What is your test music?

IEMs / Other In-Ear Monitors (IEM)
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When I get a new pair of headphones or new IEMs, I have a list of songs that I typically like to see how well they perform. These are songs that I know the details incredibly well, and they will give me a sense of what they are capable of.

When the Levee Breaks - Led Zeppelin
Ramble On - Led Zeppelin
Mr. Blue Sky - Electric Light Orchestra
Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd
Go Your Own Way - Fleetwood Mac
The Spirit of Radio - Rush
La Villa Strangiato - Rush
The Trooper - Iron Maiden
Roundabout - Yes
Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana

So my question, do you have any songs that you view as your IEM checklist / test ?

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elvis, cant help falling in love: bass guitar/vocals
beastie boys, brass monkey: drums/cymbals
van halen, eruption: guitar/speed
frank sinatra, come fly with me: big band/depth/width/instrument separation

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This both makes sense, and made me chuckle a bit, thanks.

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Does anyone use songs that have things that they know are annoying as test tracks?

For example, I don’t consider myself particularly sensitive, but Letter by Yosi Horikawa’s made my skin crawl the first time I heard it (I don’t remember what chain I was listening on, but it was like nails-on-a-chalkboard bad), and so I use that song as part of my test music now.

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evanescence bring me to life, is almost always going to be shouty so that is my test track for that.

Hiroyuki Sawano Crescent

is another one that is even more shouty (poor mastering) than bring me to life so thats another great one.

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Sengoku Basara, that brings me back also Sawano is amazing his Soul Link OST is one of my favorites.

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Sawano is a god. Love pretty much all his tracks.

Although his earlier ones (like Sengoku Basara) arent that good IMO.

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More songs

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Just to name a few for different purposes:

Bass extension and width:

Separation, imaging, and clarity:

Vocals:

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I just realized just how deep the bass is in Void Walker.

This is how my C93 ii reacts during the first 17 seconds when it’s one solid bass note.

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Not yet fully satisfied with my list, but currently it goes:

  • Bubbles - Yosi Horikawa - Details and imaging
  • Bump - Yosi Horikawa - Bass impact
  • Touch - Marshvil - Bass rumble
  • You want it darker - Leonard Cohen - Low male vocals & Bass
  • Operator - Jim Croce - Guitar and male vocals
  • Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley - Higher male vocals (and I just know the song well)
  • Protagonista - Emma - Female vocals
  • Sultans of Swing - Dire Straits - Guitars and bass (separation and bassbleed)
  • Never going back again - Fleetwood Mac - Guitars and separation)
  • Bijou - Queen - Electric guitar sharpness ( I like it to hurt me a bit)
  • Going to school - John WIlliams & Yo-Yo Ma - Violin
  • Another one bites the dust - Queen - hi-hats
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I think you just brought up a good point, it definitely is and should be a work in progress.

I am really appreciating hearing all the picks that people have, and some of the reasons for them.

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A wee search helps :+1:…the thread has been done a few times…

I just listen to stuff I like and if the replay is good then it’s good :musical_score: :+1:

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