Ok, in anticipation of the new drivers coming out I thought it would be good for everyone to know what we use to demo and/or test our systems. Now, read carefully - I wrote "systems" not "subwoofers". Systems includes everything. We hardly ever demo tracks that just showcase the subwoofers. We always have good sounding overall systems, which helps with the demonstration because, after all, that's what we're all in this for - overall high fidelity.
Anyway, I'm going to use Amazon.com links to show you exactly what CD I'm talking about to help with any ambiguity. I'm going to list the album and then a few tracks that I use for specific demo purposes and what the tracks are used to demonstrate.
I will keep updating this thread with more CD's and/or specific tracks when I have more time.
Janet
What'll I Do - Midbass
Any Time, Any Place - Sub bass. The notes are solid but they've got pulses through them. They're really neat because it's like the tones have their oposite, lower octave shoved through them also.
Spies
Spies - You'll find this kind of bass throughout the CD on multiple tracks. It will probably sound dry on a lot of subwoofers, but with solid broad-band subwoofers (low, mid, and high) you'll hear or feel all of the undertones.
Kiss Me - Same as above.
Interlude - Be careful with this track because it can murder subwoofers. I've bottomed out MANY subwoofers on this track. It's mainly just swells, but the heavy.
Barcelona - Punchy bass.
Smooth As Glass - overall good track with good full spectrum sound and nice heavily overtoned and undertoned bass.
Pat Metheny, Imaginary Day
This entire CD is filled with music that attacks the entire audio spectrum. It will test any "SQ" system to its full abilities. On some tracks the instruments used are a little different than normal (like Into The Dream, which is just ONE PERSON with no dubbing), but the end result is an aural assault that is very pleasing to listen to.
Linkin Park, Reanimation
Krwlng - the hits right at 2:20 should include a slight, very low frequency, swell in the begining of the note.
NIN, The Slip
Discipline - 3:00'ish into the song there's a wicked bass rise that starts REALLY low (below 20 Hz).
Roland: A Sound Approach
This is a compilation of songs written by artist that use Roland keyboards and it houses a lot of really cool lower bass and midbass lines. Almost every song has something different in it and you can definitely pound your chest in with a lot of tracks. Too bad their later demo CD's weren't nearly as good as this one.
Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Flight Of The Cosmic Hippo
This entire album is littered with deep, controlled, hard-hitting bass that will give your subwoofer(s) an extreme workout. If you're thinking "what CD can I get to test subwoofer transient response?" go out and buy this album. There aren't any double-kick-drum rants or anything like that, but the synthetic bass (played by Victor Wooten) is incredible. The slap and pop technique he uses will not only test your subwoofer(s), but it will also test your midbass and midrange.
If you think you have good test material for your good subwoofer and you don't have this album, think again. This is the single album that will show you how good, or how horrible, your subwoofer system is.
Bela Sonus, Enamoured. This whole CD is filled with very very deep bass. It's not over-bearing bass, but it is extremely linear bass. I have had this CD in my player for the past 3 days straght. You'll be listening to a song and then all of a sudden the bass drops into the mid 20's. It's ridiculous.