CD Suggestions for Auditioning Speakers

[Quant]

CD Suggestions needed for Auditioning Bright Speakers

I am auditioning various speakers and would like suggestions for some CDs and recordings that might highlight various aspects of different speakers. Specifically, I am listening to some speakers that I have found to be bright and want to hear if they sound harsh with some recordings.

I like bright speakers, but do not know the limits of how bright I want to go. Listening to CDs that bring out the harshness in these speakers will help me assess how bright I'd want.

Thanks

 

[j_garcia]

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20727

 

[Quant]

Thanks for the link, and the "sub-links". I'm probably going to add Norah Jones & "Crash" to the 5 CDs that I already take with me auditioning speakers. Any suggestions on which tracks to focus on from these two CD's for Hi & Mid-Hi freq content?

 

[MacManNM]

Dire straights "brothers in arms" is an exellent recording. "ride across a river" is great for imaging and general characteristics. It has a good combo different sounds. Plus it's a great album to have.

 

[Quant]

I'm finding it so difficult to make my final decision between two very different sets - Totem Mites, and B&W CM1. Found the CM1 really revealing, detailed and bright, and would like to get them, except the mids & hi's of a voilin on one of my CDs sounded harsh & screechy on them (I'm sure it was the recording & not the speakers, but its made me cautious). The Mites had excellent soundstage, were very musical, warm and yet crisp with string harmonics.

...Analysis...Paralysis...

 

[highfihoney]

I'm finding it so difficult to make my final decision between two very different sets - Totem Mites, and B&W CM1. Found the CM1 really revealing, detailed and bright, and would like to get them, except the mids & hi's of a voilin-like instrument on one of my CDs sounded harsh on them (I'm sure it was the recording & not the speakers, but its made me cautious). The Mites had excellent soundstage, were very musical, warm and yet crisp with string harmonics.

...Analysis...Paralysis...

your description of how the b&w's made the violin sound to you are just about what i thought when i had b&w's in my home, not a bad sound but they were a bit too bright & too revealing, they had a tendancy to make an average or poor recording sound awful, before i get blasted for knocking a speaker for being too revealing my preference in a speaker is one that gives me the most enjoyment from my entire music collection not just the perfect recordings.

you said (you were sure that it was the recording & not the speaker),speakers that are too revealing are not always the best choice for maximun enjoyment out of any system, i would say buy the speaker that makes you feel the best while your listening & not the speaker that makes you notice all the flaws in the recordings.

this is the set of recordings that i use while auditioning speakers.

AL DI MEOLA, "tour de force live" / stunt guitar based live fusion jazz.

AL DI MEOLA-JOHN MCGLAUGHLIN-PACO DE LUCIA, "friday night in san francisco" / live accoustic guitar, flamenco guitar, fusion jazz.

JEAN LUC PONTY, "enigmatic ocean" / violin based fusion jazz.

STEELY DAN, "cant buy a thrill" / jazz,blues,funk,rock.

AC/DC, "back in black" / hard rock.

FRANK ZAPPA, "ship arriving to late to save a drowning witch" / stunt guitar, rock.

THE ALLMAN BROS BAND, "hittin the note" / heavy guitar & percussion blues.

DEEP PURPLE "machine head", classic rock.

 

[j_garcia]

Jazz at the Pawnshop. As good of a recording as I've ever heard. Since you kind of like the sound of the B&Ws, I'd recommend you give Mordaunt Short a litsten too, if possible. I find them to be a little less bright than the B&W 600 series. Then check www.ac4l.com

 

[W_Harding]

Delos DE 3179

I suggest that you use music that you are very familiar with to audition speakers. I believe that non-amplified musical instruments can reveal better whether or not a speaker reproduces sounds accurately. If I could only choose one CD to audition speakers my choice would be "Surround Spectacular The Music / The Tests" Delos DE 3179. The music disc contains a wide variety of well recorded music. Recommended.