Question Best record production for Hi-Fi tests

[David B]

My music library is composed of many different genres, from jazz to electronic, folk to pop, rock (...).
One of my favourite bands is Radiohead, which is also one that has released albums with a very high production quality.

Having said that, if I had to choose one single album for testing equipment, I would have to go with Daft Punk - Random Access Memories.
In terms of production, this album is to me as close to perfection as can be: incredible dynamics, clear and clean punchy sound, and a very controlled and complete frequency range.



If you had to choose the perfectly produced album, what would it be?

 

[BigH]

I would use less perfectly produced albums, l find that tests systems better than well produced. As the majority of music is not well produced, then that is better test.

The reason why hifi shows often use the same sort of music, is it easy to sound good. Ever wondered why a lot of them the same boring music?

Some audiophiles fall into the trap of only playing well produced music.

Use a wide range of music. I nearly bought some Wharfedales once, sounded lovely on vocals but fell apart with bass guitar. The dealer blamed my music but it was fine in other speakers. Double bass can cause cabinets to audibly resonate even at moderate levels, especially on floorstanders.

Sibilance is a major issue for me, always use that in tests, l found upgrading has reduced or even eliminated it, in some cases.

 

[David B]

I would use less perfectly produced albums, l find that tests systems better than well produced. As the majority of music is not well produced, then that is better test.

The reason why hifi shows often use the same sort of music, is it easy to sound good. Ever wondered why a lot of them the same boring music?

Some audiophiles fall into the trap of only playing well produced music.

Fair enough. I should have phrased my post differently then, my intention was to share best sounding albums between members, to have a list of great sounding albums available here

 

[Al ears]

The best way to ensure an LP based system is set up correctly is a proper test disc.

 

[BigH]

Fair enough. I should have phrased my post differently then, my intention was to share best sounding albums between members, to have a list of great sounding albums available here

There are lots of Jazz, most of the ECM catalogue, certainly the more recent ones are top notch. Tord Gustavsen would be one artist. Does anyone record drums and piano as well?

Nils Frahm albums are pretty good generally.

Lots of "jazz" singers of course. Melody Gardot would be my pick.

Sade.

Aja - Steely Dan.

 

[David B]

There are lots of Jazz, most of the ECM catalogue, certainly the more recent ones are top notch. Tord Gustavsen would be one artist. Does anyone record drums and piano as well?

Nils Frahm albums are pretty good generally.

Lots of "jazz" singers of course. Melody Gardot would be my pick.

Sade?

Great choices!
With jazz, I have been particularly impressed by the last few albums from Avishai Cohen as well...

 

[BigH]

WYWH and DSOTM - Pink Floyd

Eric Bibb albums are well produced.

Boards of Canada also. Many in that genre probably also.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Bob Marley's One Love. Not my typical choice of music, but a great test of bass, vocals, soundstage, percussion etc etc.

 

[speedthing]

Yes 90125

 

[Hifiman]

An old favourite amongst audiophiles (but no worse for it) is Joe Jackson, Body and Soul, either on vinyl or CD. Great songs and a great recording. It was at the vanguard of 1980s digital recording and mastering, and there is a whole backstory around the search for the most ideal venue to record it, finally plumping for a Masonic hall in New York.
Just do not go for the disastrous European 1997 digital remaster with all its pops and clicks which, unfortunately, also seems to be the version used by most streaming services. Unfathonable how that ever saw the light of day, or why JJ never put a stop to it as soon as the first person listened to it.

 

[Cork]

I set up test tracks with two considerations, (1) I'm extremely familiar with the tracks (have played them to death), (2) the tracks hit on separation, attack, bass & treble (voice & instrument), harmonics.

I have 19 tunes that try to cover that list, here's the first ten:

In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed-Allman Brothers
Ixtapa-Rodrigo Y Gabriela
Freddie Freeloader-Miles Davis
What'd I Say-Ray Charles
Fearless Blues-Ana Popovic
When The Levee Breaks-Led Zeppelin
Piano Concerto No. 2 In Cm, Op. 18 - III. Allegro Scherzando-Rachmaninov-Bernard Haitink
Piano Concerto No. 4 In Gm, Op. 40 - I. Allegro Vivace-Rachmaninov-Bernard Haitink
Symphony No. 5; I. Allegro con brio-Beethoven-Christopher Hogwood
Jazz Man-Beth Hart

 

[Integralista]

My music library is composed of many different genres, from jazz to electronic, folk to pop, rock (...).
One of my favourite bands is Radiohead, which is also one that has released albums with a very high production quality.

Having said that, if I had to choose one single album for testing equipment, I would have to go with Daft Punk - Random Access Memories.
In terms of production, this album is to me as close to perfection as can be: incredible dynamics, clear and clean punchy sound, and a very controlled and complete frequency range.

