Most effective demo sound track ever

three 'very' effective demo tracks;

1-"Never Going Back Again", Fleetwood Mac, off the 1980 "LIVE" Lp---play it loud.
2- "St. Louis Blues", The Chris Barber Band, "Come Friday" Jeton direct-to-disc Lp.
3-"Rooster", Alice In Chains, "Unplugged", MQA 16/44 streaming file off Tidal or the CD---play it loud. requires exceptional imaging and bass extension to come alive. heard it sound tepid many times at shows. not heard the very scarce and expensive Lp version.
 
Nice track ..!

But getting deep low freq is the easy part , the hard part and missing in many SOTA setup is the ability of getting that same dynamic contrast and impact across the mids and highs .

So what we are seeing a lot lately , is the same small speaker tech of 1”dome with a mid surrounded by 16 woofers ..

Powerful on bass/low bass and small everywhere else , a good test track should plum the lows and belch out the mid/highs enuff for percussive realism ..

Just saying ..!
Yes… the Good old days…
HERE is a write up by Dali Loudspeaker company on said song. Shows you how popular it was back then…
Link

Bo Stief has played for Ben Webster…
 
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- Sonata No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 13 ('Grande Sonate Pathétique'): II. Adagio cantabile - Bruno-Leonardo Gelber
- Isn't She Lovely - Livingston Taylor
- The Cost of Freedom - Marla Glen
- Exatogi (feat. Yusef Lateef) [Live] - Ahmad Jamal
- Entrer Dans La Lumière - Patricia Kaas
- Overdose (D'Amore) - Zucchero
- UTA I - Making of Cyborg - Kenji Kawai
- Sting/Clapton - It's Probably Me
- Four Play - Chant
- Patricia Barber - Bye Bye Blackbird
- Sting - Fields Of Gold
- Four Play - Why Can't It Wait Till Morning
- Grover Washington Jr - Just The Two Of Us
- Suzanne Vega - Luka
- Bob James - Bisso Baba
- Francis Cabrel - La Corrida
- Yellow Jackets - Wildlife
- Chuck Loeb - Love is all there is
- Liane Foly - Les Petites Notes
- Veronique Sanson - Comme Je L'imagine
- Bernard Lavilier - Le Venin
- The Sheffield Lab Drum & Track Disc - Drum Improvisation
- Chick Correa - Return To Forever - Returns (2008) - Lineage - Lenny's Solo
- Hugh Masekela - Hope - Stimela (The Coal Train)
- Joe Zawinul - World Tour - Zansa II
- Sixun Live 2009 [Live In Marciac] - Futur
- Kari Bremnes - Reise - Sovngjengersken
- Marcus Miller - M2 - Cousin John
- Chris Jones - No Sanctuary
- I Will Remember
- Dire Straits - Six Blade Knife
- Loreena McKennit - Caravanserai
- Haddouk Trio - Live au Satellit Cafe - Barca Solaris
- Anette Askvik - Liberty
 
The realism conveyed by this recording is simply astonishing, especially when the drummer walks through your listening room. The resolution is the benchmark. I know of no other recording that can do this. The variety of instruments covers the entire frequency range.
 
The realism conveyed by this recording is simply astonishing, especially when the drummer walks through your listening room. The resolution is the benchmark. I know of no other recording that can do this. The variety of instruments covers the entire frequency range.
Very immersive and dynamic! That’s a demo song Indeed .

How about Pat Metheney group. More suave and etheral but quite challenging also.

I’ve been to a concert were I got a seat first row directly in front of him playing. That was in about those years, around 2003 I think. It was … I’m lost for Words… !!!
 
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Thanks, I just ordered an original mono of this recording.
I actually found the mono version on Qobuz:


It should be available on other streaming services as well. It was issued by CoolNote in 2000. This label is not among the most reputable, as far as I can tell. They don't have a website. They are not referenced as a label of Craft Recordings, who took over Contemporary Records's catalog. However, the song durations are different than either the mono or stereo LPs. On "Georgia on My Mind", for example, it's 20-30 sec longer and you can hear them talking before they start (one of the musicians even sings a phrase - maybe Webster?). So this would indicate that this is sourced from original tapes.

Nonetheless, it's nice to hear it in mono, and the balance of the different instruments is much better, in my opinion. The drums on some of the stereo tracks are way too loud. So I assume an original mono vinyl should be really good.
 
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Hugh Masekela has been mentioned a couple of times, with his song, "Stimela". This has been one of my demo/reference/top shelf items for a very long time....but not from LP or the CD release.

Burmester came out with a release and I don't know what they did but it sounds incredible. Well beyond the sonics of the RB version and I don't mean by just a little bit. It's a night and day difference. Long OOP, it is more than worth finding an original.

