Reference Tracks

[tomsi42]

Which version?

(Yes I know, they're all good)

The one I am using is the one on "Couldn't stand the weather" It's the song that introduced me to Stevie.

The Ana Popovic track is in the same vein. Sound great when played LOUD!

[msiebach]

I like the album "Brothers In Arms" by Dire Straits. Tracks 'Money For Nothing' and 'Your Latest Trick' always bring a smile to my face when I listen to them.

There are some great suggestions in this thread. I am going to have to check them out on Rhapsody to decide if I want to buy.

[Mark Lanctot]

I like the album "Brothers In Arms" by Dire Straits. Tracks 'Money For Nothing' and 'Your Latest Trick' always bring a smile to my face when I listen to them.

An excellent song from Dire Straights off their earlier album, Making Movies, is Romeo and Juliet. The resonator guitar used at the beginning sounds incredible and really shows off the finesse of a system since the harmonics are so complex (metallic yet echoey with a twangy high frequency component).

[peejay]

An excellent song from Dire Straights off their earlier album, Making Movies, is Romeo and Juliet. The resonator guitar used at the beginning sounds incredible and really shows off the finesse of a system since the harmonics are so complex (metallic yet echoey with a twangy high frequency component).

Or 'Love over Gold', from 'Love over Gold'. Exquisite clarity.

[Phil Leigh]

The first DS album is a really good test of a systems ability to accurately resolve melodic bass lines. Try "Six Blade Knife" for example...the bass note pitch on the risng riff should be easy to hear with no boominess and the snare drum hits need to be crisp but not piercing. Also, Mr. Knopfler should sound like he is in your room with the band.

[PhilNYC]

Hi all, I've made some improvements to my system which I think (hope!!) will be significant, and I am wondering if any of you have any favorite reference tracks that you find to be pretty revealing?

Any genre is fine as my tastes are all over the place, but I'd like to find a few tracks that are particuarly well engineered and touch some of the sonic extremes. Any input welcomed!

THanks,

Kook

Here's a few:

American Beauty Original Soundtrack (track 1 - deep/rich bass, very well-recorded variety of percussion, terrific imaging/soundstaging)
Roger Waters - Amused to Death (track #3 - q-sound 3D effects)
Brian Bromberg - Wood (track #8 - solo acoustic bass)
Fairfield Four - I Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray (track #1 - acapella vocal group, with an amazing bass singer)
Chris Isaak - Forever Blue (track #1 - good vocals and undistorted electric guitar)
Carmen Fantasie performed by Anne-Sophie Mutter (track #6 - some amazingly delicate and refined solo violin)
Gladiator Original Soundtrack (track 3 - dynamic and complex symphonic music which sounds like garbage if your system isn't fast and coherent, but great if your systm is)

[Skunk]

Is this ^ thing serious?

[bflatmajor]

Stanley Clark
Al Dimeola
Jean Luc Ponty... or Jean Luc Piccard :-)

Anyway, three guys, bass, guitar and violin.

Excellent dynamics..

[Recoveryone]

Stanley Clark: School days

[jeffluckett]

I'm listening to David Byrne's "Feelings" album over the new Grado SR80s I got for X-mass.

This album has been sitting dormant in my library for some time now ... glad I dug it out ... beautiful, dynamic recording. This one won't go forgotten for this long again.