My Top 5 Audiophile Demo Tracks

Hi Tarun , surprised at the amount of reverberation in your room as you spoke over the microphone! Do you use any room treatment?

Hi Tarun, just wanted to say that on your recommendation I have just listened to Harpslinger by Carey Bell….omg sounds so amazing, quite rare to find a recording that sounds this good. Thank you and more of the same please, good work!

I can vouch for rage against the machine wake up and the miles Davis “Kind of Blue” album. Those are both excellent recordings. I also like Sting the shape of my heart.

John Coltrane played tenor sax on "Kind of Blue", mate. Nice selection and variety of demo discs, well done!

your room sounds so bad

Last Cup of Sorrow - Faith No More is generally my go to song to test out speakers. Will def try these 5 tracks next time

Yes to the Miles, but I use a few of the ECM jazz trio recordings too. For stunning double bass, Bobo Stenson 'War Orphan' 2nd track 'Natt' has a bass solo at the start. Mats Eilertsen's 'And then comes the night' album is tremendous for bass, try 'Perpetum'. Ayumi Tanaka's lovely minimalist Japanese inspired 'Subaqueous Silence' has beautifully caught percussion sounds. Dave Holland 'Extentions', also on ECM is great for natural sounding double bass.

For female vocals try Diana Krall 'Temptation' (mind those sibilants!) and recently I use Sarah K's amazing 'Water Falls' album, the title track has bass that just keeps going down! Ditto 'The Painter', an amazing recording by Stockfish Records.

My main interest is classical music - I've been collecting since early 70s, LPs and then CDs (I used to run a specialist classical CD shop) and now Qobuz. Try Britten's 'Sinfonia da Requiem' Rattle/CBSO recorded in Warwick Arts Centre with amazing perspectives - I listen On Quad 2812 electrostatics with a Quad L-series subwoofer, and their ability to 'see-into' the music never fails to amaze!

Another recording that is never far from my turntable is Malcolm Arnold's 'English, Scottish and Cornish Dances' on Lyrita - these, mainly from the 70s, recorded by Decca engineers (eg John Dunkerley) are models of analogue recordings....the bass drum at the end of the 2nd set of English Dances is a real test for any speakers!

BTW Flamenco Sketches is not the best for Paul Chambers' lowest notes, 'in the 40hz region'. He mainly rocks from G natural (98hz) down to D natural (74.30hz) and never goes below the D....also he's a little sharp 100hz on the G and just about 75hz on the D! For a player that does go down to the lowest note on the bass (without the low C extension), try the Bobo Stenson 'Natt' mentioned above, he goes to the E natural 41.20hz...and it's superbly caughtby the ECM engineer.

Play the Damn songs

You are the best dude

Thanks again Tarun

My reference demo tracks are celine dion immortality, the power of love , think twice and peabo Bryson can you stop you the rain.
These songs have unique artistic characteristics no other songs have, especially the introduction of Immortality and can you stop the rain. And i feel no any system is capable enough to reveal their majestic and sublime virtues.

Kind regards and best wishes

check out Escape from the Atmosphere from Fresh Aire IV, Mannheim Steamroller. from low bass to crisp tings of treble. My car has Kenwood amps and Infinity three ways and 1000 watts. Total driving bliss.

My Top Five:
Track: Flamenco Sketches - Album: Kind of Blue - Artist: Miles Davis
Tracks; the Album Scheherazade by Rimsky-Korsakov Conductor: Fritz Reiner - CSV
Track: Resurrection Blues - Album: White African - Artist: Otis Taylor
Track: Evergreen - Album: Beyond - Artist: Lucy Thomas
Track: Jester & the Tyrant - Album: Romantic Warrior - Artist: Return to Forever

Thanks, interesting pick, I’ll delve in! My system copes really well with the type of music you mainly picked, for example all Jenifer Warnes sounds great on mine even deep down I think it’s called that has massive base. But I think My system gets confused when it’s rock, it all seems to get a bit muddled together. Do you generally what cases this in systems? Ta.

Luv the channel and thanks for sharing your top tracks. One question. There seems to be a lot of echo in this video. Did u change something? I can’t imagine that would be good for reviewing equipment. 😮

check out Eva Cassidy
singing , Over The Rainbow . i won't attempt to describe this transcendental performance but i am 100% sure that you will enjoy it .
Ok , maybe only 99% sure.

