Reference Music: What it is, and why you need it ...
We were talking about what sort of post should be next in our blog, and hit a bit of a snag. We were driving to a friend’s son’s graduation party and the discussion went like this:
B: “I think we should review one of our favorite albums, like Ella and Louis”
K: “That sounds hard … and I’m not sure a review would work on something we are so familiar with”
B: “It doesn’t have to be very long … but I’d rather start with something like that, otherwise we’ll be reviewing equipment we have purchased - which is kind of … lame”
K: “We do have that thing from the Kickstarter project coming up”
B: “Yeah, we do, but who knows when that’s going to get here”
K: “Well, we could talk about our reference music - explaining why each one is there. That was definitely new to me.”
B: “Hey yeah, that sounds good”
So here we are. And anyone who already has a set of reference songs, you can skip right to the end where we talk about our reference music. If you are scratching your head wondering what we’re talking about, read on ...
And what we mean by “Reference Music” is a small to medium set of songs or albums that you will use to evaluate certain sonic attributes of something you may want to purchase. It’s important that it be music in a genre you like and plan on listening to, too. Some folks use special setup disks with sound effects or test tones or chords or warbles - but honestly, honestly unless this reflects the types of things you will listen to when you relax at the end of the day - save that for special occasions. Like never, and keep it in the back of your closet and never mention it. That’s where I keep mine.
If I had my way, he would keep his collection of Velvet Underground in the closet right along side that disc. Never to see the light of day. Ever. But that is just my opinion, of course.
So - the first thing about reference music is they should be in genres that you like. And they have to be songs you aren’t going to get sick of after a few plays. They should be of reasonable length (more than a minute, less than, say, five) and there have to be sections within it that will help show off or show weakness in a particular system. It should be all reasonably well recorded (you want the recording to be the strongest link in the chain - a bad recording is harder to tell if something is off in a speaker, for instance) And, of course, the list will change over time - things will get added in and subtracted as your music tastes and collection grows. But be sure not to swap them around so much that you don’t know the music like the back of your hand. It probably shouldn’t be your favorite songs in the world, but it shouldn’t be bad examples of things you don’t like either. And if possible it is best to have a couple of sets of ears at the “audition” to give counterpoint to the whole matter.
What I am looking for in reference music is a song or songs that I know well enough to notice details that are new or different from what I am used to hearing, but not so overplayed in our usual mix that I “fill in the blanks” automatically when I listen on a new piece of equipment. There should also be enough detail that you can actually hear a difference from system to system. I may love Toni Basil’s “Hey Mickey” when I want to embarrass my daughter by car dancing, but there isn’t enough detail and depth to help with any real decision.
As far as bringing things to demo's unless you have made specific arrangements physical media reign supreme. And by this I mean CD's (and sometimes SACD - but make sure they can play them) Some dealers can handle high resolution (like 24bit/96kHz) files, but I have found out not all do - even when they say so over the phone. So bring your CD's. They might be able to handle LP's, but I'd make special arrangement - but there are so many variables involved in turntables, that unless you are trying to demo something to do with turntable, I'd avoid it.
So … after all this lecturing … what is OUR list?
We find that much of our usual listening mix is a combination of vocal and instrumental music. If your tastes tend more toward classical, then of course, put classical in your reference mix. If you are a metal-head, toss in some Metallica. Just choose your songs carefully, grasshopper, and know exactly why you are choosing a particular song so your reference tunes will exercise the equipment and show you where its strengths and weaknesses lay.
Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong’s Ella and Louis [LP, SACD, FLAC] - “Can’t We Be Freinds”, “A Lovely Day” and “Moonlight in Vermont” - they are a variety of fairly close miked voices - we’ve found that if a system can’t get voices to sound real and natural, it won’t do much else right. The recording has enough detail you can get a sense of Louis’ throatiness - and not all stereos will reproduce this.
