test music

[admin_exported]

i would like some suggestions to select a test music and video track (DVD/CD/Bulray) to compare various home theatre cominations of AV receiver, spaekers, projector and screen. This is for a home theatre romm in a new home currently under construction. I am keen on the Pioneer SC LX83 AV receiver, and in therms of spaekers there are a selection of Australian and overseas brangds like Krix, Whatmough, Paradigm, B&W........the list goes on. I was advised to select a specific piece of AV/audio content to test drive the various combinations of hardware. Can anyone help with a suggestion of a DVD/aaaaaaudio or musiv CD/DVD that I could use?

Thanks for your help

 

[Tom Moreno]

desouza3:
i would like some suggestions to select a test music and video track (DVD/CD/Bulray) to compare various home theatre cominations of AV receiver, spaekers, projector and screen. This is for a home theatre romm in a new home currently under construction. I am keen on the Pioneer SC LX83 AV receiver, and in therms of spaekers there are a selection of Australian and overseas brangds like Krix, Whatmough, Paradigm, B&W........the list goes on. I was advised to select a specific piece of AV/audio content to test drive the various combinations of hardware. Can anyone help with a suggestion of a DVD/aaaaaaudio or musiv CD/DVD that I could use?

Thanks for your help

The best demo material is ussually pieces of music and video that you are intimately familiar with. Ie a cd you've listened to hundreds of times. When something isn't familiar you tend to spend a lot of your attention listening to the piece, whereas when you know the piece well you are freer to pay more attention to the differences in how the piece is being presented by the equipment you are demoing.

 

[Clare Newsome]

Excellent advice

Taking your favourite discs also ensures you're hearing/seeing how the system performs with the style of music/movies you plan to enjoy with it - not how it performs with a reference you're never going to sit down and listen to/watch in real life.

 

[Big Chris]

'Knowing' chapter 6 is a great tester. The sound of the rain completely surrounds you, the plane crash is immense. The visuals are cracking too.

Just a shame it has a glaring 'movie mistake' in it, which once you realise is there (not hard), is difficult to ignore.

 

[Anonymous]

I would also single out pieces which test the following:

(for audio) something which covers enough of the frequency spectrum to test bass extension as well as the other end such as cymbals and sibilance on vocals - big orchestral works can make excellent test pieces because they try (enigineered) to capture imaging, frequency response and tonal colour e.g. can you hear the difference between violins and woodwind (Beethoven's 7th Symphony 1st movement is perfect for this)

(for video) something which has a wide colour palette as well as challenging dark/shadows e.g. Lord of the Rings 1st movie - scenes from the shire and from the chase to the ferry from the black riders.

These are examples I use - and you did ask for suggestions - but I'm sure you have some similar familiar ones as other have advised.

 

[Anonymous]

hi tom, thank you for your response. sadly we have really not spent a lot of time over the last few years either listening to music or watching movies in our rather basic home theatre setup (1995 vintage Yamaha with 5.1 aussie speakers). However, i do have a favouite artist (Yanni) and his DVDs offer a wide range of music tones on tap. I guess I will get the son to bring along his favourite DVD for the surround test. Thank you once again. regards, david desouza

 

[Anonymous]

thanks for your response clare, understood the point you are trying to make. will spend a little time making the selection. thanks and regards david desouza

 

[Anonymous]

thanks for your reply chris, will follow up with your suggestions regards david de souza

 

[Anonymous]

thanks shreddy for your reply, ditto with the above. cheers david