System check songs?

[My2Cents]

'Acoustic Live' by Nils Lofgren will test your system, and it's an awesome album. In particular the track 'Keith Don't Go'.
On a good system you will feel like you have got your head stuck right inside the soundhole of the guitar... with harmonics swishing all over the room in 3D.

 

[Friesiansam]

The best music to test your system, if you must, is music you are familiar with, so you know how it should sound, or you want it to sound.

 

[Al ears]

The best music to test your system, if you must, is music you are familiar with, so you know how it should sound, or you want it to sound.

Indeed.
If you play mainly Classical you are best off using a classical piece you are very familiar with.
I have that Nils Lofgren LP and it is extremely well recorded but to test my system it is female voice, piano and violin.
If a system cannot replicate piano well it's not worth having....

 

[JDL]

Today, my brother Simon and I did a back to back listening session of Vivaldi's "Le Quattro Stagioni", better known in English as the "Four Seasons".
We Started with The Academy of St Martin in the Fields, with Alan Loveday on Violin and the illustrious Neville Mariner directing.
Next, was Adrian Chandler's wonderful period specialist Orchestra, La Serenissima, this time performed on period instruments, recorded in 2015. Adrian Chandler, director and a vividly brilliant Violinist.
We moved on to I Musici's version, with Pina Carmirelli on Violin. Again Brilliant.
Next, The London Philharmonic Orchestra, Itzhak Perlman on Violin, born in 1945, "..the supreme Violinist of his time."
We moved on to Europa Galante's version, with Fabio Biondi. A wonderful recording, beautifully played .
We'll finish with Nigel Kennedy and the English Chamber Orchestra, the 1989, EMI recording. We haven't got to this one yet, therefore I won't comment on it right now.
However any music that you listen to, whether you know it or not, whether you like it or not, is "a test" for your system if you like to look at it this way. Really though, in my view,
to test your system, takes at least two weeks of listening to a variety of music and the listener being in a variety of moods. Time is the teller.
Considering the money I've spent on my system, which isn't an awful lot by Hi-Fi standards, I love the system I have and believe it sounds wonderful.
A thirty year old CD player, a bang up to date integrated amplifier and thirty year old speakers. None of it made in China, which for me is important for my own reasons.

 

[Al ears]

Today, my brother Simon and I did a back to back listening session of Vivaldi's "Le Quattro Stagioni", better known in English as the "Four Seasons".
We Started with The Academy of St Martin in the Fields, with Alan Loveday on Violin and the illustrious Neville Mariner directing.
Next, was Adrian Chandler's wonderful period specialist Orchestra, La Serenissima, this time performed on period instruments, recorded in 2015. Adrian Chandler, director and a vividly brilliant Violinist.
We moved on to I Musici's version, with Pina Carmirelli on Violin. Again Brilliant.
Next, The London Philharmonic Orchestra, Itzhak Perlman on Violin, born in 1945, "..the supreme Violinist of his time."
We moved on to Europa Galante's version, with Fabio Biondi. A wonderful recording, beautifully played .
We'll finish with Nigel Kennedy and the English Chamber Orchestra, the 1989, EMI recording. We haven't got to this one yet, therefore I won't comment on it right now.
However any music that you listen to, whether you know it or not, whether you like it or not, is "a test" for your system if you like to look at it this way. Really though, in my view,
to test your system, takes at least two weeks of listening to a variety of music and the listener being in a View attachment 5677variety of moods. Time is the teller.
Considering the money I've spent on my system, which isn't an awful lot by Hi-Fi standards, I love the system I have and believe it sounds wonderful.
A thirty year old CD player, a bang up to date integrated amplifier and thirty year old speakers. None of it made in China, which for me is important for my own reasons.

If it sounds good to you, or anyone for that matter, where it is made is irrelevant....
Interesting post up until that last sentence.

 

[JDL]

If it sounds good to you, or anyone for that matter, where it is made is irrelevant....
Interesting post up until that last sentence.

We'll have to agree to disagree on the last sentence.

 

[Stuart83]

Today, my brother Simon and I did a back to back listening session of Vivaldi's "Le Quattro Stagioni", better known in English as the "Four Seasons".
We Started with The Academy of St Martin in the Fields, with Alan Loveday on Violin and the illustrious Neville Mariner directing.
Next, was Adrian Chandler's wonderful period specialist Orchestra, La Serenissima, this time performed on period instruments, recorded in 2015. Adrian Chandler, director and a vividly brilliant Violinist.
We moved on to I Musici's version, with Pina Carmirelli on Violin. Again Brilliant.
Next, The London Philharmonic Orchestra, Itzhak Perlman on Violin, born in 1945, "..the supreme Violinist of his time."
We moved on to Europa Galante's version, with Fabio Biondi. A wonderful recording, beautifully played .
We'll finish with Nigel Kennedy and the English Chamber Orchestra, the 1989, EMI recording. We haven't got to this one yet, therefore I won't comment on it right now.
However any music that you listen to, whether you know it or not, whether you like it or not, is "a test" for your system if you like to look at it this way. Really though, in my view,
to test your system, takes at least two weeks of listening to a variety of music and the listener being in a View attachment 5677variety of moods. Time is the teller.
Considering the money I've spent on my system, which isn't an awful lot by Hi-Fi standards, I love the system I have and believe it sounds wonderful.
A thirty year old CD player, a bang up to date integrated amplifier and thirty year old speakers. None of it made in China, which for me is important for my own reasons.

I'm always playing Vivaldi 4 seasons I never sicken if it.
The word I always come up with in my head is "beautiful".

