Suggestions for auditioning material (2 Viewers)

[Nick B]

Hello all. This is my first post, but I have been lurking for a couple of weeks. I am trying to acquire my first HT set-up. First, I want to say how thankful I am for stumbling onto your forum. I have learned a tremendous amount just reading the various discussions.

My specific question deals with suggestions you all might have regarding good auditioning CDs and DVDs. I am about to audition three brands of speakers: Infinity, Polk and Klipsch. What are your ideas of material that can put speakers through some paces? You replies are greatly appreciated.

Nick

 

[Jin E]

I suggest using material YOU are familiar with, with a broad selection of the type of music you are looking to listen too. Why audition speakers with a list of great classical music when you listen to Jazz or Rock? Personally I use a CD I burned from various CD's I have to which contain variety songs from:

Diana Krall
Enya
Presidents of the USA
Dr. Dre & Eminem
Alison Krauss & Union Station
Santana
etc.

Ususally each song has something in particular I'm looking for. Bass, vocals, etc. A more specific example of the Presidents of the USA song Mach5. For me this song will really bring forward a bright speaker and causes me a lot of ear fatigue.

 

[John S]

On the HT side, I find Jurassic Park one of the best for surround sound auditions. If the dinosaurs don't literally scare you, the system is not sufficient. lol

On music, I'd really say, just a couple of titles you are very familure with.

 

[Jason Padrick]

Well, I'll just pitch in my suggestions here:

Aaron Copland: Fanfare for the Common Man (dynamic range up the kazoo)
Bach's Toccata Con Fugue in D Minor (good organ stuff)
Peter Green: One Woman Love (bass track from heck)

 

[John Garcia]

I usually take something soft with a lot of detal and listen very closely. Then some busy, complex stuff just to see how it sounds, but ALWAYS something you are familiar with and enjoy.

I like to use:
Tori Amos - Under the Pink
Fiona Apple - Tidal
Patricia Barber - Cafe Blue
Dave Mathews Band - Crash

 

[Sean_P_O'Brien]

Copland recorded Fanfare on the kazoo? Sweeeet!

 

[Sean_P_O'Brien]

From my theatrical perspective I'm anxiously awaiting the opportunity to test out "The Rock" and "Gladiator" for both their action sequences and movie scores (both scores by Hans Zimmer - as well as "Pirates of the Carribean") and Jurassic Park (for the bad-ass T-rex and Raptors) and finally, the Indiana Jones trilogy. I've enjoyed their wide screen high def presentations on my Mitsubishi thus far, but have never had the speakers to go with them. That will soon change...

 

[John Garcia]

I never use action movies to audition, as they don't give you a good sense of what a speaker sounds like. The Rock's sound is not all that impressive, but Gladiator is one of my favorites for surround and impact.

I'm also growing very weary of Hanz Zimmer soundtracks...particularly in PotC. I thought I was watching Armageddon.

 

[Sean_P_O'Brien]

I think Zimmer's Rock and PoTC soundtracks are very similar - basically base pounding rythmic sequences with repetitive scores. I enjoy them nevertheless. His Gladiator score was leagues above the aforementioned movie scores. Filled with a wide array of both haunting melodies and the earth pounding rythms for which Zimmer is well known.

I agree that action movies don't necessarily make the best auditioning fodder. For me - I stick to the classics or a good early age Moody Blues soundtrack, particularly Knights in White Satin or Other Side of Life. My desire to crank The Rock comes from watching action movies far too long without any decent speakers. No offense to the good people at Mitsubishi, who produced one helluva wide screen projection tv for me (with decent internal speakers I might add), but when a 5.1 meshes together into its analog presentation, it drives me nuts.

Hoping to rectify that shortly if Santa can squeeze a 5.1 down my chimney.

 

[Jesse Sharrow]

I bring alot of ...................... Techno. Techno has alot of frequency changes and some great vocals that can really show off a speaker. But the major reason I use that is because thats proably 70% of what I listen to. I also use metallica's one, and I have a great couple of dealer demos I got from Monster Cable and Infinity that have some great tracks on them.

 

[John Garcia]

Actually, I listen to a lot of techno and drum & bass as well That is the last thing I throw at a speaker, and if it can handle the bass and and synth well, then I am happy. It may sound odd, but not too many speakers have impressed me with techno. I was very impressed with the speakers I ended up choosing, and one criteria is that they WOWed me with electronic music.

 

[Jin E]

For HT material I like to use the openeing sequence to Lost in Space.