What's a good song to show off my PC's sound system?

[Poolman]

Somebody on napster has got to reading this thread, I'm uploading all the songs listed here.

 

[MaxFPS]

Wingznut PEZ,
Have you played "Smack My B1tch Up" by Prodigy yet? That song kicks ass!

 

[Toonces311]

Rush, Tom Sawyer

 

[Trashman]

How bout getting in the XMAS spirit...Trans-Siberian Orchestra-Christmas Eve/Sarajevo.

 

[GTaudiophile]

Take it from a BA4800 owner...

Anything by Loreen McKennitt
The Corrs - Everybody Hurts, Heaven Knows, Hurt Before, One Night, Radio, Rebel Heart, Somebody for Someone
Chet Atkins & Tommy Emmanuel - Waltzing Matilda
Anything from Alanis Morisette's Unplugged album
Boyz II Men - Pass You By
Babyface - Everytime I Close My Eyes
John Secada - Just Another Day
October Project - Return to Me
Sarah McLachlan - Angel, I Will Remember You, Witness
Celine Dion & R Kelly - I'm Your Angel
Run Lola Run soundtrack - Track #06, Running Three
Nelly - Country Grammar
Bone Thugs 'N Harmony - Crossroads
The Untouchables - Death Theme (piano version)
Sling Blade Soundtrack - Omni and The Maker

I could go on...

 

[miniMUNCH]

I do a significant amount of sound and audio work, manily as a hobby...and the great test pieces for a sound system (receiver and speakers) In my own silly opinion are:

1) Crystal Method - Vegas Album (all songs) - great dynamic range, many precise spatial sound effects

2) Bach's Tocotta and Fugue - someone already mentioned it above

3) 2001 Theme - can't believe this wasn't already mentioned guys?! Come on!!

4) Some more good Baroque music like Vivaldi's Four Seasons - violins are a great test of mid range fidelity

 

[spamboy]

A Dave Matthews Band song from an album is an exellent choice because their songs are very clear and mixed perfectly. To test their clarity under a heavy load, pop in "quiet" by The Smashing Pumpkins. Listen to it on the best headphones you can lay your hands on and find the part in one of the bridges where his voice is chanting in the background. If you can hear it behind the wall of distorted guitars on your speakers and sound card, you have a damn clear system. Let's put it this way: I have seen $1000 speakers and amplifiers fail this test. The only speakers that have ever passed are Bose Acoustimass speaker systems (so that's what I own!). Haha, I just love being able to make people's ears bleed with speakers smaller than cheap passive computer speakers. Fit in the palm of your hand and handle a hundred watts without flinching.

 

[piku]

Really, try Prodigy!

 

[Insomnium]

Rob D - Clubbed to Death off the Matrix Soundtrack will sound great.
Other than that, can't beat Pink Floyd - The Wall, Dark Side of The Moon, and Pulse should all sound awesome on your sweet setup.

 

[pdo]

2 Live Crew-Me so Horny

 

[deadlock]

Stone Temple Pilots - Interstate Love Song

Crank it up nice and loud.

Quite different, but you also might want to consider "Speechless" by Steven Curtis Chapman - has quite a number of nicely arranged instrumentation in the song and it's recorded pretty well. Good enough for a nice show of the ability of the system.

And don't you dare play MP3 as a demo. Get the CD.

 

[S0me1X]

If you enjoy classical music:

Chopin (Scherzi, Ballads, Nocturnes, Etudes, anything) - Pollini is my favorite chopin player.

Rachmaninoff's Third Piano Concerto- must get Horowitz 51, Earl Wild, or Thibaudet

Rachmaninoff's 2nd Piano Concerto- there are many good recordings of this piece, among them is Richter's performance.

Beethoven's 5th Piano Concerto

Tchaikovsky's First Piano Concerto - Argerich, Van Cliburn, etc.

Elgar Cello Concerto - Du Pre or Yo-Yo Ma both made fine recordings of this concerto

Dvorak Cello Concerto

Violin Concertos:
Mendelssohn, Beethoven, Brahms, Sibelius, and Tchaikovsky all composed fine Violin Concertos. Look for performances by Heifetz, Kreisler, Perlman, et al.

 

[S0me1X]

ditto on Mr. Tambourine Man.... that song kicks ass
LOL

 

[chiwawa626]

E.I. By Nelly is very good to show off any system, it makes even a 1992 stock camery system sound tight....try it out should bump

 

[CalebTG]

Country Grammar has more bump (requires more out of a speaker set) that EI, but If he wants to take the Rap route, which he said he didn't, Crossroads by Bone Thugs would be above Nelly anyday. I'd really like to hear any remarks of the Techmaster Ultimate Bass Test on any of these computer speakers sets at high volume. I need bass, and every set I've tried has failed this test (distortion, etc...) at fair to loud volumes.

 

[Wingznut]

Ok, I checked out that Prodigy song.

"Hey, I've got a great idea for a song! Let's manufacture something where all the kiddies with their l337 Honda Civic can drive around and annoy everyone!"

 

[piku]

LOL!!!!

hehe. I like the song

 

[CalebTG]

LOL

Actually, I never thought I'd vouch for a ford product before, but I love the trunk my 92 Taurus had (too bad the engine and transmission needed to be replaced twice before I got rid of it). But none the less, the trunk was very nice Those damn honda's are too small

 

[Jumpem]

Metallica - Enter Sandman

 

[CalebTG]

I can't believe I forgot to mention it, but If you have The Matrix on DVD, play the Lobby Enterence scene, it is AWESOME!

 

[Technonut]

Try out STYX Suite Madame Blue, and Crystal Ball if you can find them.

 

[Sugadaddy]

If you have 17 minutes to spare, NOFX - The Decline

 

[Wingznut]

Actually, I'm not too interested in "bump", as I am getting songs that fill the entire range.

 

[CalebTG]

I understand, but I'd like to hear your thoughts on the Techmaster Ultimate Subwoofer Bass Test and mid to high volume That was a major inspiration for me to continue using my 5.1 stereo (with a set of 12" speakers) and stay away from computer speakers.

[not to mention that my stereo kicks the hell out of all computer speakers in volume]

 

[nuttervm]

amazingly i agree with most of what was posted, except dave matthews and most rap... booo!

my favorites among those listed:
crystal method - vegas
anything by pink floyd
trans siberian orchestra