Favorite music for sampling

[SimplyEpic]

Hello all,
What is some of your favorite music to either break in or especially test speakers with when either shopping or reviewing equipment.

Just as a start I am using Kieko Matsui especially songs from her Whisper from the mirror album (Between the moons and whisper from the moon are 2 of my favorites).
On the vocal side I like Leave it from Yes.
For rock I like many from Ratt and when I really want to drive things harder maybe something from Disturbed Indestructible.
I also throw in some Stevie Stone or Missy Eliot for some Rap.

 

[Brian H.]

Hi Eric, the songs that I like to shop with are; AL Stewarts year of the cat, that song alone will give you all the instruments in one song. Vocals, piano, violins, sax, bass, guitars,etc, and the song carries itself along in a smooth yet powerful rythm and great timing and blending of instruments. Next up is Mike Oldfields dreaming in the wind. This song is so powerful that it will tax all but the best. This whole cd/ vinyl is absolutely stunning. In a rare oldfield, he has a singer with an incredibley powerful voice. Next is Molly Jonsons Messing around. Great smoky vocals with a quick pace. Great for testing the speed of drivers. Imho. One more is Ray LamontAgnes Be here now. Use this one for judging a black background from the speakers. Turn this one up a little bit so that the quiet passages are evident. These are the ones I use at the audio shows. Don't let the guys who are selling the equipment get to pick the music. They already know which songs will mask the speaker or equipments weaknesses. Thanks for the opportunity to give my feedback. Hopefully others will offer their songs. I'm always in the market for other songs to add to my list as well. Cheers

 

[Brian H.]

Apologies for misspelling of epic.

 

[lovinthehd]

Sampling means something else. Speakers don't need particular material to "break in"....just use them, you need more breaking in to their sound than they do. Since I do all my experimentation with gear at home, I have my full library which is fairly eclectic but I don't particularly use the same things, just things I'm relatively familiar with rather than something I've never listened to before. With movies I do have a range I'll go to for certain effects, tho.

 

[slipperybidness]

Hello all,
What is some of your favorite music to either break in or especially test speakers with when either shopping or reviewing equipment.

Just as a start I am using Kieko Matsui especially songs from her Whisper from the mirror album (Between the moons and whisper from the moon are 2 of my favorites).
On the vocal side I like Leave it from Yes.
For rock I like many from Ratt and when I really want to drive things harder maybe something from Disturbed Indestructible.
I also throw in some Stevie Stone or Missy Eliot for some Rap.

Your best bet is to use music that YOU are very familiar with.

 

[SimplyEpic]

I do use a variety and am always looking to get familiar with more music I don't think I could ever have enough.

 

[Mark E. Long]

I do use a variety and am always looking to get familiar with more music I don't think I could ever have enough.

I ve got a really good sacd of Pink Floyds Wish you were here thats an outstanding mix . DVD audio id say the best sounding one is Dire Straights - Money for nothing or any solo Mark Knophler stuff is good . Newer sound I like - Of Monsters and Men very unusual mix of thunderous drums and folk with a few horns thrown in but recorded well . Got a couple Eagles disc's that are done quite well in multi channel to .

 

[sizzam]

I like to use 2 types to really get the full width and breadth of my system, that is a well mixed vinyl and digital wav files.
My 2 goto's lately are frank zappa's "apostrophe (')" album on vinyl and gregorio franco's video game soundtrack remixes in WAV format (final fantasy 7 selected works, megaman 10 selected works), I find both have exellent sound and separation and audio phasing for getting the most out of my 2 front towers.