As I said above, vocal performances are important to us. On this album, both Ella and Louis have rich, complex voices, and the instrumentals support them, rather than compete with them. The best setups make it sound (to me) like Ella and Louis are sitting on stools in the room, singing just for me. Nothing artificial, just phenomenal talent applied to timeless songs.
Mumford and Son’s Sigh No More [LP] - this isn’t the best recording out there, but even so, the best systems give a layered effect with an illusion of some depth - and the massed instruments and singing have some complex passages that can get confused if you aren’t careful. The entire second side including “Little Lion Man” is what we use.
My name is Kathy, and I’m a pop-a-holic. There, I said it. I love pop music, old and new. I can be convinced to listen to lots of hip-hop, too, as long as someone sings on the track at some point. Give me a driving bass beat, and I start car dancing. That being said, we needed something from the pop world, and I am pretty sure Nikki Minaj would make Brent’s head explode. Mumford and Son’s is good middle of the road pop, without the mess of brain-bits all over the stereo.
Genesis A Trick of the Tail [LP, SACD, CD] - “Trick of the Tail” - the treble is tipped up on this, and there are lot of then-relevant-now-cheesy synthesizer effects - but the detail is preserved. If it doesn’t sound a bit bright, something is amiss. If the brightness sounds harsh, then something else is wrong. We have enough discs that have the treble balance off that this is a pretty important test., but this is great to understand the treble performance of a system.
Best. Album. Ever. The title track happens to be my favorite from the album, and I have loved it since the moment I first heard it. On cassette tape. A mix tape, actually, made by my high school boyfriend. He’s been gone for decades, but I have owned this on cassette, LP, CD, SACD, and I ripped it to put on my ipod for when I go for a walk or garden. [B: Which is ... never] Good recordings on great systems will transport me. I know Brent has messed around with our setup (see entry re. those ducky pennies) when he wants me to come listen to it out of the blue. Brent can tell you the technical reasons for things appearing and disappearing in the song, but I can tell you instantly when it is “different” and eventually what is missing, using a total lack of technical terms.
[Am I that transparent? I play that song because you love it!] Mmm Hmmm. Sure.
Peter Gabriel Up [CD/SACD] - the Second track “Growing Up” has a passage in it where a sound engineer adjusts the tone to be about a quarter step down. In a revealing system this is clear as a bell. Most systems gloss over this. Incidentally I discovered this aspect when I was auditioning a great CD player by “YBA” and it was the first time I ever heard that phenomenon. I didn’t buy the CD player - but didn’t achieve that level of tonal distinction until my current CD player. It doesn’t happen on the SACD layer either.
This one is Brent’s song, but I am quite content to listen, too. You know, he was in Genesis. That group that made the Best. Album. Ever. even if he left before they reached that pinnacle of greatness.
[Ahem - Peter Gabriel was the peak of Genesis … it was downhill ever since he left … until they bottomed out with Ssusudio … argh! Heretic!!]
Eric Clapton Unplugged [CD/ALAC] - On the first track, there is a triangle. It sounds mostly soft but
it is clearly distinguishable from the rest of the music - if it is missing then the treble is being rolled off. If it is there, but strong, the treble is tipped up. This is true of the CD or the LP. It was kind of trippy finding it missing on the Rega DAC, but there and at the right level with the Berkeley Audio DAC we now use on the main system. Don’t get me started about the effect of the SPDIF cable on this sonic detail! Sigh... cables. Just Ducky. Please, don’t get him started. You have NO idea.
Eric Clapton could sing the ABC song and I would swoon. This is another album that can show the strengths and weaknesses on vocal performances. It seems to complement the Ella and Louis album nicely when we are listening to new components. I also like to listen for things like the squeak that happens every so often when Eric plays his guitar, as well as the resonance that occasionally shines through from the guitar strings.
