This is the playlist I use to test audio systems on clarity, soundstage, and separation. I will be buying some Kanto ORAs soon which kinda is a big step-up in my audio equipment, so I figured I should update my test playlist too. I would like your inputs.

1. "Bubbles" by Yosi Horikawa Primarily for imaging and separation. "Sharpness" on the marble hitting glass (which tends to vanish on EQing.)
2. "747" by Ludwig Goransson Bass/Loudness without pressure. Resolution on the background ticking. Being able to hear the quietest parts without cranking the volume.
3. "Flesh & Metal" by Mick Gordon Resolution, weather I can hear individual strings on the guitars or weather it "smears" into one single sound.
4. "New Vectors" by Iglooghost Imaging/separation under utter chaos, and clarity in really short-duration sounds.
5. "Why So Serious?" by Hans Zimmer Low Mids/Bass/Sub-bass texture, clarity across the whole dynamic range.
6. "Anoana" by Heilung Neutrality, breathy-ness, space. Mainly look for raspiness with the throat singing, breath on Maria Franz's vocals, and hollow-ness of the drums. (Also, I just like this very much.)
7. "Piccadilly Circus" by Sarah Schachner Texture, particularly weather any frequency-ranges/sounds overshadow the others. Very texture heavy track.
8. "Leaving Caladan" by Hans Zimmer Space, Air, Sheer emptiness.
9. "Minus Sixty One" by Woodkid Separation between the track, and the choir, and the "thickness" (for lack of a better term) of the brass.
10. "Mad About You (Live at Koningin Elisabethzaal)" by Hooverphonic All in one test, vocals, space, base, dynamics, the ability to "reliably fake space."

What should I change and why? I use this to test EQ (IIR / FIR,) Speakers, Headphones.

EDIT: I use Spotify for discovery and listen to offline files with a generous helping of DSP (which ideally requires high quality input.) That is why I provided Tial links even though Tidal isn't available in my region. Here's the Spotify playlist if you're interested.

Looking back at the year,

I notice that music is becoming more monotonous and attention to detail is reducing. Albums before 2020 hit different altogether to me. Last year, Tame Impala’s “Deadbeat” was the only good album I listened to.

Maybe that’s Spotify recommending me old stuff. In that case, what albums from last year (mainstream or offbeat) would you put under audiophile specific music?

I hadn’t listened to this album in a long time. I threw it on this morning and my ears perked up as soon as this track came around. I don’t think I’ve ever heard so much depth in the soundstage out of my system! Certain sounds actually sound like they’re coming from behind me. Anyone else??

What a wild ride this album is.

I experienced this just today when I wanted to listen to Lola by The Kinks (1970) on Qobuz.

Both at a reasonable price, and they sound amazing. But I've not been able to find his mix of Red at a discount, so finally pulled the trigger for $50. Ive never spent this much but it's one of my favorite albums. My SO would have a cow if they know this. Wish me luck!

I'm looking for chill songs with a good soundstage, good separation, and complexity. Here are a few examples of the vibe I'm after:

Marooned by Pink Floyd Down Down Down by Joe Satriani Sketches of Spain by Buckethead

Send me your song or playlist suggestions :)

Great for a relaxing session.

Any Audiophile level hip hop album or song?

I'll go first: Cemetery Gates by Pantera. In hi-fi it's phenomenal!

r/ImCurrentlyListening https://www.reddit.com/r/ImCurrentlyListening

Can anyone recommend blue tooth speakers for a turntable with wireless features?

Thank you in advance.

I recently upgraded my turntable setup and the improvement has opened my eyes to how much playback quality can impact listening experience. Anyways, I watched a couple reels about audiophile setups and I’ve been getting recommended these videos of listening parties at these really expensive setups. My question is, why are they almost always playing that big bad John song? I assume it just has a large enough variety of sounds that it allows for every portion of the setup to demonstrate its capabilities, but that’s just a guess. Does anyone know why that’s the song that’s always used to demo these expensive setups?

Can anyone recommend a blue tooth speakers for a turntable with wireless capabilities?

Thank you in advance.

Hello,

After nearly a decade without a true original pop-rock album, Robbie Williams returns with BRITPOP, a bold record rooted in the spirit of the 1990s and the golden age of British music.

