Music The Best Audiophile Track In The World Ever

Greenlantern101

Super Hero And All Round Good Guy
Contributor
I have wondered about this for years. Every time I buy a new piece of HiFi equipment or even just a new pair of headphones. What track should you listen to in order to put them to the ultimate test. A track with a bit of everything, the ultimate track to test the full range and capability of your new toy.

As you may of guessed I am currently running in a new pair of head phones AKG K451. What HiFis product of the year 2012.
(amazing BTW)

Got any suggestions for The Best Audiophile Track In The World Ever ?
 
This is going to be an interesting thread. I was wondering if we had a dedicated audio system topic anywhere.

I've just invested a nice chunk of money in an Onkyo amp and a 5.1 system. Combined with my twin LCD PC configuration and PS3 thrown in what is the best way of setting up my system.

See pics....
Homecinemasystem_zpscde4553a.jpg

Homecinemasystem2_zps633d335e.jpg


As for song I'm not sure but for testing loudness of a surround system I usually load up the Matrix and start with the lots of guns in the office lobby scene, my neighbours usually complain after that though.
 
I'm having trouble getting dual output from my amp. I want to be able to watch sky on one TV while gaming on the other either on PC or PS3.

Sounds awesome though!
 
I still like H. Faltermeyer's Axel F.
Rather surprised me earlier to hear how detailed the sound is on LMFAO 'Sorry For Party Rocking'
edit:
And most Jamiroquai tracks
 
Tricky one, these come to mind:

The Manifold Curiosity has the whole range of amplitudes, and towards the end there is a lot going on.
Take up thy Stethoscope and Walk is stereo throughout and also quite busy.
Gumbo Variations has massive pitch variations and other weird noises.
It might just be a one shot deal has a lot of different voices / instruments in a short space of time.
 
Here are some images of our (old) set up.
The equipment list has changed since these were taken though.

Now we have:
Pioneer PDP-LX6090H Plasma
Pioneer SC-LX82 Receiver
InFocus SP7210 Projector
Graywolf 2.8m Screen
Pioneer DV-868AVi-S DVD
Sky HD 1TB
Acoustic Energy Aelite 7.1 Speakers

1.jpg2.jpg3.jpg

The surround speakers are mounted on the ceiling as all but the front wall are floor to ceiling glass.

It's all hooked up to the PC and router like so:
Connectivity.jpg
 
I once got evicted from rented accommodation because the bitch upstairs didn't like my 5.1 surround sound system no matter how low I had it set......

What's the point in having it if you can't ****ing use it....
 
I got the blu-ray when I got my 32" TV. Actually won it in a competition before I got my PS3. I've not had the heart to get rid of it.

Brogan That set-up is epic. Now if only I had the cash!
 
If you want to scare the crap out of the guys in a HiFi shop try the Pink Floyd track that starts like it's an old medium wave radio, They do run to see what's gone wrong. Just on that, any Floyd album will give a sound system a good test.
 
If you want to scare the crap out of the guys in a HiFi shop try the Pink Floyd track that starts like it's an old medium wave radio, They do run to see what's gone wrong. Just on that, any Floyd album will give a sound system a good test.
Wish you were Here?
 
A while back I was on the hunt for a serious upgrade and narrowed to a Naim nVi, went to a great sound room with also zarasprachthingy (the moon launch theme) to try out the ranges and got introduced to the Eagles return on DVD, Hotel California on that DVD was perfect for checking voices and sounded brilliant.

I can't remember what we listened to for a more punchy music base, but there are many out there.

So impressed, I bought the nVi, of course delivery was rubbish and ended up cancelling several months later, now have the sound coming from the tv and an Arcam amp in the other room - note to self "pull your bloody finger out!"
 
I'm designing a unit to house all my gear now after looking at Brogans set-up. The attached image is going to make him shudder!

Obviously I can't house my sub inside the cabinet and as I'm in rented property I can't drill or make holes but if anyone has ideas of what is best to do to neaten up this mess it would be helpful! I won't show pics of the cable jungle I have currently.