Gladiator Soundtrack [CD] I really liked the movie so ran out and got the CD … I ran home and popped in thr CD player and … was disappointed in the muddled mess. Lisa Garrard has a haunting voice and the passages are complex and turned to mush. When I improved my stereo, the CD sounded better and better. This is a great CD that borders on classical, but mostly it is a fun ride that is so complicated that it amounts to a torture track laden disk. We don’t use this a lot - but if you can get through the first few movements and can pick out individual instruments -
and it never turns into a homogenized mess, you have something special on your hands. You will also find that it is a popular “test track CD” with a lot of people for this very reason.
Russel Crowe was made for the taciturn performance required by this movie. He OWNED “stoic” and obviously loved his wife and child. Oh wait. Brent means the movie soundtrack. Not the movie itself. Hmmmm. I don’t know the soundtrack as well as Brent does, but I can usually figure out when something is missing from this performance on a given system.
Esperanza Spaulding Esperanza “I Know You Know” [CD] I saw her live at The Jazz Standard in New York City … and was blown away. I eagerly bought the CD, and popped it into the CD player the hotel room graciously had and was disappointed. When I got home, it was a different story. She is one of the most accomplished bassists who is doing contemporary music. The second track “I know You Know” starts off with a bass line followed by some percussion kicking in - and the rest just flows. If you hear the bass and percussion together perfectly, the system has both good timing and tonality and reasonable bass extension and definition. I will have to say that I like just about everything she does.
This album is a favorite for both of us. I love Esperanza’s voice, and the instrumentalist are top notch. When Brent has fiddled with our setup and improved the sound, each instrument is crisp and clear, and sounds distinctly like the actual instrument. Cymbals have a shiny, shimmery sound, the upright bass strings have some reverb to them, and if the drummer is using brushes, you hear the scratchy sound on the drum head. If the system isn’t up to snuff, these extra details get lost. Find a song that has tiny details that you will recognize, and put it in the stack. Once you get into the more rarefied air of real audiophile systems (as opposed to the “surround in a box” that I had with my ex), you need to be able to detect these small things before plunking down hard-earned cash. Even if it is just a handful of ducky pennies.
Velvet Underground & Nico [LP, SACD, FLAC]
OH DEAR GOD NO!
Best. Album. Ever. If you think it is hard to reproduce someone singing in-key I have this little morsel to throw at you. Lou Reed couldn’t carry a tune if it had a handle on it and Nico isn’t much better. Yet somehow this album is so right. This
isn’t so much for evaluating the sonics for me, but a mind-clearer. Though from the visceral physical negative reaction Kathy had when I played “Heroin” on it - I would never subject her to it again. I think in a short stack, having a palate cleanser is important. If this doesn’t float your boat then something else.
Did you mean Ajax cleanser or palate cleanser? I just would say NO to “Heroin.” Just like Nancy Reagan’s Just Say No campaign suggested. Seriously, I agree with the sentiment that you need something to clear your mind/ears during a serious listening session. My suggestion is to find something in the middle ground if two of you are listening.
So that’s really about it. I think everyone who is evaluating a stereo component of some kind (or even Home theater if you want to get into Blu Ray) should really develop some tools like this to save some money by making sure what you are thinking of buying will do what you want rather than have an ugly surprise after you get something home that turns out makes a mess of your favorite Bruce Springsteen CD’s. Nothing will be perfect - I have yet to find any system at any price that would give a “perfect performance” that would compare favorably to live music - but at least when you swallow hard and hand over hard earned money for a system - at ANY price - you will at least know it’ll be able to keep up with you.
B: “I think we should review one of our favorite albums, like Ella and Louis”
K: “That sounds hard … and I’m not sure a review would work on something we are so familiar with”
B: “It doesn’t have to be very long … but I’d rather start with something like that, otherwise we’ll be reviewing equipment we have purchased - which is kind of … lame”
K: “We do have that thing from the Kickstarter project coming up”
B: “Yeah, we do, but who knows when that’s going to get here”
K: “Well, we could talk about our reference music - explaining why each one is there. That was definitely new to me.”