How is it even possible to make videos, or reviews in a room with that much reverb?
You sound as if you are in a tin can.

Thanks for the videos, they are very helpful. I have a few of the albums on your list. I have been getting into the hi-fi for the past 10 years, and am always impressed with how my music sounds on my new gear. I have some regular albums and tracks I use when I am testing new gear. Herbie Hancock - Dis is Da Drum is a good album. Curtis Mayfield "Superfly." Led Zeppelin "No Quarter," and Kool and the Gang "Summer Madness," are on rotation.

My list is a pretty short one. For testing speakers and headphones: a) Private Investigations by Dire Straits, on Love Over Gold; b) Give It Up To Love by Mighty Sam McClain, on Give It Up To Love. For testing headphones: c) Midnight Rambler live by The Rolling Stones on Get Yer Ya-Yas Out.

Private Investigations has one of the finest tests of imaging and soundstage with a variety of instruments and sounds in the background that moved during the course of this song that will really tell if you’re speakers are capable of imaging or not. Later in the song, there are a set of footsteps that move across the soundstage and you should be able to to follow them from beyond one speaker to beyond the other. There is another effect that on a poor quality system sounds like any sort of glass object like a bottle clanking in the background, but on better quality systems, it can be identified as a wine glass breaking. There is a heartbeat sound that sounds like a dull “thud, thud” on lesser equipment, but comes across as a sharp “tunk, tunk“ on a better speaker. The keyboards sound a bit digital and metallic on a cheaper, lesser quality system, but sound a bit richer, more like a piano on a better system.

Sam McClain’s vocals on Give It Up To Love sound thin and gravelly on poor quality speakers. On good quality speakers they open up, and you will discover that he is probably the finest male blues singer of all time, with a rich, highly emotive voice. There’s also a crescendo that builds on this track that is uplifting with the majesty of a tall mountain peak, heard through good equipment, but is the sonic equivalent of a small foothill on lesser equipment. The album was also recorded by Audioquest and it is of exceptionally high recording quality.

Live albums from the late 1960’s and early 1970’s that do not feature the Allman Brothers at the Filmore East venue tend to be rather far from what one would use for an audio test track, but there are significant sonic features on Midnight Rambler from the Get Yer Ya-Yas Out album highlight the difference between better and lesser headphones. On cheaper headphones, the song starts with a dull rumble, but on better headphones, you can hear each string Bill Wyman plucks on his bass distinctly and powerfully. At about the 2/3 mark as the song has really slowed down, Mick Taylor‘s solo develops more savagely yet more musically than virtually any heavy metal solo, if played on a good set of headphones. On lesser headphones it’s not as notable.

Hi Tharun. First of all, love your channel. I have picked up a lot of gems wisdom in hifi by watching your channel. With the song Flamenco Sketches , when Miles Davis hits the trumpet in the first few minutes. It does sound a bit intense (bright). It sounds Very piercing at about the 38 seconds mark. Almost unbearable. Is this how it should sound like? Or would it indicate that my system is too bright.

I couldn't agree more with your first choice of Flamenco Sketches from Miles Davis' album Kind of Blue. Coincidentally, I just acquired a hybrid SACD of the classic, and already fantastically recorded album and have been listening the heck out of it. If you want a wonderfully recorded and especially great blues number from a FEMALE blues singer, try Beth Hart and Joe Bonamassa's album, Don't Explain. Especially the track, I'll Take Care of You. This on a great system will knock you for a loop!!

I agree with your description of Bill Evan’s piano playing on Kind of Blue. He is a master of piano. Less can be more. 👍🏼🎶

Carey Bell! I’m impressed! 🎵🎼

Album - Kansas City OST. 2 Songs from that album
Yeah, man.
Solitude (reprise)

How does music sound good in such an echo-y room?

Hi Tarun -check out Jazz at the Pawnshop, Malia -Convergence album -Celestial Echo, Tin Pan Alley-Stevie Ray Vaughan track - incredible recordings . Great list by the way

Modal jazz is one of my favorite genres. I would choose All blues, just because it’s my favorite track on the album. And for male vocals I would go straight for my favorite 2 tracks on the famous Johnny Hartman & John Coltrane …

Blues ; for vocals, nobody does it better for me than John Lee Hooker. And on guitar, I kinda like Freddie King.

