By CORNBREAD (66.185.84.74) on Monday, March 15, 2004 - 07:43 am:

I like to use the Platters 45 "One in a million" to reveal the low bass handling of a system. Try Fats Domino's "Walking to New Orleans" 45, it has some wicked upright bass lines.
Sometimes I use James and Bobby Purify 45 "I'm your puppet". It has a strong bass line in the intro. I find 45's have balls compared to the same cut from an album.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Monday, March 15, 2004 - 02:07 pm:

Cornbread:
That's mainly because 45s in the 1950s & 60s were mixed to sound very loud and punchy through the transistor radios many folks had back in the day.

To test a sound system I use mostly CDs that have been remastered within the past seven years mainly because remastering had become more advanced and sophisticated after 1995 (20-Bit mastering, etc). These discs could be any of the remastered Motown collections/albums (any Marvin Gaye remastered disc from his 1970s period would do) or the wonderful series of reissued jazz on Impulse!, Verve & Blue Note Records.

As far as vinyl, I use the following -
She's A Lady - Tom Jones (don't laugh - this is a 1972 stereo 45 that was pressed & mastered by Decca Deutschland and the sound is full and punchy).

Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye (for some reason the mix on the 45 really sounds great)

Who's Lovin' You - Jackson 5 (this mix is different from the album version - on the 45 Michael's lead vocal & rhythm section is heard on the first verse, the album has strings and background vocals; the record was well mixed and done)

We're A Winner - Impressions (another well done mono mix cut at Chicago's Universal Recording)

A Day In The Life - Wes Montgomery (A&M Records reissued this album as part of their half-speed mastering series. The sound is full and rich.)

That's what I mainly use...
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By Livonia Ken (136.2.1.101) on Monday, March 15, 2004 - 02:34 pm:

Without a specific title, any well-recorded acoustic vocal jazz. Something with human voice, natural sounding instruments, and a drum kit with cymbals.

Regards,
Ken

By douglasm (68.118.223.130) on Monday, March 15, 2004 - 02:55 pm:

Only if you promise not to laugh....

Absolutely the first thing i grab when i've moved speakers, or installed a set in the kitchen (yes, Dora, i'll do it next week) is Spanky and Our Gang's "Leopard Skin Phones" Don't know why, but if it sounds ok with that song, it's OK.

So i'm wierd.....

By Livonia Ken (136.2.1.101) on Monday, March 15, 2004 - 03:35 pm:

LOL

Douglasm,
I want to gon on record as admiring your courage in answering the question so candidly.

Regards,
Ken

By bigdaddyg2k4 (206.157.27.242) on Monday, March 15, 2004 - 06:06 pm:

Since I have a less-than-deirable sound system, I play my 45s and LPs in a setting that is limited to its limitations, meaning I got an old-skool system and waiting for my dream home theater system it the future! But when I do get a better turntable, there are some vinyl that are specifically made to test the limits of your system and tweak the necessary components so your speakers are well aligned, the azimuth is in check, the tonearm weight is distributed, etc. That's what I want to get my hands on.

By Uptight (69.161.238.200) on Monday, March 15, 2004 - 09:22 pm:

My brother and I used to use Earth Wind & Fire's late '70s albums "I Am" and "All 'n' All." He thought they were just the absolute best mixed and mastered recordings of their type at the time.

By Juicefree20 (68.161.24.249) on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 01:29 pm:

I use El Coco's Let's Get It Together. The horns are rich & full, the bass punchy, but not obtrusive & that leslie. For me, this is just a great song to set up my system with.

By Wonder B (81.51.159.150) on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 07:07 pm:

There is only one way to get the best of the sytem you want to test... play some direct to disc vinyl... the dynamics are the most extraordinary you can ever hear...
Try Thelma Houston I've Got The Music In Me LP on Sheffield Lab (the original Direct to disc not the repressing using an analog tape)
Or better for the bottom part of it :
Paul Jackson Black Octopus on Toshiba... the Headhunters at their best (here again don't use the CD version that came out a couple of years ago, no CD can match a direct to disc)
Finally for the high frequencys, try Tower of Power Live LP on SHeffield Lab...

Those direct to disc LP's are not always easy to find (I am talking about the REAL DTD of course) but once you'll hear one I am sure you'll agree with me about their quality... it seems you're in the middle of the band playing in the studio...

Wonder B

By CORNBREAD (66.185.84.74) on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 07:21 pm:

Hey Wonder B: I bought some of those Direct to Disc records when they came out in the 70.s. I recall the first ones by Lincoln Mayorga from Sheffield Labs.Eventually I lost interest because they were so boring.

By Richard Felstead (195.92.168.177) on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 07:35 pm:

On Vinyl, either :

Heart's Desire - Don Blackman ( 1981 )

Just A Touch Of Love - Slave ( 1979 )

The bass on both these two cuts are real and not from a keyboard. They are extraordinarily deep and will highlight any flaws in a club / home sound system imediately.

The treble on both is also recorded nice and crisp, but not overly harsh.

If your system can handle either of those two at pretty loud volumes, then the neighbours should start to contemplate the possibility of moving !!!. :-)))

By CORNREAD (66.185.84.74) on Sunday, March 21, 2004 - 09:44 am:

I remember when some writers for audiophile magazines recommended "Band of Gold" Freda Payne and "Tighten up" Archie Bell & Drells for system evaluation purposes paying particular attention to the guitar lines.

By Juicefree20 (141.149.37.7) on Sunday, March 21, 2004 - 07:22 pm:

Richard, I agree with your choice of Slave. Their cuts were very crisp & clear. The bass was full, prominent & never muddy. Excellent engineering for my money, it doesn't hurt that they were my favorite group from 80-84!!

By Wonder B (81.50.171.22) on Monday, March 22, 2004 - 12:11 am:

Cornbread I have to agree with you most of them are boring, but the ones I mention hit hard!!!
And I have a couple of others which are very good too...

Wonder B

By Soulaholic (68.41.40.105) on Monday, March 22, 2004 - 01:09 am:

1812 overture!!!!!!!

By zebop (172.128.118.99) on Monday, March 22, 2004 - 03:06 am:

Al Green-I'm Still In Love With You (original LP). Just to see what channels the horns are on and the strings.

The Temptations Greatest Hits Vol 2.-first pressing, still one of the best sounding vinyl LP's I have.