Favorite reference material?

[drummer86]

Did some searching on this but I know tastes change as new things come out. Just wondering what everyone's go-to reference material is. Favorite music tracks? Favorite Blu-ray scenes? When you're checking out new gear what's the first thing you reach for?

[Rick88]

I have several reference recordings I use each time I evaluate new gear, but the one I go to first most of the time is Holly Cole's "Don't Smoke In Bed" CD...

Also, any of Diana Krall's SACD's are some of my favorites...

I have to leave for work right now, or I'd post some others... Perhaps tomorrow...

[thsmith]

Vinyl poco blue and grey.

Digital doc Powell doc Powell - studio master

[gdb]

Playboy magazine, mostly. JK :cheesygrin: Steely Dan stuff, mostly.

[gdb]

Had any good blue crabs yet ????

[gudnoyez]

Steely Dan stuff, mostly.[/QUOTE]
I Agree I like to bring AJA along for the demo and the song of choice is Black Cow

[gdb]

OOOOH OOOH ! Iforgot, a few tracks from Brothers in Arms also serve as benchmarks.:wink:

[hochpt21]

Artist...Pink Floyd
Album...Meddle (vinyl)
Track...Fearless

[PreCd]

I am auditioning my newly spiked SDA2Bs at this time with Steely Dan: aja. I like the following:

Adele: 19
Diana Krall
Pink Floyd: Meddle (very well recorded)

I have a few obscure pieces I will put in to listen to depending on what I am looking for.

[gudnoyez]

[QUOTE=PreCd;1745066]I am auditioning my newly spiked SDA2Bs at this time with Steely Dan: aja. I like the following:


Pink Floyd: Meddle (very well recorded)

AJA turn it up a bit when Black Cow comes on Best track on that CD my favorite anyways, Meddle awesome recording also Floyds Obscured By Clouds is another well recorded one

[drummer86]

Had any good blue crabs yet ????

Haha no but I'm counting down the days until they're in season. Another month or so...

[falconcry72]

Almost all the Steely Dan albums are very well recorded, but I'd put the top three in this order:

- Two Against Nature
- Gaucho
- Aja

Gaucho and Aja are really comparable quality wise, but Two Against Nature is in a league of its own. All three won Grammys for best sound engineering of the year.

[gdb]

Haha no but I'm counting down the days until they're in season. Another month or so...

Warm weather brought the season early....lots of crabs being caught right now and they can't find enough pickers to work the plants !:eek:

[steveinaz]

Lifescapes - Smooth Jazz and Mexico (DDD 24 bit sourced CD's)
Sara Evans - Restless (for excellent female vocals)
Steely Dan - Pick one, though I mostly use 2 against Nature
Donald Fagan - Pick one
A couple of 24bit/96k flac albums I have from the Linn record store (excellent dynamics, superb recordings)
Sarah Mclachlan - superb recordings, beautiful voice

[67jason]

I almost always use music as my reference when making changes to my system. Most often used are:

Depeche Mode - violator and ultra albums
NiN - prety hate machine
morrissey - bona drag


I have never really used movie scenes as reference material for myself after I have made changes to my system, however I do frequently use action scenes from blu's to show off my system, Iron movies, transformers movies, LoTR movies, star wars are frequent favorites.

[Gatecrasher]

I really can't nail down one or even a few albums or songs I would call a favorite "reference" since I have thousands of CDs and even more lossless music in my HTPC but I was playing one today that just rocked the block. It was the Clash "I'm Not Down" from the Remastered London Calling 25th Anniversary Collector's Edition.

"Moving" is the only way to describe it. Unbelievably crisp and powerful.

68140

The 2004 remaster of what is considered by many to be one of the best rock albums of all-time is fabulous.

[halo71]

Donald Fagan-Kamakiriad
Flim and the BB's-This is a recording, Tricycle
Dream Theater-Pull Me Under

to name a few.....

[bmbguy]

Donald Fagan-Kamakiriad
Flim and the BB's-This is a recording, Tricycle
Dream Theater-Pull Me Under

to name a few.....

Gary, just curious -- would you consider other Flim/BBs stuff in the same league, or just specifically that recording? I've got a copy of 'Neon' and 'Tunnel', as well as Billy Barber's 'Lighthouse', all on the DMP label.

[halo71]

Not sure really as I have not heard any of their other recordings. I do have a 3rd cd of theirs 'Big Notes' and it is of the same caliber I would say.

[bmbguy]

That's cool -- just thought I'd ask. I picked up the Flim/BBs stuff because I liked the Billy Barber album so well. Long ago.

[jmwest1970]

Spies, Music Of Espionage is one of my favorites. The beginning of track 3, Interlude, will test the dynamics of any speaker.

[halo71]

Definitely some good stuff! I know they seem to be sorta obscure. I don't know many that have ever heard of them before. My Dad got me into them several years back.

[drummer86]

Great responses, guys! I'm partial to the Left disc of NIN - The Fragile. Really well recorded IMO.

Anyone have favorite scenes from movies they they always carry along when checking out HT rigs?

[headrott]

Ryuichi Sakamoto "Left Handed Dream". This is one of the best sounding redbook CD's I've heard. Very dynamic, clear and reference quality. Outstanding quality music as well.

Greg

[ROHfan]

Gary, just curious -- would you consider other Flim/BBs stuff in the same league, or just specifically that recording? I've got a copy of 'Neon' and 'Tunnel', as well as Billy Barber's 'Lighthouse', all on the DMP label.

I own their entire catalog and I think "This is a Recording" is their finest by far. That said, I think the drums are sometimes a little too "up front" in the mix. Could be a Bill Berg ego thing.

[bmbguy]

I own their entire catalog and I think "This is a Recording" is their finest by far. That said, I think the drums are sometimes a little too "up front" in the mix. Could be a Bill Berg ego thing.

That one's on my list. Just picked up 'New Pants', but haven't listened to it yet. 'Pants' is not on the DMP label.