What Hi Fi test discs

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I was wondering if the What Hi Fi team might be so kind as to compile its very own CD of the most demanding music tracks, etc, and the most common music tracks that they use while reviewing hi-fi gear, put them all on the one (or two) CD, and sell it.

Dan.
 

Andrew Everard

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It's something we've thought of in the past. but it usually turns into a licensing nightmare if you want to have mainstream music on the disc, rather than audiophile stuff no-one's ever heard of and probably wouldn't want to listen to more than once.

So never say never, but it's unlikely at the moment...
 

Andrew Everard

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Having seen him live several times, I wouldn't put Antonio Forcione in the 'never listen again' class, but yes the recordings tend to be pretty close-miked, or often use pickups in the acoustic guitars.
 

chebby

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Listened again just now, with a bacon roll and a cuppa. 'Tears of Joy' by AF and then 'Anna'.

'Tears of Joy' sounded less then irritating this time but Anna had way too much of that 'hifi show' sound going on especially in the double bass.

I have played a few bits of the other tracks ('Voices from Across the Ocean' was possibly the worst!) and sorry to say it is going back in the box.

Desmond Dekker "Officially Live and Rare" is on now to 'detox' the system
emotion-2.gif
 

Clare Newsome

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What we could look at doing as an in-mag feature - and/or a blog here - is write about what our all-time favourite test tracks are (including what recording/release) and why we find them useful.

We've done similar before and could do so again! I'll mention it to Rich and the team for future feature consideration...
 

chebby

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It is also important (to me) to test the 'slightly lower than fi' stuff. In my case my laptop and and DAC playing favourite 256k AAC+ downloads or Dr Feelgood's 'Roxette' from my original 1975 mono LP of 'Down by the Jetty'.

I have a lot of cheesy old 1980s 12" singles which - despite being posessed of slamming grooves - are probably not 'hifi' or 'Audiophile' in the sense of blokes with hush puppies, white socks, and nylon trousers sitting around a hotel room 'analysing' the n@ts out of the latest "Gargantua Mk 3" single ended valve amps through speakers that resemble sculptures from a bad Laurence Llewelyn Bowen garden makeover programme!
 

Clare Newsome

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chebby:
It is also important (to me) to test the 'slightly lower than fi' stuff. In my case my laptop and and DAC playing favourite 256k AAC+ downloads or Dr Feelgood's 'Roxette' from my original 1975 mono LP of 'Down by the Jetty'.

I have a lot of cheesy old 1980s 12" singles which - despite being posessed of slamming grooves - are probably not 'hifi' or 'Audiophile' in the sense of blokes with hush puppies, white socks, and nylon trousers sitting around a hotel room 'analysing' the n@ts out of the latest "Gargantua Mk 3" single ended valve amps through speakers that resemble sculptures from a bad Laurence Llewelyn Bowen garden makeover programme!

'Audiophile' discs rarely get a spin in our test rooms - as our Playlist feature every issue details, we use a mix of latest standard releases, plus (as copy shows) old-and-new favourites.

And when it comes to computer-based music, it's everything from 128kbps upwards!
 

chebby

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I wish hifi dealers would have a dance floor in their listening lounges (or even a 'mosh pit' for the heavy metallers).

Never mind all that.. 'It is making me tap my toes' nonsense.

Does it make you want to want to toss your (probably non-existent by now) mane of long hair around with your thumbs shoved in the top of your jeans? Does it make you want to pogo or play air guitar?

Does it make your wife/GF and you want to get up and jive, boogie, waltz or whatever?
 
A

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Clare Newsome:
What we could look at doing as an in-mag feature - and/or a blog here - is write about what our all-time favourite test tracks are (including what recording/release) and why we find them useful.

We've done similar before and could do so again! I'll mention it to Rich and the team for future feature consideration...

Sounds good Claire, look forward to it.

I remember years (and years) ago the mag featured a similar thing and they mentioned that Led Zep's 'Houses of the Holy' was a good tester. However I never knew if they meant the album of that name or the actual track that appears on the Physical Graffiti album..... ???

jules.
 

Andrew Everard

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jules153:I remember years (and years) ago the mag featured a similar thing and they mentioned that Led Zep's 'Houses of the Holy' was a good tester. However I never knew if they meant the album of that name or the actual track that appears on the Physical Graffiti album..... ???

jules.