TV Set-up.JPG
 
I found a similar article on a hifi forum and have been cutting and pasting people recommendations.
Most common suggestions are Miles Davis, Mozart, Hans Zimmer, Pink Floyd and Led Zepplin.
To be honest I haven't even heard of half them. Full list is below.

[BOX=300]Mozart's divertimento K.136.
Alan Parsons Project- I Robot- MFSL silver cd
Aqualung (40th Anniversary)
Tsuyoshi Yamamoto-Midnight Surgar
Michelle Shocked- Captain Swing
Diana Krall Live in Paris "a case of you".
bt emotional technology
Never Alone - Barlow Girl
Throne Room/End Credits - Star Wars New Hope Sound Track
Lucky - Jason Mraz
Frim Fram Sauce - Diana Krall
My Bloody Valentine's Loveless, Only Shallow.
Tatrini- Devil's Trill Sonata
J.S. Bach - Partita No.2 in D minor BWV 1004 - IV Giga
Joe Satriani - Wind in the trees (live Sathurated)
Don Ross- Wall of Glass
Hans Zimmer/Lisa Gerrard- Now we are free.
Hans Zimmer - God Particle
SPIES: Music of Espionage - Track 3 (Interlude)
Lee Ritenour's Smoke n' Mirrors album "Lovely Day"
The Avalanches- Since I Left You
in a gadda da vidda - iron butterfly
ammonia avenue - the alan parsons project
kashmir - led zeppelin
The Wall - Pink Floyd
Lenny - Stevie ray vaughn
Nine Inch Nails - Into The Void
Money for nothing - Dire Straits
Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio, Dark Eyes from Live at the Misty
Elizabethan Serenade (Mantovani Orchestra - Tea for Two)
Queen B (Puscifer - "V" Is for Vagina)
Beautiful Feeling (Sounds from the Ground - High Rising)
Joe Slam and the Spaceship (Harry Connick Jr. - She)
Waiting On the World to Change (John Mayer - Continuum)
Beautiful Feeling (Sounds from the Ground - High Rising)
MI-LOONY-UM (Hallucinogen - In Dub)
Miles Davis: Kind of Blue
Coheed and Cambria: In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth 3
India - John Coltrane - Impressions Album
Babe, I'm Going To Leave You - Led Zeppelin 1
Take Five
Comfortably Numb and Shine On You Crazy Diamond - Pink Floyd - Echoes Album
Mozart 38-41 by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Magical Mystery Tour
Radka Toneff - Fairytales - The moon is a harsh mistress
Norah Jones - Come Away With me - Painter's Song - Dry Vocals, but not the best quality
Carol Kidd - The Very Best of Carol Kidd - Goergia on my mind/I'll be tired of you (Gold Lynn CD)
Michael Ruff - Sheffield Drive - That's not me
Various Artists - David Garfield and Friends - Let's stay together
Max Bennet and Freeway - Images - Fancy Pants
Paulinho Da Costa - Breakdown - Real Love (With Marsha Skidmore)
Lee Ritenour - Smoke n' Waters - Lovely Day/Forget me nots
David Pack - The Secret of Moving On - Biggest Part Of Me
Pink Floyd - Money
Neil Young - Needle And The Damage Done
Led Zeppelin - Since I've Been Loving You
Slayer - Angel Of Death
Tchaikovsky - Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso - Allegro con spirito, Piano Concerto No.1 in B flat minor, Op.23
Jan Garbarek - Sunshine Song
aphex twin - ageispolis
Arvo Pärt - Kanon pokajanen - Ode III
Chisu - Vapaa ja yksin - Lähtö
Dire Straits - Love Over Gold - Telegraph Road
Isis - Oceanic - Carry
Kraftwerk - The Man-Machine - Spacelab
Linda Ronstadt - What's New - What's New
Nat "King" Cole - The Very Thought of You
Pekka Kuusisto & Iiro Rantala - Subterráneo - Adios Muchahos
Dark Side of The Moon by Pink Floyd
Electric Lady Land - Jimi Hendrix
the postal service - such great heights & recycled air
michael jackson - another part of me
the beatles - i want you (she's so heavy)
