When it comes to electronics, consumers should do some research before buying. In addition to comparing technical specifications, you may also want to see which stores offer the best prices and read various test reviews online to understand people’s overall satisfaction with a specific product. Once you’ve whittled your list down to just a few, it’s time to do some proper review yourself to see which product best suits your preferences and needs. You can do this through a platform with a solid return policy or by doing some testing in person at a physical store.
Don’t know which one to buy? 5 recommended tracks that are most suitable for testing headphones and speakers
If you’re considering purchasing a pair of headphones or speakers, the most direct and effective way to gauge the sonic range of a device versus the overall sound quality it can deliver is to play music and pay attention to how it sounds. While playing your favorite music sounds like a good starting point, some music tracks have certain qualities that provide consumers with a way to test various frequencies. This time I recommend 5 tracks that you can try before buying.
Elevate – St. Lucia
The song starts with a powerful combination of mellotron, drums, and other guitar effects of varying levels. The same rhythm can be heard throughout the song, with the male vocals in the middle and around the 2-minute mark, with the female vocalist taking on a softer, higher range. There’s a moment in the middle of the 5-minute song where a layer of synth effects mid-section gives the bass drum room to breathe and become the focus of the track. If the headphones you’re testing work well, you should be able to hear very faint sounds from underneath. The song slowly escalates into a fan-grade masterpiece, followed by the orchestra’s wind section, which roundes out the overall sound. All in all, this upbeat song lives up to its name, covering high, mid, and low frequencies effectively, and of course boosting it to put you in a good mood.
Teardrop – Massive Attack
If you happen to be a fan of House, the 2004 medical drama starring Hugh Laurie, you might recognize this song as the show’s theme song. The heartbeat-like intro, which has become a good indicator of the bass level of an audio device, is followed by a basic keyboard riff that starts quietly but gradually builds up. The sound then merges dramatically into the background as an ethereal female voice joins in. The interplay of the various instruments and vocals should sound cohesive through a good set of headphones or speakers, but at the same time, the listener should be able to hear each instrument clearly.
The song has many quiet and loud parts and should satisfy the testing requirements of most audio equipment. In fact, in online discussions among sound engineers, many suggested using tracks from English trip-hop bands as good soundcheck tracks. Maybe it’s because the band’s style (a fusion of hip-hop and electronic music) should cover all frequencies well, or because most of their tracks have dynamic musical effects. Regardless, “Teardrop” is a great tune that should sound great on headphones or speakers.
Theme From Jurassic Park – John Williams
Generally speaking, it is a good choice to test the performance of headphones and speakers and the overall sound quality by playing a piece of classical music. This genre has many tracks that feature orchestras with different instrument sections. Instrumentally diverse songs are a great way to sample a variety of frequencies, which is something you’ll definitely want to do before buying headphones or speakers.
You really can’t go wrong with classical music. Play any works by Vivaldi, Mozart, Chopin, Debussy, etc., and you will get a very good performance. If you want something more modern and appropriate to pop culture, any orchestral arrangement by the famous American composer and conductor John Williams would be a good choice of test piece. It would be a riot in public when you try to blast the “Imperial March” from Star Wars through the speakers you’re considering, but for young passers-by the less horrifying theme song from the classic film “Jurassic Park” is a great (and nostalgic) track.
Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen
Rock is another music genre that’s a great choice for testing speakers or headphones. Depending on the instruments being played and the vocal range of the singers in the band, you should be able to hear an even distribution of sound frequencies. You’ll want to listen to a song that at least has a nice bass line, a solid guitar riff (bonus points if it has a catchy solo), and a lead singer with a wide range. For these reasons, Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody absolutely needs to be on the test track list. It’s a fusion of deep drums, haunting piano and guitar parts, and the vocal talents of frontman Freddie Mercury (now deceased). Both quiet and noisy to make your tracks sound dynamic, and you even get beautiful harmonies covering a variety of vocal ranges as a bonus. If you only have time to listen to one song before buying headphones and speakers, then choose this one!
https://youtu.be/fJ9rUzIMcZQ?si=i9IK4fjovqmxEBYA
Dreams – Fleetwood Mac
Another favorite among sound system professionals is Fleetwood Mac. The band’s 1977 album Rumors was highly regarded in the music industry for its clever remixes, a live version of which was also recently released, is currently getting a lot of plays on Spotify, and is overall an excellent album. If you’re looking for a song to listen to, there’s the beloved and widely reported “Dreams,” which went viral in 2020 thanks to the popularity of TikTok.
It begins with a clear and powerful bass line and appropriately dreamy vocals from Stevie Nicks. The treble is clear and crisp, which is a good indicator of the treble quality of any headphones or speakers. As each instrument comes in and the harmony kicks in, you enjoy the combination of all frequencies while also being able to clearly hear each element, even if they are played at the same time, Bravo.
Source: KOCPC Chinese