with track 2 heavy on drums. 2. Ricki Lee Jones- Bare Naked Live and Acoustic 3. Marc Cohn- self Titled for male vocals ( Wlaking In memphis is the known track) 4. Vince Guraldi Trio- Jazz trio 5. Holst The Planets- Karajan version is my favorite.
Although the sound quality is as good as it gets for 1962 (which ain't bad), it still has some quirks. For example, the double bass is recorded out of absolute phase, so if you click your mono button to 'on', the double bass pretty much vanishes! The ride cymbal is always on the far right too (an infamous thing about this recording). But the quality on the latest reissue is the best that Night Train has ever enjoyed and the music is among the best ever recorded, period!
And of course that track (or was it Georgia?) was used to great effect by Kubrick in Eyes Wide Shut when the hooker is getting ready to 'entertain' Cruise...
Thanks again Frank. Titles such as these usually seem to be available in the stores that don't have listening posts. I recently heard my brother's copy of Peterson's "Girl Talk" and was suitably impressed, so that will be two I'll add to my collection. I'll be looking out for the Getz/Bird title as well - I think it might be on sacd.