What's your top reference track - & Why?

Supertramp: Brother Where You Bound - Cannonballimage

1 Like

The Blue Nile :A Walk Across The Rooftops - Tinsel Town In The Rain

11 Likes

Might have been a better idea to actually name the track in question, rather than keep folks on the dark!

It’s “Am I Wrong?” from the aforementioned album.

Sorry! :roll_eyes:

2 Likes

Three O’Clock Blues by Clapton and BB King. Nice tonality, great music. The soundstage can get a bit stuck to the 2 speakers as the swtich across…

This track has a great variety of sounds and a great soundstage for testing any changes to my system

Used to be Black Cow, now I’ve over-played it.
Amused to Death is really good.
Whole Lotta Love (I have a decent early LZ2), Zappa’s apostrophe, Fragile…Songs from the Wood
Miles…maybe Jack Johnson, cause I don’t want to get Kind of Blue overplayed…or Kilimanjaro

1 Like

Yes, lovely tracks - there is a tension between not wanting to waste your enjoyment of the really great music on AB SQ listening tests - which are in the end focussed on technical reproduction issues rather than relasing yourself in immersion in the music - but also you need to enjoy the tracks otherwise you are less likely to engage with the test.

Not listened to this in an age. Recall it being a demo track at the Old Sound Organisation at Borough Market with Roger and Hamish … those good old days

3 Likes

Fond memories of walking over London Bridge from the City with a stack of LPs must have been the 80’s to use their Keith Monks cleaning machine at 50p a record which included a new dust sleeve. Those old days indeed…

2 Likes

Captain Fantastic, the title track. Good for assessing if it feels like the band are playing together and off each other (although I’ve no idea if they actually recorded it live).

Stu

2 Likes

I loved that album when it first came out.
Must give it a spin/click again…

Dire Straits, Your Latest Trick.
Bruce Hornsby and the Range , I will walk with you.

1 Like

Any of the versions of “Slug Bait” or “Maggot Death” on this album :sunglasses:

1 Like

My first pressing copy of Blue Monday by New Order on 12" vinyl. Pounding metronome-like drum machines, powerful synths, thumping bass and cymbals crashing, all beautifully separated and controlled. This record shows just how good vinyl can sound. And not only that, it is a damned good song.

5 Likes

This is one of my favorite LP’s. My favorite demo cut is “”Skin Game”. It is a riot of guitar, percussion, polyrhythm, and vocals. The band includes John Hiatt, Jim Keltner, Ry Cooder, Flacco Jimenez on certain cuts, and others. The whole thing is great but “Skin Game” stands out.

1 Like

One point stereo recording, done with one microphone. Unbelievable sound stage, depth, placement… I find it one of the best sounding recordings available today.

https://www.soundliaison.com/index.php/408-carmen-gomes-inc-dont-you-cry

  1. Nils Lofgren - Keith Don’t Go
  2. G3 - Summer Song
  3. Darude - Sandstorm

My top 3 references.

1 Like

For bass and vocals, great track to show off the system with

Uncle lucius, keep the wolves away.

5 Likes

Eliades Ochoa and Ry Cooder playing La comparsa (Ochoas Sublime ilusion album).rare guitar performance and great sound.

1 Like

On vinyl Flamenco Sketches by Miles.

On CD - Done With Bonaparte by Mike Knopfler.