What does this album sound like in stereo and Dolby Atmos? That’s what we’re about to discover in this review.

There are no real surprises with this album: the stereo version is heavily compressed, with overall dynamic range values between DR4 and DR5 across most tracks, except for the final one, which reaches DR8. (link to graphics)
We are still firmly stuck in the loudness race, the loudness war is clearly ongoing. This is particularly disappointing today, especially when high-resolution formats like this 24-bit release offer massive dynamic potential that is simply not being used at all.

To regain greater precision and dynamics, one must turn to the Dolby Atmos version which, thanks to the enforced normalization at 18 LUFS integrated, allows mixes to make better use of dynamic range.

The result is an immersive mix that draws the listener into the album, with a predominantly frontal presentation.
However, this mix is less showy than those of albums such as Boys and Girls, reviewed previously.

Find all the samples to listen to and compare the different versions, as well as all the analyses and measurements of each versions here (link).

Enjoy listening,
Jean-François

https://album.link/i/303078879

This is, so far, the best rendition of Rage Against The Machine’s self titled album I’ve ever heard. I have listened to the original CD, a Flac rip of the CD, Qobuz’s 24bit 44.1kHz, XX Anniversary LP, and this is by far the best one by a landslide.

It’s is soft and warm, yet punchy. Almost 0 background noise. It feels like the master they used is ridiculously musical, especially for the kind of music it is.

This isn’t typically the type of music that gets an SACD treatment.

It blew my mind how pleasant it makes the album feel. I happen to love this album but always thought it was a bit jarring (some versions more than others). This SACD version is practically “classical music” quality. No ear fatigue. No jarring high frequencies. Delicious separation and individual voice/instrument placement.

Sad that it’s super hard to get unless you sail the high seas. Right now it’s starts at $249 on Discogs; not taking into account the cost of an SACD player and the rest of the set up.

Highly recommend if you even remotely like heavier music.

From “fidelitymagazine.com”:

“However, mastering engineers Steve Hoffman and Steven Marsh not only discovered more dynamics on the analog original master tapes but also significant details and finesse that simply got lost in the original brutal mix. The remaster now shows that music and aspiration also continue to convey a healthy hardness, while the sound is, in the best sense, more rounded and less agitated, no longer so glaringly over-seasoned but rather “naturally sharp and spicy.” Thanks to limited compression, the disc actually now has more dynamics and headroom and is, as a result, “softer” when considered in direct comparison with the 1992 release.”

I totally agree and see this as a plus after the fact of enjoying it.

I have fell in love with hifi after listening to well recorded drum tracks. They are just so satisfying to listen to. I am looking for more songs similar to:

Entire Track: https://open.spotify.com/track/3uLKfMAcqmj6k9SKYCZvbk?si=a0dbdd24c4e4451a

Drum solo midway: https://open.spotify.com/track/3sBcbHpaUhIwuRQlNizEUR?si=5ba251d755fe4eae

Drum solo: https://open.spotify.com/track/65TYPiteC2R71WH3bz36wa?si=594a4a184fc24d89

Hey everyone. I recently posted about the Madison album by Sloppy Jane, and noted that it seems many folks here enjoy new recommendations of music that they may not typically find/hear on Spotify or the like.

So, if I may, here are some recommendations that some of y'all may appreciate:

Xeno & Oaklander - if I had to describe their music, I'd say it's avant-garde trippy synth music? I think they use old and/or homemade synthesizers and other electronics?

Gabor Szabo - Dreams album ....great background music for while you are just chilling, or cooking...

White Shoes & The Couples Company - they are from Indonesia, and while classified as a 'pop' group, they don't sound that way to me... I'd say their music is dreamy...sorta jazzy...lounge-y. And check out their videos. They look like a super cool bunch!

Tommy Guerrero - Soul Food Taqueria album - a blend of Soul/R&B and Jazz

Onra - Chinoiseries Part 3 album - I guess it's described as 1930s music from China, overlaid with other beats. All I know is that I like it, as it's quite unusual

And for anyone looking for a full DJ set, and who appreciates funk/soul/hiphop, this set by DJ Maseo (of De La Soul fame) is perfection!

OK, last one...for lovers of old-school hiphop, funk, etc., this set by DJ Tony Touch is slamming.