Best Bass Demo Albums or Tracks

oldmustang

Well-Known Member
Dec 1, 2012
1,057
3,124
1,445
if you want one song to dial in your deep bsss I can tell you I’ve played it a 1000 times to dial in my bass

Welcome To My World by Depeche Mofe. The first minute of the song is all you need
You Tube video doesn’t do it justice


Thanks, Steve -- nice track! I can hear how this would be very helpful.

Not sure my wife would tolerate me playing it 1000 times, but I've played it a couple of times already.

Steve Z
 

oldmustang

Well-Known Member
Dec 1, 2012
1,057
3,124
1,445
What HiFi put out a list of suggested bass tracks awhile ago. It's a good variety of stuff. The associated article also has nice quick descriptions of what to look for and why each track was selected.
https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/3ba9eb08-c518-40ec-8d9c-63589ae845e9

Thanks very much for the link. I've loaded their bass selections (and the additional selections under each main choice) into a playlist in Roon to explore, as well as doing the same for a couple of the other playlists.

Steve Z
 
  • Like
Reactions: displayname

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Thanks, Steve -- nice track! I can hear how this would be very helpful.

Not sure my wife would tolerate me playing it 1000 times, but I've played it a couple of times already.

Steve Z
The first minute tells very quickly how good your bass is. If it’s loose and tubby you’ll hear it in this song
 

audiobomber

Well-Known Member
Oct 13, 2020
243
226
115
Sudbury ON, Canada
I don't know if any of these have been mentioned, haven't read the whole thread:

Three Pieces For Blues Band And Symphony, William Russo composer, Siegel-Schwall Band playing, Seiji Ozawa conducting. The entire album side has huge symphonic bass lines, lots of kettle drum. The other side of this Deutsche Grammophon album is Symphonic Dances From West Side Story, which I played once and never want to hear again.

The Embrace, from the album Kiss My Axe by Al Di Meola. I'm not sure how they are doing the huge bass shots, maybe a big drum and synthesizer?

The above need to be played LOUD, through speakers with woofers that can grip the air and shake the room. Headphones won't do.

Unorthodox Behaviour, album by Brand X. Prominent fretless bass work. Great music by amazingly talented players. Who knew Phil Collins could play drums like this?

Sunday At The Village Vanguard, Bill Evans. These pieces were chosen to memorialize Scott LaFaro's bass playing.

Autumn Leaves, from the album Nightclub by Patricia Barber. Mostly a singer accompanied by an upright bass, very fine solo in the middle.

I Just Go, from the album Dig by Boz Scaggs. Deep synthesizer bass notes, and a beautiful guitar solo by Boz.

All of the above are extremely well recorded.
 
  • Like
Reactions: oldmustang

oldmustang

Well-Known Member
Dec 1, 2012
1,057
3,124
1,445
I don't know if any of these have been mentioned, haven't read the whole thread:

Three Pieces For Blues Band And Symphony, William Russo composer, Siegel-Schwall Band playing, Seiji Ozawa conducting. The entire album side has huge symphonic bass lines, lots of kettle drum. The other side of this Deutsche Grammophon album is Symphonic Dances From West Side Story, which I played once and never want to hear again.

The Embrace, from the album Kiss My Axe by Al Di Meola. I'm not sure how they are doing the huge bass shots, maybe a big drum and synthesizer?

The above need to be played LOUD, through speakers with woofers that can grip the air and shake the room. Headphones won't do.

Unorthodox Behaviour, album by Brand X. Prominent fretless bass work. Great music by amazingly talented players. Who knew Phil Collins could play drums like this?

Sunday At The Village Vanguard, Bill Evans. These pieces were chosen to memorialize Scott LaFaro's bass playing.

Autumn Leaves, from the album Nightclub by Patricia Barber. Mostly a singer accompanied by an upright bass, very fine solo in the middle.

I Just Go, from the album Dig by Boz Scaggs. Deep synthesizer bass notes, and a beautiful guitar solo by Boz.

All of the above are extremely well recorded.

Agree! I've been familiar with the Ozawa/Siegel-Schwall, Brand X, Bill Evans/LaFaro/Motian, and Patty Barber albums for more than a couple of years. The Boz Scaggs and Di Meola tracks are not ones I can recall listening to, but I'll put that right this evening. Thanks for sharing these.