I even went to see it live at usher moor a very fitting venue to get a true comparison of how my system sounds.
I prefer my hifi tbh because I like louder volumes than our back seats at usher moor provided.
The regular listening of his music ment I spotted every mistake made by the violinist who murdered some of it even setting off a few of the pretentious foke.
Suffice to say I still sat in awe at the performance, it nearly brought a tear to my eye at one point I do not mind sharing that.
Such music touches me on an emotional level far more than other genres.
It's my sole reason for returning to vinyl.
I have a very, infact massively eclectical taste going from being a dj for some yrs listening to hard house constantly to slash metal all which I still visit but none have ever actually touched me the way classical can and does.
There's only the lumineers that really come close with tracks like "dead sea" and I'm not going to mention my days listening to Leonard Cohen when melancholic.
I do concur that classical is a good way if measuring a systems capability but also as mentioned on another comment music that's known to the listener is never a wrong move.

 

[JDL]

I'm always playing Vivaldi 4 seasons I never sicken if it.
The word I always come up with in my head is "beautiful".

I even went to see it live at usher moor a very fitting venue to get a true comparison of how my system sounds.
I prefer my hifi tbh because I like louder volumes than our back seats at usher moor provided.
The regular listening of his music ment I spotted every mistake made by the violinist who murdered some of it even setting off a few of the pretentious foke.
Suffice to say I still sat in awe at the performance, it nearly brought a tear to my eye at one point I do not mind sharing that.
Such music touches me on an emotional level far more than other genres.
It's my sole reason for returning to vinyl.
I have a very, infact massively eclectical taste going from being a dj for some yrs listening to hard house constantly to slash metal all which I still visit but none have ever actually touched me the way classical can and does.
There's only the lumineers that really come close with tracks like "dead sea" and I'm not going to mention my days listening to Leonard Cohen when melancholic.
I do concur that classical is a good way if measuring a systems capability but also as mentioned on another comment music that's known to the listener is never a wrong move.

I'm always playing Vivaldi 4 seasons I never sicken if it.
The word I always come up with in my head is "beautiful".

I even went to see it live at usher moor a very fitting venue to get a true comparison of how my system sounds.
I prefer my hifi tbh because I like louder volumes than our back seats at usher moor provided.
The regular listening of his music ment I spotted every mistake made by the violinist who murdered some of it even setting off a few of the pretentious foke.
Suffice to say I still sat in awe at the performance, it nearly brought a tear to my eye at one point I do not mind sharing that.
Such music touches me on an emotional level far more than other genres.
It's my sole reason for returning to vinyl.
I have a very, infact massively eclectical taste going from being a dj for some yrs listening to hard house constantly to slash metal all which I still visit but none have ever actually touched me the way classical can and does.
There's only the lumineers that really come close with tracks like "dead sea" and I'm not going to mention my days listening to Leonard Cohen when melancholic.
I do concur that classical is a good way if measuring a systems capability but also as mentioned on another comment music that's known to the listener is never a wrong move.

What a lovely Church that is, or maybe a Cathedral? The Altar is really beautiful as well. Quite a venue even if a bit chilly.
I don't tire of Vivaldi either. La Stravaganza and L'estro armonico are favourites of mine too.
It amazes me what a huge body of work the great man Antonio Vivaldi left us.
He was known as Rosso to his family and friends because of his red hair. And that reminds me we had friend when young called Anthony, we called him "Red", that's all, simply Red because of his very dark red hair and very pink face. Antonio was "Red" too, "Rosso".

 

[Revolutions]

simply Red

???

 

[JDL]

😂

 

[JDL]

I'd forgotten there was an artist or band called Simply Red when I wrote that. Funny little coincidences.

 

[Stuart83]

What a lovely Church that is, or maybe a Cathedral? The Altar is really beautiful as well. Quite a venue even if a bit chilly.
I don't tire of Vivaldi either. La Stravaganza and L'estro armonico are favourites of mine too.
It amazes me what a huge body of work the great man Antonio Vivaldi left us.
He was known as Rosso to his family and friends because of his red hair. And that reminds me we had friend when young called Anthony, we called him "Red", that's all, simply Red because of his very dark red hair and very pink face. Antonio was "Red" too, "Rosso".

It is a Ushaw: Historic House, Chapels & Gardens and your correct in assuming it was chilly infact plain cold would be more fitting.
Despite that I wasn't bothered as soon as entering we could hear the violin carrying down the long beautiful corridors thus forgetting the cold the only give away was the (ebc) steam from our breath.
A long line of candles all be it fake ones lead to the chapel.
My reason for going was mainly track 7 of the cd "Oprah 8 no3 autum" I'm sure your familier'

View: https://youtu.be/6Gb53aR8kKM?si=-mO3VFSOTVinhIDj


It's my favourite of mine although shortened somewhat 😭.
There's a better picture of the chapel in daylight attached.

 

[jeery111]

'Acoustic Live' by Nils Lofgren will test your system, and it's an awesome album. In particular the track 'Keith Don't Go'.
On a good system you will feel like you have got your head stuck right inside the soundhole of the guitar... with harmonics swishing all over the room in 3D.

Thanks for sharing your recommendation for a system check song! "Acoustic Live" by Nils Lofgren, especially the track "Keith Don't Go," sounds like an excellent choice for testing the capabilities of an audio system. It's always a pleasure to discover albums that not only sound great but also serve as effective tools for evaluating the nuances and depth of a speaker setup.

The description of feeling like your head is inside the guitar with harmonics swirling in 3D indicates the level of detail and spatial quality in the recording. These characteristics are often sought after by audiophiles looking for a truly immersive listening experience.

For those looking to assess the capabilities of their audio systems or simply enjoy a high-quality acoustic performance, "Acoustic Live" seems like a fantastic recommendation. If you have any more go-to tracks for testing or showcasing a system, feel free to share them!