My CanJam @ RMAF Audition Tracks!
Greetings all! As CanJam @ RMAF is swiftly approaching, I wanted to introduce myself and share some test tracks that I’ve been listening to and playlisting in anticipation of the event.
I’ve been increasingly interested in audiophilia since I attended a SoCal meet with an ex-boyfriend several years ago. I have always loved music passionately and to be exposed to so much awesome gear and enthusiastic people in one place got me hooked!
I’ve been lurking for a long time, but decided to jump in with some of my playlist tracks as I find that many of the more commonly known tracks have become pretty stale (Hotel California anyone?). I wanted to share some alternatives to the same-old same-old that I’ll be using to test gear with in a couple weeks in Denver.
So without further ado, here’s some music I've been utilizing as test tracks!
Sub-Bass:
“When I Grow Up”
By Fever Ray
From
Fever Ray
For fans of moody electronica, Fever Ray’s 2009 eponymous debut album is full of sonic excursions. I’ve been using “When I Grow Up” as a test for sub-bass due to the ever-present deep bass beats present throughout the track, as well as the bass drop at 1:28. In particular, the initial synth bass sequence sounds dull and subdued on lower-end gear, whereas a good rig brings impact and power to this track’s sub-bass elements.
Bass:
“Wake Me When I’m Dead”
By The Brand New Heavies
From
Heavy Rhyme Experience, Vol. 1
Just like its title states, this album is truly a heavy foray into jazz, funk and rap fusion. Aside from being a superb album to listen to with good mixing and mastering, “Wake Me When I’m Dead” is a great option for testing bass. It is a percussive and bass-centric track, and the bass guitar on this track should sound textured, with the fierce kick drum packing a punch. Neither of these occur in lesser headphone rigs.
Mids:
“You Are The Everything”
By R.E.M.
From
Green (Remastered)
The magic of this epic track is tied up in Stipe's vocals, the mandolin, and those back porch cricket sounds bringing to mind a starry night in Athens, GA. The song features a lilting mandolin and nuanced bass line that tends to sound diminished on a lower-end setup, falling beneath Michael Stipe’s vocals, which then lack richness. However, a listen on a better rig elevates and enhances instrument and vocal levels, and thus restoring the magic in its mids.
Highs:
“La cascate di Viridiana”
By Goblin
From
Il fantastico viaggio del "bagarozzo" Mark
My introduction to Goblin began with an obsession over Dario Argento’s classic
Giallo horror film Suspiria, one of several Argento films that was scored by Goblin. Combining elements of prog-rock and jazz, Goblin’s sound is weird yet fantastical, but always ambitious. On lesser gear, the highs in “La cascate di Viridiana” can lose coherency and roll off severely: synths, cymbals and chimes blend into a limpid soup lacking in definition. By contrast, better gear will reproduce these highs clearly with air to spare, conveying an ethereal realism that adds magic to the track.
Detail:
“Eminence Front”
By The Who
From
It’s Hard
The first time I heard “Eminence Front” on a good rig, I experienced that most sublime and most common of audiophile cliches -- I heard something that I had never heard before. With a detailed listening rig: (a) the synths should sound clear; (b) the lead guitar is electrifying; and (c) Townsend’s vocals are richer, more natural, and delivered with a visceral texture. By contrast, lower-end gear will make those elements sound veiled, blurry, and even smeared to a degree. If you’re not getting goosebumps listening to “Eminence Front” then your rig could probably use some improvement. Either that or you don’t like The Who, in which case I can’t help you.
Separation:
“Bye Bye Blackbird”
By Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, Paul Motian
From
At The Deer Head Inn
There are few recording challenges as difficult as capturing distinct elements than a live recording. And yet, on better gear, I can almost see Jarrett’s piano, Motian’s brushwork, and Peacock’s plucking clearly and distinctly. Even Jarrett’s seemingly haphazard scat rising above random audience contributions (drinks clinking, clapping and occasional chair scooting) seems to be an instrument all in and of itself. By contrast, these elements lack definition when played back on lesser gear.
Soundstage:
“I Believe In You (1997 Remastered Version)”
By Talk Talk
From
Spirit of Eden
Being one of my favorite albums, I’ve had the opportunity to hear this track on many different setups. On lesser gear that isn’t good at conveying space and air, the track tends to sound small and cramped, with musical elements that are pushed together. Listening with a good rig, however, the track opens like a blossoming flower. The myriad instrumental elements flourish, and the vocals come to life, enveloping the listener in a vibrant and magical soundstage that low-end gear can only hint at.
Imaging:
“My crap’s ****ed Up”
By Warren Zevon
From
Life’ll Kill Ya
Such a well-crafted song, “My crap’s ****ed Up” demanded excellent mastering. Kudos to famed mastering engineer Greg Calbi for the feat of capturing this intimate studio session for all posterity with tremendous naturalness. I get the sense the track was recorded in a small studio space, and yet I can still place Zevon and his players huddled around him, distinctly and easily. On lesser gear, the imaging tends to become fuzzier, and just a bit hazy. A good rig will truly reveal the story of the music with a strong sense of presence, turning a hauntingly beautiful song into something much more personal to the listener.
Overall:
“This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)”
By Talking Heads
From
Stop Making Sense: Special New Edition
Without the controlled environment of a studio recording session, concert recordings are notoriously finicky. Thankfully,
Stop Making Sense captures the essence of Talking Heads and a sweet moment in time. It is, in my opinion, one of the greatest concert recordings, having been recorded, mixed and mastered incredibly well. And with the the right setup, it shines. With “This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)” I feel as if I'm there witnessing this moment in musical history.
My Tidal playlist containing the tracks above can be accessed HERE.
And that’s wrap! Thanks for reading my first post, especially if you made it this far.
I’d love to hear what you’ve been listening to as well, so feel free to share your CanJam test track lists in the thread (unless of course they are
strictly Diana Krall).
I’ll be at CanJam @ RMAF in a couple weeks, and would be happy to discuss music/gear, and do some listening with my fellow Head-Fi’ers. See y’all soon!!