I think you need a classic piece with big dynamic range—why not a big symphonic piece like Rite of Spring (Stravinsky) or a Mahler symphony?

Female vocals—Streisand always sings a bit flat—so many classical female voices to choose from, like Leontyne Price, but if you like Jazz why not the best pure female Jazz voice of all time? Ella Fitzgerald—and for more idiosyncratic personality give me Nina Simone and Etta James (yeah I know—everyone and his brother likes Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughan). Falsetto? This is not a thing in female vocals—males use falsetto if they are singing counter-tenor…

Zeppelin—good taste I say. I usually choose Ramble on, When the levee breaks, or The Rain song. My fave two Ac/DC are Hell’s Bells and Back in Black.

Thank you for your list. I like it a lot.

Great! Thanks allot. Will try them all. I have used ECM recordings in the past. One is particularly good, and not only for testing: KHMER, Nils Petter Molvaer. From my experience, if the system sounds good playing that one , it will sound great with anything else.

Woman In Chains - Tears For Fears
Take Five - Dave Brubeck Quartet
Burning Down The House - Talking Heads
Waitin' - Zenit
Death Row - Chris Stapleton

Is that where you listen? What an echo chamber

Thanks for sharing some good audio. Ives always tried to get into miles Davis kind of blue. Audiophiles always recommend this one. I have two systems and one was just exposed. My anthem mrx1140 downstairs with 7.2.4 klipsch and svs subs is great for movies….but…. My anthem str pre/pro Revel Salon 2 , two channel system just exposed how bad my klipsch are. Or, how good revel are. If you’re an audiophile save your money and get quality gear. Music has never sounded so good

I’ve read many of the comments. And because so many participated and shared some of there references. I do appreciate your list and the descriptions to why you chose each track. Technically you gave specifics what to listen for. And because I have a home theatre and a two channel system I could really appreciate your picks. Thanks ❤
Christina Aguilera and Mariah Carey are great female references. Stripped is one of my all time favorite albums. They didn’t make it big just cuz they were hot

Cut the midgerange Drop the bass

Jorge Galemire - Tus Abrazos
Keith Jarret - Köln concert
Saya Gray - Empathy 4 Bethany
Muddy Waters - Good morning little school girl ('Folk Singer' album)
Yellow Days - A little while

"Jazz at the Pawnshop"

Thanks Tarun, tried the Miles Davis tack, great sound, thanks again, keep up the good work. 👍

For soundstage my go to is: "Your wish is my wish" by Sarah Slean.

So weird! I see you’re sitting in front of a mic, but the resulting sound still seems like one from the mobile phone that’s capturing the picture. There’s simply too much “room sound” so perhaps that mic is there as a prop? 🤔

Anyway, my apologies if that’s not the case but that’s what it sounds like. Other than that, thanks for the recommendations!

OT. Your listening room has terrible acoustics.
So bad it makes any comparison of equipment meaningless…

Please fix the sound on this video..!

Great list👍

Waiting for holo audio cyan 2 review🤝naim supernait 3 would be great aswell👌👍

For an audiophile your sound is shite

wow, what a diff in sound from this mic and room - compared with Ur newer videos

I've given up on this for the simple reason that ten years ago I was buying albums I'd heard often for the sound quality. All of a sudden you realise most of the the Audiophile quality stuff you hear is pretty poor content wise and you just listen to everything.
At least that way the equipment doesn't get in the way of the music and an album that is well recorded is the icing on the cake.
After all the music is what it's all about isn't it?

There is a typo in the description. It's Flamenco Sketches and not Flamence Sketches

Don't like this type of music...

geez, no room treatment?

Great effect to get the viewers attention. Well done! I suggest adding, The Missing Piece - Peder Af Ugglas - Blue Departure. A great track for soundstage. Listen and place the different instruments in space.
2. Baba O’Riley - The Who. Listen as each instrument comes in and is added to the mix. Hard rock at its best.
3. Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley. From the 1st breath and sigh to the end it’s the best test of the male voice. Unreal.
4. Telegraph Road - Dire Straits. You can choose almost any Straits or Mark Knopfler track but this is a workout.
5. This is the Picture (excellent birds) - Peter Gabriel. Dynamics, bass, drums, male and female vocals all in one.

I like to listen to Lana del Rey on my system🤗