Reference music to test your headphone or earplugs.

Discussion in 'Digital Photography, Home and Portable Electronics' started by Thug, Jan 9, 2009.

  1. Thug

    Thug Guest

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    I thought this thread would be useful to those who want to test the quality of their headphones or ear plugs.
    It will be a good reference thread if used correctly.

    Heres what i would like to see...


    I want to know what tracks you have heard, where you have thought 'wow, that sounds awsome, and a good test piece for my headphones'. A track where you can pin point every single instrument and error.
    It doesnt even have to be a track you particulary like, but just one that has...
    1. Great highs, mids and bass,
    2. Clear instruments, especially background ones,
    3. Clear voice,
    4. Clear silent parts,
    5. The wow factor,

    The conditions i would like to set are...
    1. Only ONE post per user. (That way we wont get loads of single posts showing 1 or 2 songs) If you think of additional songs, update your original post.
    2. Accessible music only. (Pointless listing a song that was on a B side to a single 32 years ago by an unknown artist, that they only made 6 of).
    3. No slagging off other peoples recommendations. (This is a thread to show the quality of earphones, not showing peoples music tastes).
    4. List what ever has impressed you quality wise, even if its a bit embaressing.
    5. If you want, put a little explanation why you picked that song.
    6. List what you are listening to it through.
    7. List them as Artist and Title.


    Right, i will start, in no order....

    Iphone 3g, with Audio-technica CMK70 earplugs, and A900 headhones.

    1. Elton John, Rocket man.
    I listened to this last night, having bought the best of, and was VERY impressed in the quality of the accoustics, it is crystal clear, and you can hear every instrument and symbol being played. Probably one of the best i have heard quality wise to test your earphones.

    2. Chris Rea, Road to hell part 1.
    Off the Road to hell CD, its just the sounds of being sat in a car with rain coming down, but you can hear every little detail, and comes in with thumping bass.

    3. Maroon 5, Secret.
    Off the CD Songs about Jane. Not particulary a track i like, but the guitar at the start is excellent, and the bass cutting in is great too, as is the clear voice. Only the first minute or 2.

    4 Ronan Keaton and Lulu, We've got tonight
    Very clear instruments, and exceptional bass and wood percussion when Lulu cuts in.

    5. Sting, English man in New York
    Great clear saxaphone, tamborine, Hi-hat and triangle.

    6. Cat Stevens, father and son
    Great accoustics, and clear voice and bass.

    7. Eric Clapton, Layla (unplugged version)
    Taken from the MTV unplugged CD, accoustics sound great, females voices are nice and clear, hihat sound crystal too. Great live song.



    Let me stress, it ISN'T a list of your favourite music, but tracks that sound like reference material.
     
    Last edited: Jan 9, 2009
  2. Billabong

    Billabong Ancient Guru

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    Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells

    Just a great range of sounds to test your setup, old but good.

    :D
     
    Last edited: Jan 9, 2009
  3. Risco

    Risco Master Guru

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    Grab yourself a copy of Stings live performance album "All This Time"
     
  4. llerenaprincipe

    llerenaprincipe Ancient Guru

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    Wax Simulacra
    a song by The Mars Volta
     

  5. Dublin_Gunner

    Dublin_Gunner Ancient Guru

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    Make Love Like a Man - Def Leppard
    Great crunchy chords, and great silent stops in between, if you have crap headphones, this track will show it up, especially if played a little louder than you usually would.

    Classical Gas - Tommy Emmanuel (acoustic)
    This track has incredible classical guitar playing, you can hear every note ring out on a decent set of speakers / headphones. Even the full version with orchestra etc is recorded superbly, and the string sections are crisp and clear.

    Here I go Again - Whitesnake (the later version)
    The re-recorded version that starts with the crunchy guitars instead of the pansy arse old intro. Just a great tune, and sounds even better on a good set of speakers / headphones.
     
  6. malky

    malky Master Guru

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    1 - Enya - Watermark

    true 10hz bass (longships is the track me thinks) and well recorded to boot.

    2 - Dire Straits - Brothers in arms.

    I'll add more if I can remember.
     
  7. Revs

    Revs Member

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    Múm - Finally We Are No One (Album)

    Many of the tracks on this album have some really subtle, detailed samples which I find are only audible on good headphones. It's a good album, too. Quite unusual but good for chillin out :).

    In fact alot of chillout music is good for testing your audio equipment. Future Sound of London, Boards Of Canada and Massive Attack to name a few.
     
