Joel Posted September 1, 2011 Report Share Posted September 1, 2011 I recently finished recapping my AR90's, and I think they sound fantastic. Now I am looking for music that shows off the strong points of my speakers. What do you play when you want to show off yours? I don't care about the genre, just looking to impress my friends.-Joel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKent Posted September 1, 2011 Report Share Posted September 1, 2011 http://www.amazon.co...14849160&sr=1-1the last couple of minutes of Les Preludes in particular will knock your socks off. It does with my 91s. This is totally different. An intimate "you are there" experience. Shows off how realistic the sound is:http://www.amazon.co...s/dp/B000002481Everyone knows the opening of this, but not many speakers can do justice to the 40 Hz organ pedal*http://www.amazon.co...14850670&sr=1-1My wife gets "goosebumps" from Pavarotti's renditions of Nessun Dorma (Turandot) and O Soave Fanciulla (La Bohème). If you don't want the entire operas you could try a "greatest hits" disc like this:http://www.amazon.co...14853006&sr=1-2Kent*edit: Or is it 30 Hz? It's my understanding that it's "supposed" to be 16Hz (a very low C) but that on most recordings it's played an octave higher (guess that would be 32 Hz) because of the limitations of recording and playback equipment. Anyone know for sure? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidro Posted September 1, 2011 Report Share Posted September 1, 2011 I'd go for the last movement of Mahler's Symphony No 1. I cranked that up at an audio shop and a pair of modern Tannoy spat blood (i.e. distortion). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michiganpat Posted September 1, 2011 Report Share Posted September 1, 2011 "telegraph road" by dire straits, from "love over gold"...good speaks and clean power, and it'll sent chills up your spine, the good kind...the whole album is a great test..same with "brothers in arms"the remastered "atom heart mother" and "meddle" by pink floyd is pretty good too...a clean recording of the beach boys in their prime will really show a speaker's strengths, to...something like the song "sloop john B" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKent Posted September 1, 2011 Report Share Posted September 1, 2011 "telegraph road" by dire straits, from "love over gold"...good speaks and clean power, and it'll sent chills up your spine, the good kind...the whole album is a great test..same with "brothers in arms"the remastered "atom heart mother" and "meddle" by pink floyd is pretty good too...a clean recording of the beach boys in their prime will really show a speaker's strengths, to...something like the song "sloop john B"Good choices. For those who think New England speakers are just for classical, try cranking up the MFSL remastered version of Pink Floyd's "The Wall". AR3a's rock!btw--an alternative to early Beach Boys may be the California Project's "Papa Doo Run Run". Copycats sure but the Telarc recording will show off the speakers.Kent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deek Posted September 2, 2011 Report Share Posted September 2, 2011 If you're in to electronic music and/or Dubstep, my system absolutely comes alive when I play a Skrillex track. Granted, not the most musical in terms of melodies and such, but songs like "WEEKENDS!!!" have incredible stereo effects and really give the midranges a workout. "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" is a good all-around demo piece.Deadmau5 has a way of making kick drums kill amplifiers and "Raise Your Weapon" on the 4x4=12 album has a beautiful female vocal and a bassline that will tear the skin off your face when it drops.-Deek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig25 Posted September 2, 2011 Report Share Posted September 2, 2011 Dire Straights -Definitely. Almost any song. My current favorite is "Planet of New Orleans". On my early production AR 5's, the sound transcends almost anything I've heard. "On Every Street" is the name of the album, or CD. Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rrcrain Posted September 2, 2011 Report Share Posted September 2, 2011 This definitely depends on my mood.Nancy Bryant, "lay me down", does an excellent job on the top and bottom ends. It has bass few modern speakers can reproduce. Loreena McKennitt has several excellent albums. I pulled "An Ancient Muse" as an example.Diana Krall for jazz.Don't underestimate ZZ Top for a moment. Your 90's will make them really shine.My brother in law loves Bon Jovi but hates it on my 90's because it doesn't as good for him at home.I visit a local high end shop quite a bit just to look and socialize and have come to realize any new speaker I can afford doesn't sound as good as the 90's I already own. I suspect you'll discover the same thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michiganpat Posted September 2, 2011 Report Share Posted September 2, 2011 Good choices. For those who think New England speakers are just for classical, try cranking up the MFSL remastered version of Pink Floyd's "The Wall". AR3a's rock!btw--an alternative to early Beach Boys may be the California Project's "Papa Doo Run Run". Copycats sure but the Telarc recording will show off the speakers.Kentbased on my selections, guess my age....female vocals are a good test, too..."talking about" on