View attachment 8092

If you had to choose the perfectly produced album, what would it be?

Hi, I agree with your selection of Radiohead. I love for "testing" also LPs from Bjork, Yello, Kraftwerk to name just a few.

 

[daytona600]

TAS list running for decades

2023 TAS Super LP List - The Absolute Sound

2023 TAS Super LP List - The latest version of TAS’ annual list of great-sounding LPs, compiled by JV (this year with the help of Michael Fremer).

www.theabsolutesound.com

 

[David B]

TAS list running for decades

2023 TAS Super LP List - The Absolute Sound

2023 TAS Super LP List - The latest version of TAS’ annual list of great-sounding LPs, compiled by JV (this year with the help of Michael Fremer).

www.theabsolutesound.com

Nice!

 

[skinnypuppy71]

Black Country New Road, "Ants from up there" superb contemporary all analogue recording , great dynamics and some fantastic song writing and musicianship, I have the deluxe box set with the extra live lp's @ Queen Elizabeth hall.
Another thing, when I ripped my cd copy of the album into my roon library it labelled the album with a dr rating of 18....unheard of within this music genre of a type of alt indie rock.

 

[David B]

Black Country New Road, "Ants from up there" superb contemporary all analogue recording , great dynamics and some fantastic song writing and musicianship, I have the deluxe box set with the extra live lp's @ Queen Elizabeth hall.
Another thing, when I ripped my cd copy of the album into my roon library it labelled the album with a dr rating of 18....unheard of within this music genre of a type of alt indie rock.

I like that one too!

 

[Links]

I find that an early UK copy of Tubular Bells is an excellent recording to test a record based system. It has many aspects that are capable to revealing how well your system tracks, how good its resolution is, top and bottom frequency response, how well your cartridge can resolve and put instruments into space, great attack tests and good IGD testing with strong female vocal content near the label.

 

[Hifiman]

I find that an early UK copy of Tubular Bells is an excellent recording to test a record based system. It has many aspects that are capable to revealing how well your system tracks, how good its resolution is, top and bottom frequency response, how well your cartridge can resolve and put instruments into space, great attack tests and good IGD testing with strong female vocal content near the label.

It seems fitting within this forum that on the back of the original TB LP it stated "This stereo record cannot be played on old tin boxes no matter what they are fitted with. If you are in possession of such equipment please hand it into the nearest police station.”

 

[Covenanter]

It has always been my view that when you listen to equipment the judgement that you make should be on the basis of whether what comes out of the speakers is close to what you would hear at a live performance (taking into account listening conditions etc.). Hi-fi is short for high fidelity and fidelity means truthfulness. So hi-fi should be true to the original.

I've also always been of the opinion that it is easier to make these judgements when you are listening to "simple" and "pure" music. By that I mean single voices and single instruments. So when I audition the things I use are in large part of that type. I must confess that i audition very rarely, the last time was 2014, and I haven't changed my equipment since. I posted here about that process then and my list was as follows:

• Bellini – “I Capuleti E I Montecchi” DG 00289047708031
• Shostakovich Symphony 5 RPO Ashkenazy – Decca 421 120 2
• Grieg Lieder Von Otter – DG 437 521-2
• Dowland Lute Music Vol 1 – Naxos 8.557586
• John Armatrading – Classics – AM 982 3506 – Track – “Love and affection”
• Shostakovich Piano Concerto 2 – Leonskaja – Apex 8573 89092 2
• Joan Baez “Joan Baez” – Vanguard 79594 – Track – “John Riley”
• Jimmy Hendrix – “Experience” – MCD 11692 – Track - “All along the watchtower”
• Brahms Piano Concerto 1 – Grimauld – DG 479 1058
• Beethoven Violin Concerto – Faust – HMC 902105
• Tallis – “Spem in Alium” – CDGIM 006
• Cream – “Wheels of fire” – Polydor 531 812-2 – Track – “Those were the days”

I won't bore you with details of this music as it probably won't be stuff you like. However, as an example, the Dowland Lute Music is just a guy playing a lute. Each note is pure, or should sound pure, and you should hear the player's fingers moving on the strings. If the notes aren't pure don't buy the equipment. That's a tough test!

There are other things to look for such as dynamic range. Most "popular" music has a very limited dynamic range, indeed a lot of it is highly "compressed" to make it more suitable for listening in noisy environments. Even in the classical world this happens with, for example, Classic FM heavily compressing their output as their listeners often listen in their cars and other noisy places, BBC Radio 3 uses a much lower level of compression. As a classical music lover I need equipment that can handle a huge dynamic range which is why a piece such as the Shostakovich Symphony 5 is on my list as it has huge range from almost silent to "knock the walls down".

I've rambled on a bit here for which I apologise. To keep it simple, if you have heard some music you really like live use a recording of that as your test.