B: “Hey yeah, that sounds good”
So here we are. And anyone who already has a set of reference songs, you can skip right to the end where we talk about our reference music. If you are scratching your head wondering what we’re talking about, read on ...
And what we mean by “Reference Music” is a small to medium set of songs or albums that you will use to evaluate certain sonic attributes of something you may want to purchase. It’s important that it be music in a genre you like and plan on listening to, too. Some folks use special setup disks with sound effects or test tones or chords or warbles - but honestly, honestly unless this reflects the types of things you will listen to when you relax at the end of the day - save that for special occasions. Like never, and keep it in the back of your closet and never mention it. That’s where I keep mine.
If I had my way, he would keep his collection of Velvet Underground in the closet right along side that disc. Never to see the light of day. Ever. But that is just my opinion, of course.
So - the first thing about reference music is they should be in genres that you like. And they have to be songs you aren’t going to get sick of after a few plays. They should be of reasonable length (more than a minute, less than, say, five) and there have to be sections within it that will help show off or show weakness in a particular system. It should be all reasonably well recorded (you want the recording to be the strongest link in the chain - a bad recording is harder to tell if something is off in a speaker, for instance) And, of course, the list will change over time - things will get added in and subtracted as your music tastes and collection grows. But be sure not to swap them around so much that you don’t know the music like the back of your hand. It probably shouldn’t be your favorite songs in the world, but it shouldn’t be bad examples of things you don’t like either. And if possible it is best to have a couple of sets of ears at the “audition” to give counterpoint to the whole matter.
What I am looking for in reference music is a song or songs that I know well enough to notice details that are new or different from what I am used to hearing, but not so overplayed in our usual mix that I “fill in the blanks” automatically when I listen on a new piece of equipment. There should also be enough detail that you can actually hear a difference from system to system. I may love Toni Basil’s “Hey Mickey” when I want to embarrass my daughter by car dancing, but there isn’t enough detail and depth to help with any real decision.
As far as bringing things to demo's unless you have made specific arrangements physical media reign supreme. And by this I mean CD's (and sometimes SACD - but make sure they can play them) Some dealers can handle high resolution (like 24bit/96kHz) files, but I have found out not all do - even when they say so over the phone. So bring your CD's. They might be able to handle LP's, but I'd make special arrangement - but there are so many variables involved in turntables, that unless you are trying to demo something to do with turntable, I'd avoid it.
So … after all this lecturing … what is OUR list?
We find that much of our usual listening mix is a combination of vocal and instrumental music. If your tastes tend more toward classical, then of course, put classical in your reference mix. If you are a metal-head, toss in some Metallica. Just choose your songs carefully, grasshopper, and know exactly why you are choosing a particular song so your reference tunes will exercise the equipment and show you where its strengths and weaknesses lay.
 | |
| Ella and Louis HOLOGRAM |
Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong’s Ella and Louis [LP, SACD, FLAC] - “Can’t We Be Freinds”, “A Lovely Day” and “Moonlight in Vermont” - they are a variety of fairly close miked voices - we’ve found that if a system can’t get voices to sound real and natural, it won’t do much else right. The recording has enough detail you can get a sense of Louis’ throatiness - and not all stereos will reproduce this.
As I said above, vocal performances are important to us. On this album, both Ella and Louis have rich, complex voices, and the instrumentals support them, rather than compete with them. The best setups make it sound (to me) like Ella and Louis are sitting on stools in the room, singing just for me. Nothing artificial, just phenomenal talent applied to timeless songs.
 |
| Our "Pop-Compromise" |
My name is Kathy, and I’m a pop-a-holic. There, I said it. I love pop music, old and new. I can be convinced to listen to lots of hip-hop, too, as long as someone sings on the track at some point. Give me a driving bass beat, and I start car dancing. That being said, we needed something from the pop world, and I am pretty sure Nikki Minaj would make Brent’s head explode. Mumford and Son’s is good middle of the road pop, without the mess of brain-bits all over the stereo.
