12 of the best-produced recordings to test your speakers

[LukSkyFokker]

Good list although I haven't heard them all.

A few for me

• TOOL - 10,000 Days
• NWA - Straight Outta Compton
• Alice in Chains - Dirt

12 of the best-produced recordings to test your speakers

"The recording is not what one hears, but what one must make others hear" – George Martin

Great production can often seem like a dark art. It can involve technical prowess, sculpting instruments into sonic bubbles of EQ, and it can also veer into mystical shamanism, gently coaxing out performances while unorthodox mic positions abound.

Does a great sounding album need unearthly sound effects? Or long, meandering takes captured live? And do they always have to be over budget?

Besides long hours of hard work, we consistently find that the best-sounding albums happen when the recording studio is used as another tool to capture and communicate an artist's vision.

There are far too many excellent examples to cover in one list, but we've included groundbreakers, some gleaming sound-check classics (consider this your Steely Dan disclaimer), and, hopefully, a few you may not have considered as studio masterworks before. Let us try to persuade you otherwise.

 

[Fermina_Daza]

Why would I want to test my speakers? I’m always saying everything is too loud as it is!

FB is on to me too. Ads for “calming” ear plugs and noise-reduction plugs.

 

[rockcasbah]

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/gqQAAOSwa5ReEPHY/s-l640.jpg

 

[rockcasbah]

Here's a good list for people with bookshelf speakers up to LS3/5A quality:

https://www.edifier.com/us/en/blog/top-10-vinyl-records-to-test-your-stereo-bookshelf-speakers


edited to add: I would add Roxy Music's Avalon and Glenn Gould's Goldberg Variations along with Son of Schmilsson by Harry Nilsson to any list for testing good quality bookshelf speakers.

 

[jomar]

Sting's Brand New Day might be a contender...goes low and high

 

[Sean]

Dummy by Portishead.

 

[juttjaw]

I know it's pretty old, but the whole OK Computer album by Radiohead. The whole thing is a sonic feast filled with blips and blops and tiny nuances that would be missed with shitty speakers.

Another vote is Hospice by The Antlers.

 

[LukSkyFokker]

I know it's pretty old, but the whole OK Computer album by Radiohead. The whole thing is a sonic feast filled with blips and blops and tiny nuances that would be missed with shitty speakers.

Another vote is Hospice by The Antlers.

Doesn't hurt that it's one of the best albums in history.

 

[Sean]

Speaking of albums, I just ordered this:

https://www.resident-music.com/productdetails&path=36629&product_id=76404

 

[hobbit.]

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/gqQAAOSwa5ReEPHY/s-l640.jpg

lazy fucker

 

[rockcasbah]

lazy fucker

even lazier....My home theatre amp (yamaha) has a mic you plug in and put where you sit...then you press a button on the remote, leave the room and it automatically sends out test signals from the 6 speakers and sets the optimal levels for each...pretty slick.

 

[hobbit.]

Here's a good list for people with bookshelf speakers up to LS3/5A quality:

https://www.edifier.com/us/en/blog/top-10-vinyl-records-to-test-your-stereo-bookshelf-speakers
OMG


edited to add: I would add Roxy Music's Avalon and Glenn Gould's Goldberg Variations along with Son of Schmilsson by Harry Nilsson to any list for testing good quality bookshelf speakers.

Seriously? fucking seriously! Brian fucking Ferry!! Twat.

Sting's Brand New Day might be a contender...goes low and high

This must be a parody thread?

Dummy by Portishead.

- no surprise there really, what about skunk annansie or the cranberries?

depends what one is testing them for, for covid Id recommend something more scientific, but otherwise it depends - range, tone warmth, sheer aggresive noise level etc. also have they been broken in, is the amp warm, are the neighbours home? has the noise abatement order expired?

 

[Sean]

- no surprise there really, what about skunk annansie

That girl could sing a bit.

 

[hobbit.]

even lazier....My home theatre amp (yamaha) has a mic you plug in and put where you sit...then you press a button on the remote, leave the room and it automatically sends out test signals from the 6 speakers and sets the optimal levels for each...pretty slick.

ive got the same one, got some fancy name, yamaha acoustic something or other. its a bit like buying a james last LP or some classical work on MFP label.
or anything by U2.

 

[rockcasbah]

Seriously? fucking seriously! Brian fucking Ferry!! Twat.

Never liked him either, but Avalon's title track sounds good on good gear.

 

[hobbit.]

That girl could sing a bit.

did some good stuff with chumbwotsit. the skunk track 'yes its fucking political' isnt exactly a dance floor filler, but still kicks ass.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aP-z03rfj7w

awesome stereo separation.

 

[hobbit.]

Never liked him either, but Avalon's title track sounds good on good gear.

if its avalon ye seeketh, try the 'myths and legends' lp from rick wakeman.

 

[Sean]

did some good stuff with chumbwotsit. the skunk track 'yes its fucking political' isnt exactly a dance floor filler, but still kicks ass.

I've got the 12" of Hedonism. One of those tunes you crank up until the windows threaten to blow out.

 

[rockcasbah]

if its avalon ye seeketh, try the 'myths and legends' lp from rick wakeman.

Rick Wakeman and Mike Oldfield were more for the dodecagon dice boys, not my deal.

Bryan Ferry was used over here as panty remover.

 

[hobbit.]

I've got the 12" of Hedonism. One of those tunes you crank up until the windows threaten to blow out.

just edited the post to include a link.

in a twist of fate i had the car system on today, 'surf nicaragua; cd by sacred reich. sorted the sub speaker out a treat. the version of war pigs, is different enought to worth a listen

 

[hobbit.]

.

Bryan Ferry was used over here as panty remover.

you ever consider that the ladies were actually faking their own death to avoid listening to brian' virginia plain' ferry?

 

[rockcasbah]

you ever consider that the ladies were actually faking their own death to avoid listening to brian' virginia plain' ferry?

They were still warm. Why quibble?

 

[hobbit.]

They were still warm. Why quibble?

I have to give ya that one

 

[rockcasbah]

ive got the same one, got some fancy name, yamaha acoustic something or other. its a bit like buying a james last LP or some classical work on MFP label.
or anything by U2.

YPAO (Yamaha Parametric room Acoustic Optimizer) analyzes the room acoustics and your system, then precisely adjusts various audio parameters to provide the best sound for your room. Simply by placing the supplied microphone at your listening position and switching YPAO on, the system is automatically tuned for optimum performance in your home theater room.

 

[Philthy_Phil]

Paul Simon Graceland