My apologies to the OP for not sticking to your 3 song request and being off topic. I will offer my 3 choices when I have a bit more time.

Tom
 
Hugh Masekela has been mentioned a couple of times, with his song, "Stimela". This has been one of my demo/reference/top shelf items for a very long time....but not from LP or the CD release.

Burmester came out with a release and I don't know what they did but it sounds incredible. Well beyond the sonics of the RB version and I don't mean by just a little bit. It's a night and day difference. Long OOP, it is more than worth finding an original.

My apologies to the OP for not sticking to your 3 song request and being off topic. I will offer my 3 choices when I have a bit more time.

Tom
Stimela, Burmester Sampler 3 Cd…

Burmester calls it

Burmester Vorführungs CD III. (1998)​


Rare these days. IF you bought Burmester gear. You could Get it as a gift.
Seen it for 50$ recently.

But about 10 years ago it could sell for 3-400 $
That one cd… yikes!
 
Stimela, Burmester Sampler 3 Cd…

Burmester calls it

Burmester Vorführungs CD III. (1998)​


Rare these days. IF you bought Burmester gear. You could Get it as a gift.
Seen it for 50$ recently.

But about 10 years ago it could sell for 3-400 $
That one cd… yikes!
Yeah but I prefer the version on the "Hope" SACD of the same performance.
FWIW, I've also heard of a multichannel version which has not been released.
 
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Stimela, Burmester Sampler 3 Cd…

Burmester calls it

Burmester Vorführungs CD III. (1998)​


Rare these days. IF you bought Burmester gear. You could Get it as a gift.
Seen it for 50$ recently.

But about 10 years ago it could sell for 3-400 $
That one cd… yikes!
Burmester vorführungs cd1 and cd2 are also good.
 


I usually start a session with this--sort of settles them down before the assault on the senses :rolleyes: !

King Records Japan CD K33Y 198

Bruce D
 
One song that I always play is Dire Straits’ “The Man's Too Strong.” LOUD.

“Oh father please help me for I have done wrong
The man's too big, the man's too strong” - Mark Knopfler

At the end of that song, there is a crescendo of all of the instruments.
Almost every stereo system I have ever heard,
including those costing hundreds of thousands of dollars,
has trouble playing that crescendo.
They mash all the instruments together like a buzz of electronic potatoes.
Exceptions were Mike Chafee’s giant Genelec speakers
and Mike Brovaird’s MBL radiating cones.
 
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One song that I always play is Dire Straits’ “The Man's Too Strong.” LOUD.

“Oh father please help me for I have done wrong
The man's too big, the man's too strong” - Mark Knopfler

At the end of that song, there is a crescendo of all of the instruments.
Almost every stereo system I have ever heard,
including those costing hundreds of thousands of dollars,
has trouble playing that crescendo.
They mash all the instruments together like a buzz of electronic potatoes.
Exceptions were Mike Chafee’s giant Genelec speakers
and Mike Brovaird’s MBL radiating cones.
Ok. But then there is a company called Devialet.
You take a ATC SCM 50 PSL pair (or a atc 100 would be better - but no SAM file as of yet). You triamp it with Devialet Amp modules and run a SAM profile.
You add a 6pack of subs from say REL and that would Dwarf ANY Super expensive system ever
In a normal room.
I can imagine it would embarrass all the hyperprice setups. And it would also slay them at low volumes. But at 110db, there would be no contest.
Also, I’ve never seen such a setup. But that would seriously work. For loud crescendo…

Scaled down to the smallest possible iteration, still impressive as *you favourite power word, insert here*
A small system consisting of an internet line (An ipad for control..app usage) into a Devialet Expert 440 Dual pair -hooked to a set of ATC SCM 50 PSL set on stands would be say 27k new. Run a sam file. And you have 17hz - 22khz. ability to 110/112db . (sonically with a triode soul - It would be very hard to beat for less money. Very hard.
It would be what it is. Utter and extreme resolution and truth. Some might not like it... But it sure would be a set and go package..
So for someone that want to just play music and hear it all. Yep. you got 30 grand and just want sound, and play also loud... yup...
Room size dependant of course...

Link to Devialet 440 amp review. that also talks about the SAM usage..
 
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One song that I always play is Dire Straits’ “The Man's Too Strong.” LOUD.

“Oh father please help me for I have done wrong
The man's too big, the man's too strong” - Mark Knopfler

At the end of that song, there is a crescendo of all of the instruments.
Almost every stereo system I have ever heard,
including those costing hundreds of thousands of dollars,
has trouble playing that crescendo.
They mash all the instruments together like a buzz of electronic potatoes.
Exceptions were Mike Chafee’s giant Genelec speakers
and Mike Brovaird’s MBL radiating cones.

