Comments

You must log in or register to comment.

BigLorry t1_je2c3km wrote

Angel by Massive Attack

14

Hail_LordHelix t1_je2e6pa wrote

Honestly most of the mezzanine album could be used as a reference point.

Teardrops, angel, inertia creeps, man next door etc.

Lot of variation in sounds, instruments, changes in dynamic range, deep bass. If it wasnt clear, I love that album 😀

I'd also recommend random access memories, and cross by justice

12

mghazik t1_je47vx8 wrote

You definitely know my thoughts. But original or remastered album?

1

KingBasten t1_je7g1jl wrote

Are you a real audiophile or what? Both ofcourse 😄

1

RayceManyon t1_je2cxdm wrote

The Gamber - Kenny Rodgers. Don't sneer, that track is amazingly layered and wonderfully recorded. Towards the end there are 2 background singers and Kenny singing background and you can practically "see" each person.

10

whisternefet t1_je2a7hs wrote

I've dug through a whole lot of articles about this and the one track I see listed on all of them is Africa by Toto.

7

n0t_4_thr0w4w4y t1_je2hqqd wrote

Welcome to the Machine - Pink Floyd
Hotel California (live mtv 1994) - The Eagles
Bad Guy - Billie Eilish
M.T.A. - The Kingston Trio
Have You Ever Seen the Rain - CCR

7

TemporaryLlamaDrama t1_je30us7 wrote

The Chain - Fleetwood Mac

Great Gig in the Sky - Pink Floyd

The Rain Song - Led Zeppelin

Show Me - Big Wild

Ms Jackon - Outkast

6

PimpmasterMcGooby t1_je2ls4w wrote

Walk Through the Park by Tracktribe, just wish I could find a hi-res version.

5

GarlicBiscuits t1_je2m2om wrote

That's always a great choice, but "the HEADPHONE COMPARISON song" still has a better ring to it. 🫰

1

Overall_Falcon_8526 t1_je3s44w wrote

https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/vd66zg/best_song_to_test_new_headphones/

https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/gl4vnf/if_you_had_to_pick_5_songs_to_test_headphones/

https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/67wphh/whats_your_favorite_song_to_test_headphones_with/

https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/d4s8dw/a_song_benchmark_for_every_audiophile_to_test/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Music/comments/vv9khq/headphone_testing_songs/

https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/qgtkx3/whats_your_go_to_song_to_test_out_new_headphones/

https://www.reddit.com/r/HeadphoneAdvice/comments/gzuf8q

https://www.reddit.com/r/HeadphoneAdvice/comments/gzuf8q/my_definitive_top_10_songs_to_try_headphones/

https://www.reddit.com/r/oratory1990/comments/rmv1yx/any_recommendations_for_songs_to_listen_to_when/

5

andysaurus_rex t1_je3a2fo wrote

There’s a few that I listen to that I think accentuate different strengths and aspects of a headphone, but most importantly, you need to like the songs! Listen to your favorite songs.

The Chain - Fleetwood Mac (2004 remaster)

Do It Again - Steely Dan

Kiss - Prince

Sweet Dreams - Eurythmics

One Of These Nights - Eagles

With or Without You - U2

Over The Hills And Far Away - Led Zeppelin

Dark Fantasy - Kanye West

Mountains - Hans Zimmer

I would recommend listening to well mastered music that you already like and listening to the songs back to back on your 109s compared to a random source that isn’t nearly as good. You’ll hear things you didn’t know were even there.

4

Perfect-Grade t1_je3h1a1 wrote

Polyphia (Playing God, GOAT, All Falls Apart)

Masayoshi Takanaka’s stuff like OH! TENGO SUERTE

Mura Masa - What if I Go
QOTS - Make It Wit Chu
Still Woozy - Goodie Bag & Lava
Yello - The Race (remastered)
Dire Straits - Sultans of Swing
Little Dragon - Ritual Union
NTO - Alter Ego

Haywyre is a pretty talented electronic/funk artist. Songs like Stay With Me, Let Me Hear That, Do You Don’t You, and his Summer Days remix.

4

Airvast t1_je2g13x wrote

"Deference for Darkness", from the Halo 3: ODST soundtrack.

"The Rains of Castamere" by Sigur Ros.

3

BaronVonBarrister t1_je3ob6j wrote

Michael Jackson's Thriller - the door opening sequence in the intro is good for tracking left-right imaging. (the steps aren't perfectly tracked left to right, so you need to know where they should be)

Ariana Grande / Hayley Williams are just about perfect for me to test for the high mid - low treble spike that often irritates me in AKG house sounds (like the K712).

Nigel Kennedy - Four Seasons - No. 4 in F Minor L'inverno - I. Allegro Non Molto - Good for picking up details (I swear you can hear the texture of the strings) and dynamic range. You can substitute in Royal Crown Revue - Beyond the Sea, depending on your taste in music.

