Best music to test out speakers on?

[Xytech]

Hi all,

I am in the process of choosing new speakers and this has got me thinking about the best way to test various different ones out.

I'm a classical fan myself and I would think a big yet delicate and intricate orchestral work that I am intimately familiar with (say Mahler or Brahms), as well as a chamber work (Beethoven late string quartets/Bach double violin concerto/Mozart clarinet quintet) would be suitable.

What do you guys use when choosing speakers to put them through their paces?

 

[avnetguy]

Using the music you listen to often and are familiar with is the best IMO. Try to use a selection that covers the full spectrum of your listening preferences.

One thing to note, if you're auditioning speakers at a different location other than your home, you need to mind the all the other things that will affect the sound and potentially taint your audition. I tend not to be overly critical until I get the speakers setup in my house, that's when the real audition starts. Of course I'd never buy any speakers that I could not return without hassle.

Steve

 

[GranteedEV]

I'm a classical fan myself and I would think a big yet delicate and intricate orchestral work that I am intimately familiar with (say Mahler or Brahms), as well as a chamber work (Beethoven late string quartets/Bach double violin concerto/Mozart clarinet quintet) would be suitable.

That's a good 90% of it, and make sure to listen at lifelike volumes!

- The other 10% is stuff that will really, really put speakers to the test - powerful dynamics, recordings with a true sense of venue ambience/depth, and chaotic sequences with enough content that ability to reveal distinction in different sources of sound is apparent..

 

[bikemig]

nuforce demo cd

You could also download this (free) demo CD from nuforce, http://www.nuforce.com/hp/media/Nuforce Demo1/index.php.

 

[3db]

Classical music is probably one of the best genres of music to test a speaker with. I really like Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto which really tests the tweeters and the resoultion of the spekaer as a whole, particualarliy the 1st movement.

 

[cpp]

The best music to test speakers, is the music you actually listen to 99% of the time.

A Classical offering

Sinfonia Fantastica - H. Berlioz - Reference Recordings.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Beethoven - 5th Symphony performed by London Symphony Orchestra (Haitink)

 

[tattoo_Dan]

Hi all,

I am in the process of choosing new speakers and this has got me thinking about the best way to test various different ones out.

I'm a classical fan myself and I would think a big yet delicate and intricate orchestral work that I am intimately familiar with (say Mahler or Brahms), as well as a chamber work (Beethoven late string quartets/Bach double violin concerto/Mozart clarinet quintet) would be suitable.

What do you guys use when choosing speakers to put them through their paces?

this might be helpful too http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=75208

 

[slipperybidness]

Yup, go with what you listen to. As long as they sound awesome on that, why would you care if they sound like crap on music that sounds like crap to you no matter what speakers are playing it.

However, I do have a couple of standbys:

Getz/Gilbertao is good bosa nova jazz with great horns and vocals.
Nightmares on Wax - Smoker's Delight has lots of dynamics. It's DJ-style with lots of vocals, highhats, and bass, so a good dynamic album to audition.

 

[zieglj01]

Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003PTP4S6/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000A7Q29G&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0YD941KDV9VCH9ZYS95G

 

[bikdav]

Don't forget to use some good pipe organ recordings also. Pipe organ can tell you quite a bit about the bottom end.