1. Well recorded speech
2. Fast piano passages ( especially high notes , to see if they tumble over themselves )
3. Cymbals
4. Deep organ notes
to assess equipment ?
Or do you find they are unimportant to overall musicality ?
1. Well recorded speech
2. Fast piano passages ( especially high notes , to see if they tumble over themselves )
3. Cymbals
4. Deep organ notes
to assess equipment ?
Or do you find they are unimportant to overall musicality ?
Hans
MBL 1531 -> Allnic L-4000 -> Audiolab 8000S used as power amp only -> Quad 2805. Cables: Transparent Ultra
Posts: 191
I listen to my favourite tracks to assess equipment. I know the tracks well and I know what to expect from each one.
Ben Duncan mains conditioner
2022 MacBook Pro 14" M1 Pro 10/16/16/16
Samsung QE75Q90T 75" QLED TV
XMOS DSD Async USB to Coax converter
RME Audio ADI-2 FS (AK4493) DAC
Chord Clearway XLR interconnects
Audioquest Crimson USB interconnect
QED Quartz Reference optical interconnect
Edifier S3000 Pro active speakers
Atacama SE24 stands
Posts: 191
Well, so do I up to a point. I was thinking of when I was auditioning CD players for the first time; the thing that separated the good from the bad and the ugly to my ears was piano; the worse players made a piano sound like a 30 quid electronic keyboard from Argos; the good made a piano sound like, well, a piano. Reassuringly, or otherwise, the expensive ones sounded better than the cheap ones.
Location: Well below the Mason-Dixon line
Posts: 370
I listen to cymbals and bells, for impact, shimmer and decay without splash or hiss.
I listen for the crack of a rimshot on a snare.
I listen to human voices, strings and horns.
I listen to stand-up bass, bass guitar and the palpable thunk of a kick drum.
As long as the transducers are up to the task, I continue to be amazed at how well even pretty modest equipment does at all of the above. It seems to me that the big money is in micro dynamics and the resolution of VERY fine detail.
Tim