Audition/Reference music (CD)

[RDS1]

Alan Parson, Amonnia Avenue

[pixelthis]

GETZ AND GILBERTO.
KINDA BLUE.
A LOVE SUPREME
BOZ SCAGGS BEST
RICKI LEE JONES
EDIE BRICKELL
TIGERLILLY
to name a few.
But an album that has a good "mix" of different kinds of music is best, I have found.

[JoeE SP9]

Welcome to AR RDS1.
Trying to build your post count quickly?

[eisforelectronic]

I just bring things that I listen to normally

Various Sarah McLachlan cd's
Dido live at Brixton Academy
Jheena Lodwick - All My Loving
Alison Krauss - Now that I've Found You
10,000 Maniacs MTV Unplugged
and I just bought Underworld - Barking

[poppachubby]

Honestly, to each his own. If compressed, tween-bop is what you dig around the house, then you should use it in an audition.

I think you need to take a combination of exceptional, above average recordings and regular, not so great ones. All of them should be titles that you listen to regularily. Taking only great stuff may result in getting a shock once you get home. You want to know how a system deals with average to crumby recordings as much as great ones.

One more thing on compressed music, has anyone verified the suicide rate's connection to compressed music sales? For example, Jimmy bought 20 over compressed albums last year and killed himself within a year but Suzy bought 30 compressed albums and waited for 3 years to off herself. What does it all mean?

Here are some titles I rely on...

[pixelthis]

I just bring things that I listen to normally

Various Sarah McLachlan cd's
Dido live at Brixton Academy
Jheena Lodwick - All My Loving
Alison Krauss - Now that I've Found You
10,000 Maniacs MTV Unplugged
and I just bought Underworld - Barking

HEY...you have the DVD of Dido at BRIXTON?
Really kick butt. Iron in a velvet glove.

[pixelthis]

Honestly, to each his own. If compressed, tween-bop is what you dig around the house, then you should use it in an audition.

I think you need to take a combination of exceptional, above average recordings and regular, not so great ones. All of them should be titles that you listen to regularily. Taking only great stuff may result in getting a shock once you get home. You want to know how a system deals with average to crumby recordings as much as great ones.

One more thing on compressed music, has anyone verified the suicide rate's connection to compressed music sales? For example, Jimmy bought 20 over compressed albums last year and killed himself within a year but Suzy bought 30 compressed albums and waited for 3 years to off herself. What does it all mean?

Here are some titles I rely on...

Oh please!!
What is this "compressed" music that you are going on about?
And the only way any kind of music can "kill" is by breaking your heart. If you have a
prescription take it...take it now

[eisforelectronic]

HEY...you have the DVD of Dido at BRIXTON?
Really kick butt. Iron in a velvet glove.

Yes, but I play the CD much more than the DVD.

[bobsticks]

One of the dangers of "audiophile" grade recordings is that, by nature, they're rare. Committment to excellence at all levels of the chain don't come along often. Given that, very often speakers that do the best job at maintaing a balance of detail and macrodynamics will often leave one wanting on more pedetrian works.

That in mind I have a few top performers that I'll use (Miles Davis, The MTT "Mahler", Diana Krall, etc.) mixed in with some Spoon, Front 242, Bob Marley and the like.

From a technical aspect, sound leveling is a key for me during the auditioning process but I'm not really a chart guy. Sadly, all this is for naught if the boutique's accomodations don't fairly well reflect your own listening room.

[(O0o*o0O)]

I've really took this topic to heart. I've been listing to albums that might be a little more choice then my first post. Plus I'm starting to hate that album and that band.

Front Line Assembly's Implode CD is getting some play. Massive Attack, Enya, Bach, Die Form, and Wumpscut are all my personal choices. I like to bring albums that have terrible sound too. Bootlegs, live albums, poor recordings. Skrew!

[hifitommy]

well now poppa, nice set of examples! to that i might add 'flight of the cosmic hippo' by bela and the flecktones. the title cut is a near perfect bass demo cut with victor wooten descending the bass line into the magma of the earth. lots of transient sounds to evaluate as well AND good music to boot.

trinity session is another bass monster, i have both cd and LP. i actually know the guy that recorded fri nite in SF, great stuff that. the ron carter/jim hall is one i will have to look for.

for dynamic range i might suggest the zubin mehta performance of 'close encounters' :

http://www.discogs.com/Zubin-Mehta-C...elease/1306122

and of course his planets with the LAphil, LP or xrcd.

pictures at an exhibition cond by lorin maazel with the cleveland orch on telarc on (if you must) cd, sacd (oyeah) or LP (if you can find one.). start the album out at normal volume and by the great gate of kiev youll be peeling your carcass off the back wall.

pixi, once again youre so far off base, this time about about compressed music. uncompressed music is what you hear LIVE. thats why it can take you by surprise by its JUMP factor. sure, the music is still there after compression but the life of it is gone and it becmes less interesting and stimulating. in a quiet environment, uncompressed music will allow you to hear the softest of brush strokes on a cymbal yet when the band is going full tilt, it wont distort the amps.

btw, i am the one who just recently suggested YOU take your meds, cant you be original at least?

back to you poppa, that parkers mood is one i will look for. all great musicians.

audiophile discs arent required for demonstration of good sound, most music except the over-compressed crap they try to jam us with lately is more than adequate for the purpose.

one disc that i use thats STUPID loud for showing how you can pressurize a room is skinny puppy's-the process. it will shut anybody up if they say your system doesnt have bass or loudness capability. the air becomes JELLO.

[Luvin Da Blues]

Just had another listen to The Beach Boys - Good Vibrations. Ear candy at it's best and great for spatial cues.

[hifitommy]

a beach boys cover band that played at disneyland was papa do run run who made an album-California Project, see link:

http://www.oldies.com/product-view/64661N.html

its very well recorded and released on telarc (that should tell you something). read the text in the link, the names torrance, love, and stamos should ring a bell. listening to this disc, you would be hard pressed to not believe they are the beach boys.

i first got the cd for cheap at the wherehouse record store when they existed and later found an LP (yeeeeHAH!). my daughter LOVES this album as do i.