    Last edited: Feb 18, 2009
  8. stut85

    stut85 Member Guru

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    Pretty much any track from Robert Miles' Album 'Organik' :)
     
  9. Tom F

    Tom F Ancient Guru

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    Bit of a diverse mix, but a bunch of songs that sound very good (to my ears at least)

    1: Snoop Dogg - Gz and Hustlaz

    Lots of nice high frequency tingly stuff, as well as some cool stereo stuff. Good bit of 'gangsta whine' on this one too ;)

    2: Bob Marley - Africa Unite

    Loads of bass for one thing, plus loads of stuff going on in the backgrounds. Just a fantastic sounding song.

    3: Ry Cooder - Taxes on the Farmers Feeds us all

    Again, a lot of stuff going on - you hear a lot more when you hear this on a good system/pair of headphones.

    4: Jeff Buckley - Last Goodbye

    Simply perfect production, sounds really good.

    5: Boards of Canada - Eagle in Your Mind

    All kinds of stuff going on in this one, accross a huge range of frequencies. Hits pretty hard in parts, plus a healthy dose of stereo things as well.

    6: Infected Mushroom - Jeenge

    The acoustic guitar at the start is just gorgeous. No vocals here either, but amazing production (incidentally, the whole album is amazingly well put together). Out of all of them, this one has the wow factor if you really wind it up. It makes your system work pretty hard ;)

    7: Porcupine Tree - Voyage 34

    Whole bunch of kick/bass guitar, along with plenty of high frequency percussion/synth stuff. The guitar sounds fantastic too, worth a listen.

    8: Radiohead - Sail to the Moon

    Everything about this record is just ridiculously amazing. Especially his voice...

    Edit: Alessandro MS1s, Or Mordaunt-Short/Cambridge Audio stuff here. Portableness comes in the form of a Sandisk Sansa e280 w/an 8gb card. Rockbox + FLAC = Yay!
     
    Last edited: Feb 19, 2009
  10. RustDust

    RustDust Active Member

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    Roger Waters, The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking....whole CD, don't test with MP3 or any kind of compression.

    Faith No More, Album Of The Year

    Pink Floyd, Dark Side Of The Moon....SACD version (If you have a SACD player).

    Alice In Chains, MTV Unplugged

    Dr. John...Creole Moon
     
    Last edited: Mar 3, 2009

  11. Joey

    Joey Guest

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    Any track on the Radio One Live Lounge CD's are well produced. I think there have been 3 2CD sets so far. I have 1 and 3. Lily Allen's Smile on the first release just sounds perfect. A Queens of the Stone Age track on the same disc (No one knows) it's like you can hear the shape of studio... if that makes sense. :p
     
  12. NamkHaeng

    NamkHaeng Guest

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    Artist: Dave Grusin
    Album:The Gerswin Connection
    Track: 3 Fascinating Rhythm
    GRP Records
    Very good recording with my JBL Reference 410 Headphone
     
    Last edited: Oct 22, 2014
  13. kanej2007

    kanej2007 Guest

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    Gigamesh - All My Life (track from Saints Row the 4th) Great track with a range of instruments, bass is good and it's crystal clear.

    Busta Rhymes - Where's My Fucckin Money - Clear sound, good bass and treble.

    Bush - Mouth - Plenty of deep bass, loud guitars and drumming sound fantastic.

    Duke Dumont - Need You - Deep bass in the beginning, sound and music are excellent.

    Enigma - I Love You, I'll Kill You - Fantastic music, various instruments can all be heard.

    Maroon 5 - One More Night - High treble, loud and clear vocals.

    Simply Red - Sunrise - Crystal clear sound, loud and clear music, plenty of mid and treble, vocal sound is razor sharp.

    Metallica - Am I Evil - Superb intro, plenty of drumming and guitar riffs - Loud and clear.

    Dimmu Borgir - Raabjorn Speiler Draugheims Skodde - Loud drumming, loud roaring guitars, lot of noise, great treble, bass and clarity here.

    Coldplay - Violet Hill - Lots of musical instruments, treble, mids and low.

    Rammstein - Ohne Diche - Fantastic vocals, instruments are plenty - Crystal clear.
     
  14. WLADYC

    WLADYC Master Guru

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    Rim Bana - Maleek
    Marantz demo cd 13th edition CD
    Jaime Valle - 'round midnight
     
  15. brunopita

    brunopita Guest

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    Miles Davis - Bitches Brew
    John Coltrane - Blue Train
    now seriously Dave Brubeck Quartet - Time Out

    And go through the Metallica discography, everything you can find from Tchaikovsky and Bach.
     

  16. mezball

    mezball Master Guru

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    3 albums I take along when listening to sound systems.

    Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms
    Alan Parsons - Try Anything Once
    Supertramp - Breakfast in America
     
    Last edited: Nov 4, 2014

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