Genesis A Trick of the Tail [LP, SACD, CD] - “Trick of the Tail” - the treble is tipped up on this, and there are lot of then-relevant-now-cheesy synthesizer effects - but the detail is preserved. If it doesn’t sound a bit bright, something is amiss. If the brightness sounds harsh, then something else is wrong. We have enough discs that have the treble balance off that this is a pretty important test., but this is great to understand the treble performance of a system.
 |
| Kathy's Favorite Album! |
Best. Album. Ever. The title track happens to be my favorite from the album, and I have loved it since the moment I first heard it. On cassette tape. A mix tape, actually, made by my high school boyfriend. He’s been gone for decades, but I have owned this on cassette, LP, CD, SACD, and I ripped it to put on my ipod for when I go for a walk or garden. [B: Which is ... never] Good recordings on great systems will transport me. I know Brent has messed around with our setup (see entry re. those ducky pennies) when he wants me to come listen to it out of the blue. Brent can tell you the technical reasons for things appearing and disappearing in the song, but I can tell you instantly when it is “different” and eventually what is missing, using a total lack of technical terms.
[Am I that transparent? I play that song because you love it!] Mmm Hmmm. Sure.
 |
| Peter Gabriel Left Genesis Behind ... and good riddance! |
This one is Brent’s song, but I am quite content to listen, too. You know, he was in Genesis. That group that made the Best. Album. Ever. even if he left before they reached that pinnacle of greatness.
[Ahem - Peter Gabriel was the peak of Genesis … it was downhill ever since he left … until they bottomed out with Ssusudio … argh! Heretic!!]
Eric Clapton Unplugged [CD/ALAC] - On the first track, there is a triangle. It sounds mostly soft but
 |
| 1st Track Tells you if treble is balanced! |
it is clearly distinguishable from the rest of the music - if it is missing then the treble is being rolled off. If it is there, but strong, the treble is tipped up. This is true of the CD or the LP. It was kind of trippy finding it missing on the Rega DAC, but there and at the right level with the Berkeley Audio DAC we now use on the main system. Don’t get me started about the effect of the SPDIF cable on this sonic detail! Sigh... cables. Just Ducky. Please, don’t get him started. You have NO idea.
Eric Clapton could sing the ABC song and I would swoon. This is another album that can show the strengths and weaknesses on vocal performances. It seems to complement the Ella and Louis album nicely when we are listening to new components. I also like to listen for things like the squeak that happens every so often when Eric plays his guitar, as well as the resonance that occasionally shines through from the guitar strings.
Gladiator Soundtrack [CD] I really liked the movie so ran out and got the CD … I ran home and popped in thr CD player and … was disappointed in the muddled mess. Lisa Garrard has a haunting voice and the passages are complex and turned to mush. When I improved my stereo, the CD sounded better and better. This is a great CD that borders on classical, but mostly it is a fun ride that is so complicated that it amounts to a torture track laden disk. We don’t use this a lot - but if you can get through the first few movements and can pick out individual instruments -
 |
| Kathy is too busy panting to listen ... |
Russel Crowe was made for the taciturn performance required by this movie. He OWNED “stoic” and obviously loved his wife and child. Oh wait. Brent means the movie soundtrack. Not the movie itself. Hmmmm. I don’t know the soundtrack as well as Brent does, but I can usually figure out when something is missing from this performance on a given system.
