TelBoy

You know the one, the song you play to everybody who will sit still long enough to listen to your system. Let's have a list of songs that bring out the best in a hi-fi.

I have a few i could mention, but i'll kick off with "Money Can't Buy It" by Annie Lennox, from the album "Diva". If your system's got bass, this will shake the foundations of your house!

Any others?

(Anything by Dire Straits will be ignored immediately, fyi. )

NACRO

LFO Mentok 1

Goochie

Evanescence - The 3 first tracks on the album.

Scooby96

"Sweet Child O Mine"

ooh that guitar!!!

yoza

'Under the moon of love', by Shawaddy Waddy.

Top bass......

Fatman

Massive Attack, 'Teardrop'

ProperCharlie

I quite like man in the long black coat from Bob Dylan's 1989 album Oh Mercy

The quality of the recording is good, with wonderfully atmospheric production by Daniel Lanois. It's not overly complecated, but a good source will reveal the sound of Dylan's fingers moving across the fret board, as well as a load of background swamp type noises. must find it for a quick blast.

oh and of course money for nothing

as frank zappa once said: they're pretty good musicians, they're pretty good musicians....

[Edited by ProperCharlie - 12/24/2003 9:45:35 AM]

Pete Croney

Its one of my all time favourite tracks anyway, but an "industry standard" track is Brazilian Love Affair by George Duke.

If you can play it and not think of a warm tropical beach then there's no hope for you.

Scooby96

Vivaldi's 4 seasons - specifically "Autumn"

carl

I always went for "Private Investigations" by Dire Straits. Although some of the tracks on the last album (On Every Street) are good "demonstrators" and recorded even better. Failing that, if it's bass demonstration that you want, Pink Floyd's "Welcome to the Machine" is impressive. The Clapton unplugged album too.

[Edited by carl - 12/24/2003 9:49:06 AM]

Scooby96

If its a lady then "Darling Nikki" by Prince

Pete Croney

Most of Fat Of The Land is good too.

ProperCharlie

TB - giving that Annie Lennox track a spin at the moment. sounds clean enough but no really deep bass as far as i can hear

maybe I should have bought that REL sub after all?

brickboy

Sorry Tel, but "In the Gallery" from the remastered version of Dire Strait's first album is wicked -- great natural-sounding recording.

For me it's these:

- Original / Leftfield (from Leftism). Awesome bass.
- Biting my nails (Bassnumb chapter) / Renegade Soundwave. Makes yer ears bleed.
- The Bends (the track itself) / Radiohead
- Pull up to the bumper / Grace Jones
- Kaya / Bob Marley. Still sounds fantastic.

Edited to add: one of the best recordings ever for sheer subsonic bass is "A Message to You, Rudy" by the Specials. Not a good production but the bass is thunderous through a good sub

[Edited by brickboy - 12/24/2003 10:09:15 AM]

TelBoy

PC, it's one of those tracks which either kicks *** on your system or doesn't, therefore in my opinion it's a great tester. If you're not getting HOOOGE bass at the beginning, your system isn't giving you full range. The track after, "Little Bird", is similar.

LOL, i *knew* people would come out with Dire Straits. It's weird, whenever i've asked people what they want me to play, it's amazing how many's first answer is Dire Bloody Straits!! Don't get me wrong, they've made some fantastic music, but i'm not convinced ant of it is really hi-fi challenging.

My next offering is "Vogue" by Madonna. A fantastic example of quadraphonic imagery - how they got the effect onto a CD is beyond me!

brickboy

Forgot to add William Orbit's projects, Bass-o-matic and the Strange Cargo III CD.

These are awesome at the bottom end, too, but with fantastic detail and imaging.

But remember kids -- listen to the music, not the hi-fi

carl

TBH, on "Private Investigations" it's the transients when the drum rolls happen. I agree that most of the DS stuff is formulaic and not that challenging, but there's probably one track per album that's a "demo" track.

TelBoy

Carl, but isn't that just because of the suddenness and loudness of those drumrolls, rather than their ability to make a system do anything out of the ordinary? That's my take on it. Good song though.

ProperCharlie

i can't remember what the bottom end roll off of the CL70s is. one of the reasons i chose them was that the bass is very quick - i realise it's not the deepest, though. i did listen to them with a sub, too. it added a bit i didn't buy it and there isn't enough room in here to justify it. when i build the extension i'll get one...

next track for me:

Artur Rubenstein playing Chopin's Opus 9 - No. 1 in B-Flat Minor.

[Edited by ProperCharlie - 12/24/2003 10:26:15 AM]

Edward Vincent Osgood

Bob the Builder

Ed.

Scooby96

Vanessa May - some of her music is pretty hi-fi challenging

Edited to say:

And her gets another cOrNeR!!

[Edited by Scooby96 - 12/24/2003 10:31:16 AM]

*Sonic*

Too many to list

I know of a few well known bands use IGY by Donald Fagen to sound check their rig ready for gigs

In the studio I used to use one of Fishes Albums & Sarah Maclachlan to set a reference for mixdowns, as the production on these albums are very good

carl

I was under the impression that coping well with transients was an indicator of a good amplifier, i.e. one that has "power in reserve" and performs with alacrity.

TelBoy

Fair point. It's just i've heard it on some fairly mediocre systems and a dose of volume has overcome most other concerns!

andrew6321

'she sells sanctuary' by The Cult.....

carl

Yeah, but you get to see the cones move a lot too

Although the start of "Welcome to the Machine" has the cones flapping around like a good'un.

civictyper

The pressing of Jeff Buckley's Grace on 180gm vinyl is superb. Most of the tracks are good for demoing a system but I really like Grace, Last Goodbye, Hallelujah and Lover...

Other great tracks for flexing my system are:

Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy
Roots Manuva - Strange Behaviour
Laurent Garnier/Shazz - Acid Eiffel
Rage Against the Machine - Know Your Enemy/Wake Up
Craig Armstron - Balcony Scene (Romeo & Juliet), Rise

andypugh2000

slipknot wait and bleed

P1Fanatic

One of the best tunes Ive ever listened too is the Last of the Mohicans main theme (orchestral). 1st track on the OST. Makes the hairs on your arms stand on end. A short track but excellent, really shows a decent hifi off.

Simon.

tiggers

T-Bone Burnett - Proof Through the Night 1983 (Vinyl)

The drums on the last track really let you know if your system works. Shut your eyes and listen - if they sound like real drums you're home and dry - if not it's upgrade time again.

As for Dire Straits - sorry, but I really can't understand anyone using their latter recordings (Love over Gold onwards) to test their systems. They sound like they were produced solely to make CD sound good on cheap systems and don't sound anything like anything a real band do when you hear them live as anyone who as actually seen Dire Straits in concert will tell you.

Regards,

tiggers.