SI's list of recommended CD's!

[Electrodynamic]

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.

[hobie1dog]

Roland: A Sound Approach put out by the synthesizer company back in the early 90's rather hard to find as it's been out of print for a long time.

[bose301s]

Nice, I see a track from The Slip included I really like that album I have to say.

[hobie1dog]

Bela Fleck: Flight of the Cosmic Hippo

all time tight bass track #3--hard hitting Telarc recording

[roadwhore]

Roger Waters - Amused to Death
Awesome recording, very dynamic and filled with little subtle nuances, and yes there is bass, a must have.

Van Halen - 1984
Hot for Teacher is my midbass testing track. The drum solo that starts it is a midbass maker or breaker. If it don't sound like you have a Harley on the dash....ditch the mids and try again.

Supertramp - Breakfast in America
There isn't much to say except that this one runs the gamut from taut midbass, great piano work that is ideal for testing midrange purity, and very dynamically recorded

Pure Moods - Various Artists
Enigma for staging and depth, Enya has a track on this one with a great bass solo, and several mellow, yet musical tracks ranging from Native American to instrumental, to new age.

Chesky Records Ultimate Test CD
Every track has an explanation of what to listen for followed by a music track that has that particular attribute. Got mine from Music Direct and highly recommend it.

Mike Odefield - Tubular Bells
Exotic instruments, intertwined into a musical adventure and at points very complex passages that can be an incredible strain for both the mids and the amps to keep up with.

[hoss]

nick, you mentioned linkin park, but you failed to mention their most notoriously LOW bass songs...

hands held high, off their new album. the song has three parts to it, the first part has some punchy kinda kick drum stuff, the second part brings in the sub bass, and the third part brings in some 20 Hz bass swells

[bose301s]

Pink Floyd - The Wall, Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here are all phenomenal for SQ testing.

These albums are so crystal clear, they do not suffer from the loudness war, they are mastered at low levels and have HUGE dynamic range. These albums test the whole system and how well it blends as there is content at every frequency strata. The best fpr testing a sub that I know would all be off of The Wall. Another Brick in the Wall Pt 3 has tight deep drum hits that should have a distinct impact and quick decay. Mother has a slow soft intro with little bass, but when it comes in you should be able to feel it as short, hard hits you can feel in your chest, just an amazing experience to hear it on a good system.

[Electrodynamic]

I just added Bela Fleck. I can't believe I forgot to mention them!!

[Neutered Sputniks]

Not a guru like you guys, but for what it's worth I've found that anything B.B. King live is great for testing the overall system clarity. Amazing guitar rifts to test upper mids/highs, loads of bass guitar for the mids, and a few really push the sub.