Esperanza Spaulding Esperanza “I Know You Know” [CD] I saw her live at The Jazz Standard in New York City … and was blown away. I eagerly bought the CD, and popped it into the CD player the hotel room graciously had and was disappointed. When I got home, it was a different story. She is one of the most accomplished bassists who is doing contemporary music. The second track “I know You Know” starts off with a bass line followed by some percussion kicking in - and the rest just flows. If you hear the bass and percussion together perfectly, the system has both good timing and tonality and reasonable bass extension and definition. I will have to say that I like just about everything she does.
 |
| This is like Kathy's Gladiator but for Brent |
This album is a favorite for both of us. I love Esperanza’s voice, and the instrumentalist are top notch. When Brent has fiddled with our setup and improved the sound, each instrument is crisp and clear, and sounds distinctly like the actual instrument. Cymbals have a shiny, shimmery sound, the upright bass strings have some reverb to them, and if the drummer is using brushes, you hear the scratchy sound on the drum head. If the system isn’t up to snuff, these extra details get lost. Find a song that has tiny details that you will recognize, and put it in the stack. Once you get into the more rarefied air of real audiophile systems (as opposed to the “surround in a box” that I had with my ex), you need to be able to detect these small things before plunking down hard-earned cash. Even if it is just a handful of ducky pennies.
Velvet Underground & Nico [LP, SACD, FLAC]
OH DEAR GOD NO!
Best. Album. Ever. If you think it is hard to reproduce someone singing in-key I have this little morsel to throw at you. Lou Reed couldn’t carry a tune if it had a handle on it and Nico isn’t much better. Yet somehow this album is so right. This
 |
| Kathy Repellent. But Brent's happy place ... |
Did you mean Ajax cleanser or palate cleanser? I just would say NO to “Heroin.” Just like Nancy Reagan’s Just Say No campaign suggested. Seriously, I agree with the sentiment that you need something to clear your mind/ears during a serious listening session. My suggestion is to find something in the middle ground if two of you are listening.
So that’s really about it. I think everyone who is evaluating a stereo component of some kind (or even Home theater if you want to get into Blu Ray) should really develop some tools like this to save some money by making sure what you are thinking of buying will do what you want rather than have an ugly surprise after you get something home that turns out makes a mess of your favorite Bruce Springsteen CD’s. Nothing will be perfect - I have yet to find any system at any price that would give a “perfect performance” that would compare favorably to live music - but at least when you swallow hard and hand over hard earned money for a system - at ANY price - you will at least know it’ll be able to keep up with you.
You know, Kathy, having known my brother for over forty years now, I can tell you that the more you tell him you don't like Velvet Undergroud, the more you say it's the worst thing ever in the history of ever, THE MORE HE WILL WANT TO MAKE YOU LISTEN TO IT.
ReplyDeleteThen again, if you don't tell him that you hate it, he will keep playing it over and over and you will still have to listen to it.
I have no advice here, just...well, I have to be related to him, you CHOSE to marry him. Good luck. :)
I notice you mention a FLAC version of Ella & Louis, as well as an SACD. From what I understand, there have been four SACD reissues of that album (U.S. Verve, a later Japanese Verve with a different mastering, an SHM-SACD, and an Analogue Productions SACD). Which one do you have? And is the FLAC version the 24/96 from HDtracks? How would you compare it to your SACD (whichever version it might be) in terms of sonic quality? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteWe have the HDTracks version in 24/96 FLAC, the Analog Productions SACD, the Analog Productions 45RPM Vinyl version as well. You could say we like this album quite a lot!
ReplyDeleteThe SACD and FLAC are subtlety different but very close. The vocal presence on the FLAC version seems "an inch" back from where the SACD places it. You could argue one way or the other as to which one was "the best" - and some of the differences are small enough that it could be as simple as our disc player vs DAC. Which one do we prefer? The "LP" version actually. The heft and weight of the voice is slightly more "there" than any of the digital ones we have, and given the whole album is supposed to be duets by Ella and Louis, the more of a spotlight on them the better in our estimation.
But for demoing gear, we take the SACD along always - it has a CD layer as well as an SACD layer so it will easily be played, and frankly all 3 version we have are more or less without fault.