Not strong enuff to listen to that cut :)
 
Ok. But then there is a company called Devialet.
You take a ATC SCM 50 PSL pair (or a atc 100 would be better - but no SAM file as of yet). You triamp it with Devialet Amp modules and run a SAM profile.
You add a 6pack of subs from say REL and that would Dwarf ANY Super expensive system ever
In a normal room.
I can imagine it would embarrass all the hyperprice setups. And it would also slay them at low volumes. But at 110db, there would be no contest.
Also, I’ve never seen such a setup. But that would seriously work. For loud crescendo…

Scaled down to the smallest possible iteration, still impressive as *you favourite power word, insert here*
A small system consisting of an internet line (An ipad for control..app usage) into a Devialet Expert 440 Dual pair -hooked to a set of ATC SCM 50 PSL set on stands would be say 27k new. Run a sam file. And you have 17hz - 22khz. ability to 110/112db . (sonically with a triode soul - It would be very hard to beat for less money. Very hard.
It would be what it is. Utter and extreme resolution and truth. Some might not like it... But it sure would be a set and go package..
So for someone that want to just play music and hear it all. Yep. you got 30 grand and just want sound, and play also loud... yup...
Room size dependant of course...

Link to Devialet 440 amp review. that also talks about the SAM usage..

Interesting didn't know Devialet was still a thing , Heard them as mono blocs with SAM engaged some years ago ..

Sounded viable..!

BTW , 6 channels of Devialet , 6 subs , ATC speakers would make this setup , expensive ? mucho expensive or super expensive ..?

Interesting ..
 
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Interesting didn't know Devialet was still a thing , Heard them as mono blocs with SAM engaged some years ago ..

Sounded viable..!

BTW , 6 channels of Devialet , 6 subs , ATC speakers would make this setup , expensive ? mucho expensive or super expensive ..?

Interesting ..
This would be somewhat expensive, yes. I dont know how much, but it is not gonna be cheap..
It was just an idea that popped into my head.
I believe that the devialet system allows for up to quad amping, so 8 channels if one wants to do that.
There is a preamp output so one could power subs also. (Maybe 8 stack is possible) Should be possible to do this.
It would be a daunting technical set up process. So I assume this would not suit a novice.
The planning stage... There would need to be one, lets just say that.
The SAM system has more than 700 loudspeakers mapped out, and that was in 2017, so now... well
One does not have to use ATC, a lot to choose from. And subs would present needed knowhow of course to integrate properly.

On the devialet site there is an amp setup menu. Where you can configure a setup. I'm sure devialet(or dealer) can assist with this or tell you that it will not work, but you can go pretty wild before that becomes an issue, I think.
However, Devialet will not assist in installation (usually, but if you pay - I'm sure they can..), so if one wants a crazy setup, you need to be knowledgeable beyond a certain level, of course.
But there are experts that for a price most likely can map out anything you can afford to pay for.

Anyway. I think that this in the 'if you are not a nerd - this is gonna be painfull¨ category. (if it gets complicated...)
And if you asked 10 experts to build a setup, you could get 10 different results.
Possibilities are not endless, but numerous indeed.

You don't have to use Devialet. You could build "compounded" setups with a number of companies products.
(As an alternative to expensive High end loudspeakers, say one pair - take your pick…)

But you could build a sam system for a little as 3-4 thousand, using used components. So lets say from 5 grand upwards.
How crazy you wanna go? How big is the budget... ?
 
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An exceptional CD where it is explained to you before each song what you should hear, if your system is well set of course.
It's worth testing to figure out where you are with your system.

cd.jpg
 
Very immersive and dynamic! That’s a demo song Indeed .

How about Pat Metheney group. More suave and etheral but quite challenging also.

I’ve been to a concert were I got a seat first row directly in front of him playing. That was in about those years, around 2003 I think. It was … I’m lost for Words… !!!
Nice sound.
One of best recordings ever done , one of my test songs
Angelo Branduari -IL Ladro Lp( 1990)
Especially for testing the voice and resolution of your audio chain, excellent for this. Recording 1++++++++

P.S
the resolution is at its limit, if the voice is annoying or sounds harsh, there is something wrong with your chain.
 
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The realism conveyed by this recording is simply astonishing, especially when the drummer walks through your listening room. The resolution is the benchmark. I know of no other recording that can do this. The variety of instruments covers the entire frequency range.
its available on vinyl, it was pressed in '83. Cheap as chips too, I snagged a M- copy for around €10
 
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