10 of the best 1970s albums to test your speakers

[What Hi-Fi?]

Put your hi-fi through its paces with some of What Hi-Fi?'s favourite test discs from the 70s.

10 of the best 1970s albums to test your speakers : Read more

 

[soswishy]

One glaring omission - Joan Armatrading's superbly produced eponymous LP (1976).

 

[doctorrazz]

I concur with the majority of your choices, but most of us have evolved beyond the limitations of Vinyl. Newly recorded and remastered copies of those classics sound great, a good comparison can be found on Tidal HiFi and Quboz streaming platforms. I am a fan of the MQA copies this will make the Analogue fans flip a disc. Give Miles Davis Tutu in MQA some ear.

 

[soswishy]

Vinyl or CD is a question of personal preference, nothing at all to do with "evolution". Indeed many hifi enthusiasts run both. It was a particularly odd comment to make since the article doesn't even recommend a format on which to listen to these albums (and even includes Spotify playlists!).

 

[Friesiansam]

Surely the best albums for any system testing, are ones you are familiar with.

 

[Mr. C Nation]

Friesiansam is perfectly correct. The only way to know if a system of new component is better or worse than what went before is to know what went before intimately.

That is why, at the most basic, recording studios run a test tone of just one frequency through the system to balance everything up.

In the words of Captain Beefheart on Trout Mask Replica "The following tone is a reference tone, recorded at our operating level... "

I have been fortunate enough to have been at the recording of an album, at the stereo mix-down, the mastering for vinyl, the re-mastering for CD and own 12" and CD versions. That is my reference.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_10154038329961575]

The articles says 10 of the best....not the best 10...there are no doubt 100s of albums that can give your speakers a good work out...does not matter if it is CD, steamed or vinyl....does not matter if it is remastered....just sit back and enjoy...try some of the recommendations (I know some are not in my collection) and love music.....

 

[Darwinia]

I concur with the majority of your choices, but most of us have evolved beyond the limitations of Vinyl. Newly recorded and remastered copies of those classics sound great, a good comparison can be found on Tidal HiFi and Quboz streaming platforms. I am a fan of the MQA copies this will make the Analogue fans flip a disc. Give Miles Davis Tutu in MQA some ear.

The article says nothing about vinyl and even has screenshots of the albums from a streaming service.

 

[abricru]

I was a little surprised that Rumours - Fleetwood Mac didn't make the list.

Dreamboat Annie by Heart was one I liked to try out speakers with.