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Are our 'test' records adequate?

Most of us have some favourite records with which to check the health of our systems, or to assess a new component within our systems.
These records are often carried with us whenever we wish to assess a completely foreign system in a different environment. I have my favourite ‘test’ records, some of which I continue to use even after 30 years. I know them (or parts of them), so intimately that I feel confident in my ability to assess a component or complete system after just one listen.
I know other audiophiles who have specialised their ‘test’ records to such an extent that they have different discs to evaluate for Voice, Bass, Large Orchestral, Chamber, Piano, Strings, Drums, Jazz, Rock.
Almost invariably, these vinyl discs are superbly recorded and sound stunning, not just on very fine systems, but also on average systems.
Of course, because each of us knows his own discs so intimately, it is possible to assess the 'omissions'in a foreign system by memory, often to the puzzlement of those to whom the discs are not so well known and to whom the sound had been thoroughly satisfying and impressive?
But I have begun to wonder recently, if this is in fact the most reliable method of evaluating components and systems?
I am sure most of us have heard records on our systems which are almost unlistenable or certainly unpleasant and we have simply placed these discs in the 'never to played' shelf of our storage unit?
But perhaps some of these records might be more revealing than our fabulously recorded 'test' material?
For some time I have been disturbed by two records in my collection, which despite their fame, have sounded poorly (in various parts) despite improvements to my turntable, speakers, amplifiers and cartridges.

Harvest by Neil Young on Reprise (7599-27239-1) has some nicely recorded tracks (Out On The Weekend, Harvest, Heart Of Gold) as well as 2 tracks (Alabama, Words), which have confounded me with their leaness, lack of real bass, vocal distortion and complete lack of depth. The album was recorded at four different venues with three different Producers and those two tracks share the same Producers and venues.
After mounting a Continuum Copperhead arm as well as a DaVinci 12" Grandezza on my Raven AC-3 and carefully setting arm/cartridge geometries with the supplied Wally Tractor and Feikert disc protractor, I was actually able to listen to these tracks without flinching, and could now clearly ascertain the 'out-of-key' harmonies of Stephen Stills together with the clearly over-dubbed lead guitar boosted above the general sound level on the right channel and the completely flat soundstage.

Respighi Pines of Rome (Reiner on the Classic Records re-issue of the RCA LSC-2436) had always brought my wife storming down the hallway at the 'screeching' Finale whilst I scrambled for the volume control to save my bleeding ears.
Again with the two stellar arms and strict geometry, the 117 musicians could not hide the shrill, thin and overloaded recording levels of the horns (particularly the trumpets).
But the wife stayed away and my volume level remained unchanged.

My wonderfully recorded 'test' records had sounded just fine with my previous Hadcock arm but it's only now, when two 'horror' discs can be appreciated, that I truly believe my system 'sings'.
Perhaps we could re-listen to some 'horror' discs in our collection and, with some adjustments to our set-up, make them, if not enjoyable, at least listenable?
128x128halcro
halcro's avatar
halcro OP
2,289 posts
 
Hi Shane,
Fair point :)
I personally love tubes.........and sometimes I don't?
It just happens that there are a great many speakers that simply can't be driven adequately by tubes and whilst I hate that, it's a fact of life.
With the new generation of SS electronics recently developed....Halcro, Soulution (see Jon Valin's review http://www.avguide.com/forums/soulution-710 Krell Evo, MBL....as well as the advance in turntables, arms and cartridges, I believe we are hearing more accurately the actual sound of the Mater Tapes and whilst you may not agree with me, I think that the mastering of these early RCAs could have emphasised the treble output of the horns and strings to 'compensate' for 'rolled-off' reproduction equipment at the time.
Listen to the Mercury re-issues of the Stravinsky Ballets to see that good SS amplification can sound sweet and pure when the original source is mastered faithfully?
downunder
1,328 posts
 
Hi Henry, got that davinci arm singing now?

I totally agree that SS amps are getting a lot better. I had an extended listen at home very recently to the Gryphon Colosseum and Antileon. The Colosseum especially was a great sounding amplifier. Tube amps have also got better over that time as well.
But, with my own musical bias's I still preferred the overall sound of my tube amps.