john frusciante - the slaughter
Lilly was here by Candy Dulfer
Private investigations by Dire Straits
Your Own Sweet Way by the Notting Hillbillies.
Song to the Siren by This Mortal Coil.
Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana"
Hans Zimmer - Hunger from Black Hawk Down
A. R. Rahman - Revival from Vande Mataram
Nick Cave and the Bad seeds - Red Right hand
Beethoven 5th symphony - Carlos Klieber
Eva Cassidy - Live at Blues Alley
Pink Floyd - The Wall
Alice in Chains - Unplugged
You Rock My World by Michael Jackson
Holst, The Planets, Mars & Jupiter
Yello "The Whole Mix in One Go"
Rodrigo y Gabriela "11:11"
Yes "90125"
Grace Jones "Slave to The Rhythm"
John Coltrane "Giant Steps"
Cocteau Twins "Heaven or Las Vegas"
Kraftwerk "Minimum Maximum"
Modern Jazz Quartet "European Concert"
Talk Talk "Spirit of Eden"
Vangelis "Blade Runner OST"
The Knife "We Share Our Mothers' Health"
The Blue Nile - Hats
Smile - Brian Wilson
Dream Theater - Awake
Roger Waters - Amused To Death
Suzanne Vega - 99.9 F°
Tower Of Power - Rythm & Business
Buckethead - "Big Sur Moon"
Pink Floyd - The final Cut "Paranoid Eyes"
Rebecca Pidgeon - The Raven - 'The Raven"
Misty by Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio on the XRCD Autumn In Seattle.
Porcupine Tree - In Absentia
Tool - Lateralus
Dream Theater - Train Of Thought
Radiohead - OK Computer
Liquid Tension Experiment
Tubular Bells 1973 - Mike Oldfield
A Rush Of Blood To The Head - Coldplay
Satsuki - Kagrra, J-Rock with some great musical transitions.
Shugo tokumaru - Exit
The Who - Baba O'Riley
Marcus Miller - Panther
Radiohead - ok computer
Pink Floyd and 'Summer 68'
Gomez and 'Whippin' Picidilly
"Bird on a wire" by Jennifer Warnes, Blue Raincoat.
Parabola by Tool
Telefon Tel Aviv - Farenheit fair enough
David Mcalmont - Never,Never,Never
Nils Landgren Funk Unit - Sisters of Arequipa
Dayna Kurtz - i got it bad and thats not good
silent shout - one hit
Beck - Soldier Jane from "The Information".
Boards of Canada - Dayvan Cowboy from "The Campfire Headphase"
Eric Clapton's Layla from Unplugged
Tool - Jambi
Nine Inch Nails - The Perfect Drug
Steely Dans' Home At Last,
Puddle of Mudds' Drift and Die.
ZZ Tops' My Heads In Mississippi.
Nile - Cast Down Heretic.
Amon Amarth - Where Silent Gods Stand Guard.
Amon Amarth - Death In Fire.
Children Of Bodom - Downfall
Corpus Christii - Throne of the Proud.
Summoning - Farewell.
Judas Priest - Painkiller.
Moving Pictures" by Rush
"Edwyn Collins - A Girl Like You"
Spiritus Khayyam by Globus
Massive Attack - Mezzanine
Pink Floyd - DSOTM
Shpongle - Tales of the Inexpressible
Thievery Coporation - Mirror Conspiracy
Miles Davis - Kind of Blue 50th Anniversary
Radiohead - OK Computer, Kid A
Porcupine Tree - In Absentia
Remember The Time, from Dangerous, Michael Jackson
Entre dos aguas from Fuente y Caudal, Paco de Lucia
Blue Train, from Blue Train, by John Coltrane
Time from Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd
"The Sidewinder" by Lee Morgan
"Corcovado" by Stan Getz
"Phinuphi" by Kenny Burrell
"Savour the flavour" by Down to the bone
"All 4 One" by Billy Cobham
Take Five, by the Dave Brubeck Quartet
New radicals - I hope i didnt just give away the ending.
Julia Fordham "concrete love"
Kraftwerk's The Mix
Dave Matthews: "Oh" from his album "Some Devil"
Thievery Corporation - Mirror Conspiracy (entire CD)
Orbital - Spare Parts Express
The Crystal Method - Murder
 
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