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Songs for showing off headphone amp

post #1 of 9
6/3/10 at 6:46am
Thread Starter 

Seeing as how the search function doesn't seem to be working right now, I thought I would start a new thread.  I just got my first headphone amp (D4 Mamba - thanks, kobeclix!) and I've been trying to find songs that really highlight the differences.  My phones are Grado SR80, Denon D1000, Koss KSC35. 

 

My music collection consists mostly of rock from the 80s and 90s which I am really enjoying, but now I'm wondering if I'm actually hearing better quality or tricking myself into hearing it, if you know what I mean (I probably need to train my ears, never done any critical listening before).  Any suggestions for songs or albums where the difference pops out like night and day to you?

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post #2 of 9
6/3/10 at 5:26pm

listen to peter gabriel's "sledge hammer" with the grados.

take note of the roving, super-low bass (courtesy of the master, tony levin). 

with the d4, it should be rendered with a bit more control, and should be a little more prominent.

 

(from experience  )

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post #3 of 9
6/5/10 at 8:01am

I would say to make sure that your files are in 320 or lossless first. The better the source file, the better your music CAN sound. Having great gear isn't going to mean anything if your source files aren't up to par. And do you only want 80s/90s rock?

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post #4 of 9
6/5/10 at 3:04pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheWuss View Post

listen to peter gabriel's "sledge hammer" with the grados.

take note of the roving, super-low bass (courtesy of the master, tony levin). 

with the d4, it should be rendered with a bit more control, and should be a little more prominent.

 

(from experience  )

 


Thanks for the suggestion!  I never noticed that bass line before (I guess back in the day I was paying more attention to the trippy music video).  That was a pretty fun listen and I hope to run into a lot of those "discoveries."

 


Quote:
Originally Posted by Young Spade View Post

I would say to make sure that your files are in 320 or lossless first. The better the source file, the better your music CAN sound. Having great gear isn't going to mean anything if your source files aren't up to par. And do you only want 80s/90s rock?


My music is all in ALAC, but some of the suggestions are going to have to be stream off youtube since my CD collection is not as expansive as I would like.  I'll take suggestions from any era/genre.  I have that "kid with a new toy" feeling and I want to play with the amp a bit before treating it as serious listening equipment. 


Edited by cheapskate - 6/5/10 at 3:24pm
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post #5 of 9
6/6/10 at 8:57am

You want to play with it before treating it like a serious piece of listening equipment? I don't get it. Well you do have the burn in time for your amp so you could just get a really good song, listen to it a couple of times, put it away in a drawer and burn it in then come back and listen to that same song to see how it changed..... 

 

But you want good songs to show off.... what the amp increases in terms of SQ? Wouldn't it be best to use songs you are already accustomed to so you actually know how it changed from getting the amp? Whenever I get any new piece of equipment such as headphones, cables, amps, or a DAP, I always listen to one of my favorite songs so I can see what's "different" based on my equipment. 

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post #6 of 9
6/7/10 at 5:44pm
Thread Starter 

While I appreciate your guidance (I am quite a newbie), I just wanted to hear some examples like TheWuss gave above.  I guess specifically I would like to see what the amp does for bass punch and clarity or in cleaning up dynamics and instrument separation (which I guess is not very specific ).

 

To make this simpler, with what songs in your own experience were you "wowed" by the difference between amped and unamped?

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post #7 of 9
6/7/10 at 7:19pm

Ah, my apologies then :) 
But yea I can give you some if you don't mind them not being Rock music :)

 

Vivaldi: 4 Seasons

Sherlock Holmes OST: Psychological Recovery: 6 months

Alice in wonderland OST

Robin Hood OST

 

Just to name a few :)


Edited by Young Spade - 6/7/10 at 7:23pm
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post #8 of 9
6/9/10 at 11:52am

Check out the album Songs Around The World by Playing for Change, specifically their cover of Bob Marley's "War/No More Trouble". 


Great musical project using performers from around the world contributing various parts of each track, and the recordings themselves are top-notch. Very clean and detailed.


Edited by DieselDan - 6/9/10 at 12:17pm
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post #9 of 9
6/10/10 at 7:51am

Jack Johnson - All At Once; It comes on distorted and in one ear, gets people thinking they know what they're listening to, then as soon as the voice comes it it kinda makes you jump.

 

Muse - Blackout; just has a classical feel to it, but hits a good range of sound types

 

Sia - I Go to Sleep

 

That's just a couple off the top of my head that seem to wow people when I show off my gear. You could also go for most any tool song, or maybe something like NIN's Where Is Everybody if you want to give it some punch and definition.

 

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