Which album for HiFi auditioning

Just stuff I listen to regularly. Nothing special. Albums that make (all?) systems sound good, or that are designed to "test" certain aspects aren't all that useful, IMO.

This old chestnut!

My 'test' albums are added to all the time but I generally use a number of records that I have had for a long time and I know well, along with a few albums which I know are of fine audio quality.

I find its important to:

1. Have a range of music that you listen to.

2. Not to take only albums that you know are the best possible recordings. Many good albums were not originally recorded that well.

My top 10 for this purpose would include, in no particular order:

1. CSNY "Deja Vu". Not technically a good recording but every upgrade has to show an improvement in SQ of this particular album. Also great for vocal harmonies. Good test tracks are "Carry On" and "Almost Cut My Hair".

2. Santana "Abraxas". Enough said

.

3. Joni Mitchell "Blue". "Carey" and "Blue" are a good test. The latter is a good test for sibilance.

4. Cannonball Adderley "Somethin' Else". The title track is great for acoustic bass and drums.

5. Herbie Hancock "Empyrean Isles". Jazz piano can sound awful on some systems.

6. ELP "ELP". Especially "Barbarian" and "Take a Pebble".

7. Muddy Waters "Folk Singer" 45RPM. The SQ of this album is beautiful. Simple arrangements.

8. Al Di Meola, John Mclaughlin, Paco De Lucia "Friday Night in San Francisco" 45rpm. Has to be the best acoustic guitar test.

9. Kenny Burrell "Midnight Blue". I know this album note for note.

10. Bob Dylan "Freewheelin' Bob Dylan 45rpm. I've just bought this album and would add it to my list. 

There are many more I would use and my listening tastes change from day to day.

ATB

Steve

There was no quicker way than that to get me to leave; i truly think that is the worst record ever. i used to think hi-fi shows used this tactic to get rid of me. 

I have a hi-fi test record i often use ... No not the one with sine waves and tracking tests, but one that contains music such as Peter Skellern, Clifford T Ward and 10CC .. It has the track Don't Hang Up. I also take Abbey Road and Sandy along and some times Captain Beefheart or Blackmore's Night or Bauhaus, of course, as they are universally popular and so always go down well. 

Many of the albums hi-fi manufacturers seem to want to play are just not my cup of horlicks and i'm always sceptical that they are chosen to show off the kit and not to give you a feeling of what it'll sound like using the music you love. 

When Ii was at the Naim factory the guys let me play stuff I liked so I could genuinely hear if it was right for me. Of course, a good dealer does the same. Eldorado often goes on or Whatevershebrinswesing (great album). 

One hi-fi magazine once said Cerwin Vega speakers made Dire Straits sound like Half Man Half Biscuit, but i'm here to tell you that the CV speakers are not able to perform such a wondrous transformation, which is why i now disregard subjective reviews. 

So always try a sample of the music you are likely to listen to and ask yourself does this system make me want to get out there and pedestrianise the high street if it does then you know it's a winner. 

LOL. I'm with you there Guido.

When I audition at my home, then I listen to usual stuff I listen to on a daily basis. 

When I audition away, I also like to take with me my krautrock and jazz rock...Can, Soft Machine etc. Faces of sweaty fat audiophiles with plastic bags in hands when they hear that kind of music and not D. Krall and N. Jones is priceless. 

Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section (Contemporary)

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Gerald Moore : various Schubert Lieder (DG)

Janet Baker/Barbirolli/LSO - Elgar Sea Pictures 

All great recordings that reveal the strengths and weaknesses of hifi kit (EMI)

This is such an "all rounder" and extemely well recorded album that It's first port for me  whenever I need to hear, see, feel every nuance of every note,  vocal or instrument. Although the CD is a good playing medium,  get an original vinyl copy if you can find one. It's outstanding!

KR

Tony

If I have to take just one CD, I take Alone together, a live recording by Lee Konitz, Brad Mehldau and Charlie Haden.

The recording is very natural, hand clapping is a good test of likeliness, and the piano is slightly recessed in respect to the other two instruments. The double bass sounds extremely plain, woody, very real.

For me that is the test recording to judge the ability of the speaker to reproduce bass without undue coloration.

Nice choice Tony, just sat down and selected it from the HDX ( no longer have vinyl capabilities)

Paul

Dire Straits Brothers in Arms. No point in taking music you may actually like.

Don't all the manufacturers have to have that next to that wretched Rumours thing - I think it is the law. 

I tried to fight the law, but the law won. 

Still could be worse - one them at Bristol was playing New Order 

Have these dudes never heard of Lamentations of Jeremiah by Thomas Tallis or perhaps some Dowland (that is what I frequently request at those post wedding discotheques: not that Im invited very often). 

I see hifi auditions as a great way to show the guy in the shop just how cool I am by bringing really happening tunes with me. And I like to hear bass. Lots of it.

So I bring three of my favourite 12inch 45s:

1) i'm Too Sexy by Right Said Fred

2) Agadoo by Black Lace

And my best ever record - a really rare collaboration between Dire Straits and Chris Rea:

3) ...called No Shiit by Dire Rea.

These mist covered mountaaaains...

This one would go well at aWedding Reception i think!

Dowland's dong 

Shall I sue.

Here is Alfred Deller doing justice to an English Masterpiece!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUhiFCRpAyw

and then compound the situation with Aksel schiotz sing Dowald's 

Flow my tears.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUhiFCRpAyw

ATB from George

I haven't auditioned any gear for 9 years - last time I did so was when I had my LP12 fitted with a Lingo 2 and a Klyde, and went up from a 62 to a 72.

But these are the records I took (and have generally always used when evaluating gear) to listen to. They are chosen because a)I like them all very much; b)I know them all extremely well; c) They hhave certain sonic qualities...

1980s Japanese pressing:

1980s Toshiba-EMI pressing:

Columbia LP:

Original 1980 Factory pressing:

1981 Japanese pressing:

Original 1984 Linn LP:

Classic Records pressing:

Original 1987 LP

1983 Spoon Records re-issue

the acid test for any system

I would have to be on ACID/LSD for that one.

Stu.

Lol, nice one

Whenever I used to audition hi-fi I always took along one or two LP's or later CD's that I had decided I didn't particularly like. If the stuff being auditioned made them sound more interesting to me then I reasoned that it must be pulling more music off them.

To me there was little point in taking along favourite music as anything half-decent would make it sound so enjoyable as to make the audition worthless!

Peter 

Spot on clicky!

I just take my Perry Como collection

Brilliant, just brilliant. I now have tummy ache from laughing.

Regards,

Elkman

I used to have a (long-defunct) dealer near me and one of the guys in the shop used to play all manner of shocking "hi-fi buff" "music" - Earl Klugh, Sting, Dire Bolical, terrible stuff on Chesky, etc. One of those people who listen to equipment first and music second (if at all).

One day I booked in a session to hear a second-hand 32.5/110 combo to replace my Nait 2 (I stuck with the Nait in the end) and bought in a selection of really noisy LPs - Throbbing Gristle, Residents, Young Gods, 23 Skidoo, Nurse With Wound etc - plus an old Slade LP, Coltrane's "Blue Trane" and DSOTM.

The look on the guy's face was priceless and he soon stopped lurking round the demo room.

Also remember his brother,Chris strait (sweet!)

hat that one of those new fangle squeezebox things people buy ?