Only one way to find out...

s4_11_wal_09.jpg
 

idc

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Clare Newsome:

What we could look at doing as an in-mag feature - and/or a blog here - is write about what our all-time favourite test tracks are (including what recording/release) and why we find them useful.

We've done similar before and could do so again! I'll mention it to Rich and the team for future feature consideration...

So could we nominate tester tracks to go on a blog? Or what about pwiles1968 use of Spotify to create a What Hifi Playlist? Instead it would be a list of tester tracks.

My nomination would be the opening 50 seconds of Massive Attack's track 'Angel' off Mezzanine. Firstly, the bass introduction distorts and causes buzzing, so how bad is it on your setup? Secondly there is a 'miaow' noise at 41 seconds. On some setups you cannot hear it, on others it is very clear. So it is a good tester track to see how well your setup copes with bass and how deep it digs to get every detail out of a track.
 

Frank Harvey

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Andrew Everard:It's something we've thought of in the past. but it usually turns into a licensing nightmare if you want to have mainstream music on the disc, rather than audiophile stuff no-one's ever heard of and probably wouldn't want to listen to more than once.Aaah, but when you're demonstrating systems and you use the same music over and over again, you get sick and tired of it, even if it's something you like. So ideally, you want some music you can use to assess systems that you wouldn't necessarily listen to regularly, that it doesn't matter if it starts cheesing you off. I sometimes use some Eleanor McEvoy stuff from a.n.other magazine as it sounds good, impresses people, and I don't like it! Win win all round!
 
A

Anonymous

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Clare Newsome:
What we could look at doing as an in-mag feature - and/or a blog here - is write about what our all-time favourite test tracks are (including what recording/release) and why we find them useful.

We've done similar before and could do so again! I'll mention it to Rich and the team for future feature consideration...

Why not a sort of as-per-you-can-licence-it download from the website of some lossless 96Khz/24bit music that people can burn to DVD-A or resample and burn to CD.. or just play through their PC or whatever. You could hang a big FREE MUSIC thing in the mag and it'll get people to visit the website more.

Just an idea, bearing in mind that a good deal of music is ending up free or under creative commons anyway. For example, to start it off you could offer the entire of The Slip by NiN for free download and have no issues at all (just don't try and charge people for it and credit the artist).
 

chebby

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Andrew Everard:Well, feel free to start an "Ace Test Tracks" thread if you wish...

Pretty much anything from the Spike Lee & Co. "Do it A Capella" CD soundtrack, but faves are Rockapella doing 'Zombie Jamboree' (skip to 2 mins 30 secs) or Ladysmith Black Mambazo and the Mint Juleps version of 'Lion Sleeps Tonight'.

Obviously the CD sounds infinitely superior but you will get the idea.
 

SteveR750

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chebby:
I wish hifi dealers would have a dance floor in their listening lounges (or even a 'mosh pit' for the heavy metallers).

Never mind all that.. 'It is making me tap my toes' nonsense.

Does it make you want to want to toss your (probably non-existent by now) mane of long hair around with your thumbs shoved in the top of your jeans? Does it make you want to pogo or play air guitar?

Does it make your wife/GF and you want to get up and jive, boogie, waltz or whatever?

Add in a bar and some dodgy smarties and watch those units fly out of the shops...
 
A

Anonymous

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Andrew Everard:
jules153:I remember years (and years) ago the mag featured a similar thing and they mentioned that Led Zep's 'Houses of the Holy' was a good tester. However I never knew if they meant the album of that name or the actual track that appears on the Physical Graffiti album..... ???

jules.

Only one way to find out...

s4_11_wal_09.jpg


Ring the police ??

emotion-1.gif
 

chebby

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Andrew Everard:
chebby:You'd be better off calling Paul Temple.

...Or Captain Scarlet as he was known to his friends.

Hmm I was thinking of the BBC Radio Paul Temple. (Not Francis Matthews as the TV version.)

Of course Captain Scarlet was known to his friends as Paul according to this really sad online biography that I had to resort to!
 
A

Anonymous

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chebby:Andrew Everard:
chebby:You'd be better off calling Paul Temple.

...Or Captain Scarlet as he was known to his friends.

Hmm I was thinking of the BBC Radio Paul Temple. (Not Francis Matthews as the TV version.)

Of course Captain Scarlet was known to his friends as Paul according to this really sad online biography that I had to resort to!

All sounds a bit complex to me (??)

I think it would just be easier to go back in time.

jules.
 

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