04 Limited Sazabys - Brain sugar - Good for hitting headphones with a wall of noise. The drums and guitar lines are too present in the mix and some headphones just make the mix sound muddy. You can substitute in State Champs - Elevated.

Dua Lipa - Don't Start Now - Good check on the mid to upper bass to see how elevated they are.

Major Lazer - Lean On; Taylor Swift - After Glow - Both oversaturate the mid to sub bass. Good way to see how far down your cans can go.

All Time Low - Remembering Sunday - good way to see how headphones handle male and female vocals

3

togtimusprime t1_je4p47x wrote

Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath Chain reaction - cloud cult A warning (dub) - thievery corporation Wildfire - SBTRKT

+1 for mezzanine by massive attack

3

fixthe_fernback t1_je55bvd wrote

Changes IV - Cat Stevens

Such Great Heights - The Postal Service

3

stu556 t1_je5mslo wrote

Songs that you know well (specific versions especially), and have listened to with at least one other pair of headphones (so you know what it should sound like).

Any suggested reference track will sound different when listened to for the first time vs after many times and knowing what to expect.

That being said, my typical reference tracks these days are

3

Juicy_Oranges t1_je9k874 wrote

I have my standard headphone testing tracks:

Generally: Aether - Illusion: Perfect for testing bass and dynamics.

Basically everything that Qumu makes, he/she produces very high quality gaming remixes, if you like that stuff.

Also "Theophany", same category, same incredible quality, different style.

Surprisingly also the soundtracks of a lot of Korean MMOs, incredible production quality: Blade&Soul(<-) ; LineAge / 2; Aion...

3

Muttywango t1_je2etba wrote

"Want Fi Go Rave" - Linton Kwesi Johnson.

Incredibly well produced track.

2

VictorZulu t1_je3w0we wrote

Architects of Life - Ivan Torrent (feat. Celica Soldream)

2

FastGecko5 t1_je439cb wrote

Ball and Biscuit by The White Stripes is usually the first track I listen to on any new gear.

Pretty much any of the The Weeknd's music is quite well mixed/mastered as well.

I use Odesza to test bass response.

2

Dman93 t1_je49qhb wrote

Stuff they like. I don't care how good something sounds if it's not something I like.

2

Halvezakdrop t1_je4a7dr wrote

Verdi Requiem Dies Irae, music separation is very difficult on this one for me, I can hear differences quiete easily on this one as well as crackling when something might be broken lol

2

Fynniboyy t1_je4auxa wrote

Seven nation army by the white stripes King of pain live unplugged by Alanis Morissette Money for nothing 2022 remaster by fire straits Black no 1 by type O negative Hotel California by the eagles Blood sugar sex magik by red hot chili peppers Billie Jean by Michael Jackson Give live back to music 10 anniversary version by daft punk Learning to fly live 95 original master by pink Floyd

2

Danielo944 t1_je4d50m wrote

Closer by Nine Inch Nails

2

KilgoretheTrout55 t1_je7rj1x wrote

Def Leppard hysteria is great for details. There are just hundreds of tracks in the vocals and guitars because mutt lange.

Some of the most layered production I've ever heard. I imagine other mutt lange stuff could also be beneficial, but that album in particular is just kind of a magnum opus in production value.

I also enjoy rush, dire straits.

And some avant-gard stuff like Mike Patton or Mr. Bungle where there's a lot of genre changing.

2

No-Context5479 t1_je8vuqy wrote

Well ask reach individual their favourite song and then use that in the demo.... That will be more impressionable than using a song they know nothing about

2

GarlicBiscuits t1_je2gcct wrote

Here's just a few that particularly stand out to me when comparing between pairs. None of it is mainstream, but it is a good peer into my music taste. ;)

  1. Busted Bayou from DKC Tropical Freeze: amazing song in its own right, but also great for testing out imaging, instrument separation, and soundstage with everything going on.
  2. Camellia's GHOST: the beginning part is perfect for testing out bass and treble in EDM. The former can be quite punchy and visceral on certain headphones and the latter somewhat brighter.
  3. Teminite and PsoGnar's Lion's Den: perfect for testing male vocals, which can sound especially full and detailed here. Another awesome choice for EDM, in this case dubstep.
  4. Mirror of the World: aka Baiken's theme from Guilty Gear Strive, the guitars here sound simply immaculate and heavy as hell on higher end gear.
1

bbuky01 t1_je2lu0i wrote

“In The Ghetto” Elvis Presley
“Pusherman” Curtis Mayfield.
“Bubbles” Yosi Horikawa.
“Aji” Steely Dan.
Plenty more but a few to add to the list. “Bubbles” is just fun a definite headphone test track.
Picked a pretty good pair to start your journey.

1

Kirei13 t1_je2mcx6 wrote

Just use whatever fits best with the sound signature of your headphones.

0