Good Music for testing Audio Equipment

[APP]

If you listen to Soundcloud (you should), then I recommend this track. All of his tracks sound great though.

https://soundcloud.com/daniel-nix-double-bass%2Fj-s-bach-suite-no-6-in-d
Sounds like it was recorded with only two mics and with minimal processing. The cello is to the left, in a large space, easily visualized in three dimensions, and there are countless colors and tones.

I love this recording.

Very nice! And it sounds like a bass, not a bass trying to sound like a Cello. And I think you are right, it must be a one point stereo recording.

 

[APP]

Here is another version, but I think I prefer the sound of the Nix recording;

 

[APP]

Check this!
New one mic recording with Carmen Gomes from Sound Liaison....absolutely amazing...superb sound stage.
This really sounds as if the band is standing in my living room. And the music is gorgeous.

https://www.soundliaison.com/

So I'm sitting here listening to Bach on the bass and realizing that on the introduction to "Summertime" on the Carmen Gomes album, the bassist is quoting Bach as well, from the 2nd Suite, or am I mistaken?
Anyway, one point stereo, when done well like the above recordings, is a very welcome addition to high end audio.

 

[Loheswaran]

Laugh all you will but the track 'Star Guitar' by Chemical brothers? Why - well recorded dance music gives us a real chance to check out the bass in a system - to sound its best it needs to be fast and deep.
In terms of impressing people not into Hi-fi it's quite good fun too.

Also I find old Elvis recordings are good as they sound like he was recorded standing on a stage with a band - which was often the case with old recordings that are just not over-processed.

 

[APP]

I see your point, although the contrast between my new reference for speaker placement, Sound liaison's new one point stereo recording and the chemical Brothers could hardly be bigger. Two extremes.

Sound Liaison

chemicalbrothers

 

[Loheswaran]

I see your point, although the contrast between my new reference for speaker placement, Sound liaison's new one point stereo recording and the chemical Brothers could hardly be bigger. Two extremes.

Sound Liaison

chemicalbrothers

Nice to see the contrast in views and tastes. It shows that a system ought not favour one type of music over another - we need it to cover a broad spectrum

 

[Kefas]

Nice to see the contrast in views and tastes. It shows that a system ought not favour one type of music over another - we need it to cover a broad spectrum

I see your point, although the contrast between my new reference for speaker placement, Sound liaison's new one point stereo recording and the chemical Brothers could hardly be bigger. Two extremes.

Sound Liaison

chemicalbrothers

Carmen's one point stereo is completely phase coherent, so perfect for finding the sweet spot between your speakers.
the Chemical Brothers is indeed in a completely different category, with a funny phasing going on but OK; horses for courses.
BTW. The is on special offer. $5 off this week. https://www.soundliaison.com/

 

[KenL]

So I'm sitting here listening to Bach on the bass and realizing that on the introduction to "Summertime" on the Carmen Gomes album, the bassist is quoting Bach as well, from the 2nd Suite, or am I mistaken?
Anyway, one point stereo, when done well like the above recordings, is a very welcome addition to high end audio.[/QUOTE

So I'm sitting here listening to Bach on the bass and realizing that on the introduction to "Summertime" on the Carmen Gomes album, the bassist is quoting Bach as well, from the 2nd Suite, or am I mistaken?
Anyway, one point stereo, when done well like the above recordings, is a very welcome addition to high end audio.

I just downloaded this album and it sounds great, but Carmen’s voice seems just a bit skewed to the right instead of dead-centered between my speakers. I haven’t noticed this on any of my other music. Should she be perfectly ce

So I'm sitting here listening to Bach on the bass and realizing that on the introduction to "Summertime" on the Carmen Gomes album, the bassist is quoting Bach as well, from the 2nd Suite, or am I mistaken?
Anyway, one point stereo, when done well like the above recordings, is a very welcome addition to high end audio.

I just downloaded this album and it sounds great, but Carmen’s voice seems just a bit skewed to the right instead of dead-centered between my speakers. I haven’t noticed this on any of my other music. Should she be perfectly centered?

