Mida siis tõsised profid kasutavad testimiseks
2009.04.29, paul
Tänud DENONI maaletoojale, kes uuris välja milliseid plaate kasutavad maineka ajakirja
WHAT-HI-FI ja DENONI enda testijad.
WHAT HI-FI – TEST CD Discs
What Hi-Fi uses mainly commercial CDs for music tests, here are a few albums and tracks that they
use regularly:
Artist: Nitin Sawhney
Album: Beyond Skin
Track: Anthem Without Nation
Main uses: deep bass to test tautness; vocal to test realism; percussion to test rhythm and detail
Artist: Gavin Greenaway, etc
Album: Gladiator – Music from the Motion Picture
Track: The Battle
Main uses: about a minute in listen for the detail – specifically from the guitar and percussion –
then almost two minutes in listen for ‘attack’ from strings, and ultimately when the pace picks up,
this is used for dynamics and ‘excitement’
Artist: Eminem
Album: The Eminem Show
Track: Without Me
Main uses: used for timing, plus for testing the pace and tautness of the underlying bass notes
Artist: Stravinsky
Album: The Rite of Spring
Track: all
Main uses: dynamics and detail
Artist: Holst
Album: The Planets
Track: all
Main uses: dynamics
Artist: Beyonce (feat Jay-Z)
Album: Dangerously in Love
Track: Crazy in Love
Main uses: timing
Artist: Kate Bush
Album: Hounds of Love
Track: Running up that Hill
Main uses: timing, and detail
Artist: Outkast
Album: Speakerboxxx / The Love Below
Track: Happy Valentine’s Day & Hey Ya!
Main uses: timing and mid/bass delivery
DENONI testplaadid
| Title | Notes | Best for demo |
| CITIZEN COPE – THE CLARENCE GREENWOOD RECORDINGS CD. Track 2 “Pablo Picasso” | A cool track with which to impress your listeners. This artist works hard to smudge the lines that separate genres, throwing together blues, beats and hip-hop into an original style of his own. Listen to the tone of the plucked guitar on the intro. Check the image and timing. Also check if the overall sound is not too harsh. | x |
| GLADIATOR – Soundtrack CD. Track 4. “Battle” | Regularly used by What Hi-Fi. Their notes state; about a minute in listen for the detail – specifically from the guitar and percussion – then almost two minutes in listen for ‘attack’ from strings, and ultimately when the pace picks up, this is used to test dynamics and ‘excitement’. | x |
| BEN KWELLER – CHANGING HORSES. Track 1 “Gypsy Rose” | Test for image, detail, clarity and timing. Does the music “flow”? Is there a spacious mid-range giving the vocals space to breath? On a good system, this song should be really engaging. | x |
| THE HOLD STEADY – STAY POSITIVE CD. Track 8 “Stay Positive. | Vibrant and and gritty rock n’ roll from this bar-room style USA band. Listen for punch, drive, dynamics and raunchy guitars. Check if sound is too harsh. Can you hear the vocals clearly? Can you hear the backing vocals clearly? | |
| CASSANDRA WILSON – LOVERLY. Tracks 3 “Wouldn’t it be Loverly” & 10 “Dust My Broom” (A very classy and original Jazz/Blues singer – her music has often used for Hi-Fi Reviews) | Track 3 is a familiar song refreshed and makes for a pleasant demo track. Track 10 is used to test definition, separation and accuracy. Listen to the slide guitar on the intro, can you clearly hear the difference on a more expensive system? The tone should be more real sounding and there should be more “space” around each instrument. | x |
| ARCADE FIRE – NEON BIBLE. Track 4 “Intervention” (Canadian band that record in their own studio in a converted Church building resulting in a very atmospheric sound). | Used to test atmosphere and drama. Also, listen to the acoustic guitar on the intro, can you easily distinguish it and does it seem to be strummed in time so you want to tap your feet? Is the vocal clear and articulate? Is the atmosphere expansive and impressive? You should easliy be able to hear the differences between a more affordable system and a hi-end one. | |
| BLOC PARTY – INTIMACY. Track 2 “Mercury” | A loud ferocious track to test if a system is too harsh sounding. | |
| GRUFF RHYS – CANDYLION CD. Track 4 “Lonsome Words” (Singer/Songwriter from The Super Furry Animals) | Used to test detail and timing. There are many layers to this complex recording. Can you follow the different strands? Can you disinguish the fast-played classical guitar lines? Can you hear the brushed drums clearly? Are the vocals clear and without too much sibilance? | |
| BEYONCE – I AM…SASHA FIERCE. Disc 2, Track 5 “Video Phone”. | A mixture of dark electronics, industrial beats and groaned vocals. Impressive sonics and a good demo track. Warning – beware of the erotic content! | x |
| U2 – NO LINE ON THE HORIZON. Track 7 “Stand Up Comedy” | The best sounding U2 album for years. A much more sophisticated production. Listen out for the growling bass guitar lines, especially in the breaks, how does it compare between two systems or components? | |
| CARL ORFF – CARMINA BURANA (Sir Simon Rattle, Berlin Philharmoniker) EMI Classics. Tracks 1-3 | Used to test dynamics, atmosphere and drama. Check the clarity and detail of the choral voices. | x |
| OKKERVIL RIVER – THE STAND INS. Track 11 “Bruce Wayne Campbell….” | This evocative, oblique tune will test your systems power’s of timing, dynamics and most of all mid-range communication | |
| SCOTTISH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA – MOZART: COLLOREDO SERENADE (Linn Records – SACD) | Excellent production to test your system across the board. Listen for the verve and energy of the performance, do you feel that you are “there”. | x |
| ADELE – 19. Track 3 “Chasing Pavements” and 12 “Hometown Glory” | Track 3 – does it have a delicate touch and insight? Is the mid-range open and “airy”. Are the bass lines articulate? Track 12 – do the vocals have character and texture? Are the stops and starts accurately performed? | x |
| Elvis Costello – North (SACD). Track 8 “Let Me Tell You About Her” | A good system should portray a good balance and well-measured peformance that involves the listener in this intimate song. | x |
| British Audio Dealers Association (BADA). The discs below are some of those used for the UK “Demcraft” Training Program. | ||
| RYAN ADAMS – HEARTBREAKER. Track 4 “Amy” | A delicate and atmospheric track. Listen to the guitar when he starts singing – you should be able to follow what it’s playing, rather than just focus on the voice. Also listen for when the drums come in, do they add to the mood of the track as they should? | x |
| k.d. Lang – Hymns of the 49th Parallel. Track 3 “Helpless” | Listen to her voice – the tone and richness. The “lumpiness” apparent on a cheaper CD Player should disappear on a more expensive model. | x |
| Ernest Ranglin – Below the Bassline. Track 3 “King Tubby Meets the Rockers” | The bass line – is it one note played repeatedly? The Piano – are the keys being hit with the same intensity? | |
| Tish Hinojosa – Destiny’s Gate. Track 5 “In the Pouring Rain” | The voice – is she talking or singing? Can you hear the character in her voice? The Band – are they getting into it or are they just playing along? | x |
| Heather Nova – Wonderlust (Live). Track 4 “Heart and Shoulder” | Listen to the coherence of the band. It should be easy to hear the backing singer and the cello. If you are following one instrument you don’t now lose track of any of the others. | |
| Michael Tilson-Thomas/San Francisco Symphony – Mahler Symphony No 4. Track 1. | Use to test the image and depth of the sounstage. |
Kategooriad: Koduaudio ja -video
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