I think one of the overall sound quality advances have been with phono stages over years gone by.

That is the great thing about hifi, everyone has different tastes - otherwise the seemingly 1000's of brands would not exist globally.

I half agree with you re the front end. I personally don't think that turntables have improved as much as tonearms and cartridges have. Look at the end of the analog era in the early 80's and the great DD tables from Japan. Why do tables/motors from EMT, Garrad etc have so much of a following - they must be good.

cheers
halcro's avatar
halcro OP
2,289 posts
 
Yes Shane....the DaVinci sings as well as the Copperhead.
Agree with you re tonearms and cartridges.
Hate to say though, that I've listened a lot to Gryphon pre-amps and amps and find them the least 'tube-like' of any SS I've heard.
Long live Elvis :)
halcro's avatar
halcro OP
2,289 posts
 
Here's another one for you Jdaniel.
Tchaikovsky Romeo $ Juliet with Strauss Till Eulenspiegel on LSC RCA re-issue.
Very demanding (especially the Strauss) but very rewarding if everything is 'singing'?
jdaniel13
129 posts
 
Thanks Halcro, re: Munch's R & J and Till, this one I have on a Shaded Dog, and don't recall any problems! (It's interesting that Munch is more fiery than Bernstein in the same material.) Great silky strings in the big theme of Romeo. Also, if you don't have Maazel's Pines on Decca/London, please give it a try if you want eye-crossing, enveloping sound that expands with no perceivable distortion during the march towards the end. (That organ pedal!)The easiest way to dismiss the possibly intractable problems with Reiner's Pines is to simply discover that there are better, more musical performances! : )

I don't have Witch's Brew, how lucky that you have it! Considering Tamoshanter is at the outer part of the record, that would suggest to me that it's the master tape.

You probably know, but for those who don't, these (Witch's Brew, etc.) are Kenneth Wilkinson recordings by Decca and recorded in England's wonderful Kingsway Hall and Wathamstow (sp) Hall, outsourced by RCA. I have Agoult's "Clair de Lune" (wonderful) and Fistoulari's "Music from the Ballet" on RCA. These were also re-done on 45 rpm. I would love to hear them but can't complain about the originals, except for some raspy trombone slides in the Mussorgsky on the Fitoulari. Anyone have the 45?

I felt that the Reiner Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition could sound a little raspy at points in the Great Gate in the original. I have have the 45 Rpm and can report stunning improvement but it could be because the higher speed is taking the responsibility away from my cart.

Oh! Another torture track--which my system actually handles--is the 3rd mov't from Prokofieff's PIano Concerto #2, a worthy TAS-lister with Frager and Paris Conservatory Orchestra. If anyone doesn't know this Piano Concerto...it's fantastical. The third mov't--at the end of side one--finishes up with high clanking piano, shrieking piccolo, and sawing, high strings in harmonics. Another Wilkinson recording on RCA. I was unable to find an undamaged original but I don't mind the Alto reissue at all, and I usually find the 33rpm reissues to have "blacker backgrounds," but a loss of "boogie" as well.

A Reiner that I don't find garrish at all, is his very early Ein Heldenleben from '54, only originally available much later as a Plum label RCA Victrola. I found it surprising in two ways: I think that it was better recorded (more transparent) than either the much more famous '54 Munch Daphnis and Reiner Also Sprach. ( I have the Munch Daphnis on 45rpm--wonderfully silky but still a slight amount of congestion in the climax of the sunrise scene, fwiw) The second surprise is how sensitive and sunny Reiner is regarding the lyrical aspects in Heldenleben compared to his ridiculously mythical '54 Also Sprach, which to me is relentless and fatiguing. The strings are beautiful and a good test is the final heartbreakingly lyrical string passages which well up about 5 mins. before the end of the piece--they never lose their silk. (The critically acclaimed Haitink on Philips gets a little grainy here. Reiner's Ein Heldenleben should have been more famous, IMHO.
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