 

[APP]

I guess if she moves a bit it'll change the position. But here it sounds pretty much center. But at the end of "How Long" she moves a bit to the left.
it"s different than on her multi mic recordings, there she is dead center. But that is also what makes the one mic so special, the liveliness.
Multi mic

vs one mic

 

[Migo]

That one mic recording is amazing.
I don't think one should compare it with ''traditional recordings'' it is very different but I can't imagine a better recording for speaker positioning.

I guess if she moves a bit it'll change the position. But here it sounds pretty much center. But at the end of "How Long" she moves a bit to the left.
it"s different than on her multi mic recordings, there she is dead center. But that is also what makes the one mic so special, the liveliness.
Multi mic

vs one mic

 

[Migo]

BTW Carmen has the CD version on sale on her https://Carmengomes.bandcamp.com site for €10

And the 44.1 download for €8.

 

[Migo]

Carmen's one point stereo is completely phase coherent, so perfect for finding the sweet spot between your speakers.
the Chemical Brothers is indeed in a completely different category, with a funny phasing going on but OK; horses for courses.
BTW. The is on special offer. $5 off this week. https://www.soundliaison.com/

Yes but the Chemical Brothers album has a complete different purpose.
It's about using the modern recording studio to it's limits while Carmen Gomes is about the cleanest possible signal pas.

 

[Kefas]

Seems they have another one coming, it's not on the site but on their youtube channel.

 

[Migo]

It is available on their site now. Spectacular live recording. That one microphone way of recording is truly amazing. Sound stage is maybe even better than the Carmen Gomes recording.

https://www.soundliaison.com/

 

[Kefas]

It is available on their site now. Spectacular live recording. That one microphone way of recording is truly amazing. Sound stage is maybe even better than the Carmen Gomes recording.

https://www.soundliaison.com/

Yes and because it's live, you really feel and hear the audience.
And the liner notes mentions phase coherency;

On this recording the audience is rather more present than on our other live recordings from Studio 2. We prefer not to have more than 80 people present in the studio.
That number leaves us room to move around, change a cable or a microphone if needed, reposition the musicians if needed and so forth.
But as fate would have it, the computer system keeping count of the tickets sold for the concert, had some kind of a breakdown so instead of 80 tickets, 110 were sold.
Extra seats were brought in, so the audience ended up being very close to the band, creating a very lively atmosphere.
And as Frans noticed during the extended applause following the end of the concert; "Look at the phase meter, it's practically straight in the middle, a phase coherent applaus!".

 

[bpape]

Chris Jones - Roadhouses and Automobiles

Greg Brown - Honey in the Lion's Head

Flim and the BB's - Tricycle

Dire Straits - Love over Gold

Tons of others but never forget - whatever you like to listen to. If it won't make you happy doing that it doesn't matter.

 

[APP]

Chris Jones - Roadhouses and Automobiles

Greg Brown - Honey in the Lion's Head

Flim and the BB's - Tricycle

Dire Straits - Love over Gold

Tons of others but never forget - whatever you like to listen to. If it won't make you happy doing that it doesn't matter.

Very good list!

 

[APP]

Somehow with the all the talk about Sound Liaisons new " One Microphone recordings", we have kind of overlooked the Witmer Trio's superb 2nd album
It's not one mic but I think it a very fine sounding release. The soundstage is phenomenal, at least as much depth as on the one mic recordings.
there is one day left on the special offer on that album. I enjoy it tremendously;

The Witmer Trio" Free"

 

[Migo]

Very good list!

+2, good list bpape

 

[APP]

Yes and because it's live, you really feel and hear the audience.
And the liner notes mentions phase coherency;

It is available on their site now. Spectacular live recording. That one microphone way of recording is truly amazing. Sound stage is maybe even better than the Carmen Gomes recording.

https://www.soundliaison.com/

I don't know if it is better but the audience presence sure makes it very vibrant, and the repertoire is more lively.
The Carmen Gomes album is more of a mood album, while the Feenbrothers is one big jazz celebration. Carmen for rainy days and lazy mornings Feenbrothers for getting ready to hit the town.