Susan Tedesci's "back to the river" is another good oneBoston is a good band to test as everything is impeccably recorded. "Higher Power" from their greatest hits will hit you with some impact.just about anything by Rush, too...Neil Peart's intro on "One Little Victory" from Vapor Trails will separate the men from the boys, speakerly speaking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom H. Posted September 2, 2011 Report Share Posted September 2, 2011 Good pipe organ recordings really shine with my AR-10 PI's. I'm always amazed at the low frequence response in such a modestly sized speaker.I have several Telarc pipe organ CD's (Mostly Bach) Telarc's Saint Saens Symphony no 3 (Organ Symphony) is great. (It includes the worlds most glorous G chord!)The Rite of Spring by Stravinsky recording I have is glorious. (Antal Dorati Detroit Symphony Orchestra, London)Of couse you can't beat the recording of Telarc's 1812 overture with the cannons. (BE CAREFUL!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rrcrain Posted September 2, 2011 Report Share Posted September 2, 2011 Of couse you can't beat the recording of Telarc's 1812 overture with the cannons. (BE CAREFUL!)I forgot about the Telarc 1812. I have that on CD and vinyl. The base is so intense it's difficult to impossible to play the vinyl at volume without feedback into the system. This one absolutely will take my amplifier to peak power. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dynaco_dan Posted September 2, 2011 Report Share Posted September 2, 2011 I forgot about the Telarc 1812. I have that on CD and vinyl. The base is so intense it's difficult to impossible to play the vinyl at volume without feedback into the system. This one absolutely will take my amplifier to peak power.Hi thereDo you have an AR-XA or XB turntable? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundminded Posted September 3, 2011 Report Share Posted September 3, 2011 Try "Ride of the Valkyries" by Richard Wagner. I've got a very nice recording of it performed by the National Symphony Orchestra recorded by DG on a two disc set of Wagner's music called "Twilight of the Gods." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel Posted September 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2011 Thanks,I really appreciate the classical music suggestions. My wife is a flute player, so most of our classical CD's are flute. I like the suggestions that show off the lower registers. I'll see if I can find some of them.I picked up the SACD of "Dark Side of the Moon". There is lots of stuff in there I couldn't hear before.Another one that come across very well is the CD "Let it Be- Naked", the re-edited version that Paul McCartney did a few years ago. It is the closest I have felt to having them in the room with me. I have all the remastered, and Mono versions of the Beatles. I am going to listen to them and see if any of them give me the same experience.-Joel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rrcrain Posted September 3, 2011 Report Share Posted September 3, 2011 Hi thereDo you have an AR-XA or XB turntable?Neither. I own a Technics SL-10. It still works but the original cartridge is long gone and nothing's available that matches the originals performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKent Posted September 3, 2011 Report Share Posted September 3, 2011 Generally, Telarc discs make good "show off" material. Another would be movie soundtracks. Ennio Morricone's "The Mission" is a good example. Try track 2: Falls. Starts soft, with some pan pipes, builds to a sudden orchestral crescendo. Very dramatic.And of course the opening credits to John Williams's "Star Wars." There's a piece by Joey DeFrancesco that THX uses as its "signature" but of course I've forgotten what it is. Kent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shacky Posted September 4, 2011 Report Share Posted September 4, 2011 Dire Straights -Definitely. Almost any song. My current favorite is "Planet of New Orleans". On my early production AR 5's, the sound transcends almost anything I've heard. "On Every Street" is the name of the album, or CD. CraigI love this song and album too. Great test song. More jazz try Spyro Gyra from In Modern Times - River Between. Bass as low as it gets without organ and nuances that can really tell you what your speaker's doin'.For plain musicality I always play Van Morrison Into the Mystic. Love that song.Loreena McKennitt Night Ride Across The CaucasusAnd of course I always Give Abbey Road a spin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deek Posted September 5, 2011 Report Share Posted September 5, 2011 I should have mentioned Arcade Fire's newest album "The Suburbs". Killer production on that album and every song is a piece of art.-Deek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldarnut Posted September 6, 2011 Report Share Posted September 6, 2011 Papa Doo Run on Telarc is the best I've found. These redos of Beach Boys' songs by some of the original band members are a super demo for your speakers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rrcrain Posted September 7, 2011 Report Share Posted September 7, 2011 Ray Montford's Shed Your Skin has impressive bass. Mostly acoustic instrumental format. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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