Steve Z
 

oldmustang

Well-Known Member
Dec 1, 2012
1,057
3,124
1,445
86AC9751-0440-4677-9EC4-52B29B02D61A.png
 

Kal Rubinson

Well-Known Member
May 4, 2010
2,360
697
1,700
NYC
www.stereophile.com
This is not real music but the sound/recording is excellent for test/demo use.
https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/books/drums-bells-loudspeaker-evaluation-cd/
 

marty

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2010
3,025
4,171
2,520
United States
This direct to disc recording is a fabulous bass reference. The music is delightful. Joscho Stephan is a hella great guitar player.


I was just cruisin' on this rainy, dreary misty but beautiful fall day watching the yellow and orange leaves fall and once again, this Joscho Stephan track stopped me in my tracks. One thing led to another and I am all smiles. (Sorry to derail but this is not about bass, but wow...)



 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: RussR and carolus

VerdantAudio

VIP/Donor
Jul 2, 2020
51
60
350
46
I don't know if it was mentioned somewhere else but Duran Duran's A View To a Kill has a very difficult bass track to reproduce. The delay/echo John Taylor used in certain portions is an interesting effect that I find gets muddy very easily.

1602871828376.jpeg
 

oldmustang

Well-Known Member
Dec 1, 2012
1,057
3,124
1,445

Kal Rubinson

Well-Known Member
May 4, 2010
2,360
697
1,700
NYC
www.stereophile.com
A friend recommended this to me a couple of years ago (maybe he found it from one of your columns, Kal) and while it's not something I'd listen to often, it is indeed a very well-recorded set of tracks that make a a great demo or test disc.
Steve Z
That's just the tip of the iceberg. He has sent me many additional files which have not (yet) been released commercially. It's really great but, OTOH, there's only so much of it one can take.
 

oldmustang

Well-Known Member
Dec 1, 2012
1,057
3,124
1,445
Very cool, Kal.

Another sound artist I can recommend for superbly recorded and sounding tracks is Harry Bertoia, the noted sculptor who began exploring the sound of his sculptures in the 1950s, recording them in his Pennsylvania barn on 1/4" tape via four microphones suspended overhead. He called the sounds Sonambient and released his first LP by the same name in 1970. There are currently individual discs and a box set collection, also titled Sonambient, Complete Collection on the Impec label, which brings together the remaining recordings of Bertoia's archives.

maxresdefault-1.jpg

https://boomkat.com/products/sonambient-recordings-of-harry-bertoia

Sonambient.jpg

The sonic effects of Bertoia's sculptures, particularly the large hanging gongs is mesmerizing --- and a good test not only for bass performance but for one's entire system, particularly the digital front end.

Steve Z
 

Kal Rubinson

Well-Known Member
May 4, 2010
2,360
697
1,700
NYC
www.stereophile.com
Very cool, Kal.

Another sound artist I can recommend for superbly recorded and sounding tracks is Harry Bertoia, the noted sculptor who began exploring the sound of his sculptures in the 1950s, recording them in his Pennsylvania barn on 1/4" tape via four microphones suspended overhead. He called the sounds Sonambient and released his first LP by the same name in 1970. There are currently individual discs and a box set collection, also titled Sonambient, Complete Collection on the Impec label, which brings together the remaining recordings of Bertoia's archives.
Interesting. This reminds me of one of the recordings that seduced me into multichannel:

https://www.forcedexposure.com/Catalog/va-immersion-dvd/ST.2010.html
https://www.starkland.com/reviews/S2010-Stereophile.pdf
 

APP

Well-Known Member
Oct 1, 2014
455
108
273
Lowest Bass ever recorded? It's really low, 27.5 khz!
And what an album! Just finished first listen through. It's supremely enjoyable.
CD is for sale via https://carmengomes.bandcamp.com/album/up-jumped-the-devil-discovering-the-music-of-robert-johnson-part-1

By framing each of Robert Johson’s songs with small instrumental miniatures
Carmen Gomes Inc. have created an album that sounds like an imaginary road movie.
Listening one perceives Robert walking late at night, en route in the Mississippi Delta, reflecting back on his life.
The low A, 27.5 khz, from the bowed down tuned double bass representing the Mississippi night, the drums creating the sounds surrounding the night and the guitar being Robert’s mind.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Kefas

Joe Whip

Well-Known Member
Feb 8, 2014
1,734
557
405
Wayne, PA
The new Carmen Gomes, Inc. recording noted above is scheduled for release by Sound Liaison on November 13th in DXD, various other PCM resolutions and DSD. I hope to have the 24/192 version today and will chime in once I listen.
 

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu

Steve Williams
Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator
Ron Resnick
Site Co-Owner | Administrator
Julian (The Fixer)
Website Build | Marketing Managersing