Often when someone demos or tests the capabilities of a home audio system or home theater system, they will use a song or a movie clip. The problem with this for music lovers, movie lovers, as well as audiophiles and videophiles, is a single song or movie clip doesn’t completely represent the intent of the content creator or the capabilities of the system components.
For those willing to make the investment in time, there are plenty of records that make for perfect home audio demo. Classic examples are AC/DC’s Back in Black, Michael Jackson’s Thriller, Who’s Next from The Who, Metallica’s “Black” album and the debut Boston record. There are of course—more perfect records that combine the attributes that audiophiles love— with great songs, as well as many great movies for those willing to invest a couple of hours into an immersive audio movie soundtrack or HDR encoded video.
In asking some of the home AV market’s most experienced professionals for some of their favorite records and movies, we put together this list of albums to use to demo a home audio system. (We also have this list of preferred audio tracks from popular music educator, Rick Beato, to demo on home audio systems.)
One of the obvious perfect records according to Richard Charschan, president of Long Island-based AcousticSmart, is Steely Dan Aja for the incredible mix, tight bass and kick drum, and incredible guitar work. “Hey Nineteen” (another Steely Dan recording) and Aja, are great demos to break in your new speakers he notes.
“A lesser known one that’s more fun to listen to: I love the Doobie Bros new quadraphonic mixes on Blu- ray: Listen to the album, What Were Once Vices are Now Habits,” comments the president of AcousticSmart.
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“Check out the incredible mix of the stereo guitars and acapella vocals on “Black Water.” It will blow you away giving your speakers a nice workout. The Doobie Bros album Stampede is also another great album from start to finish in the quadraphonic mix on Blu-ray. Check out “Neils Fandango”and the rest of the album it is really a perfect record.”
For the Beatles, Charschan continues by explaining he prefers the latest remixed version of Yellow Submarine. The new mix took the original separated fake stereo mixes and made it into a beautiful analog mix that really makes the music sound fresh and vivid he says.
“The drums and bass are mixed correctly along with the vocals, which are now centered instead of the left speaker and puts you into the center of the music,” he points out. “My favorites are the lesser-known cuts … “Baby you’re a Rich Man” is fantastic with a super cool bass riff; the drum opening and “Hey Bulldog” sounds better than ever.”
Walter Schofield, an ardent audiophile and founder and president of Nexus Audio Technologies says that an album that he returns to often for system demos due to its pioneering nature that combines elements of the blues, classical, ambient, jazz and dub, is the Talk Talk album, Spirit of Eden. “It is a brilliant concept album that draws you into the music and it also sounds very good,” he recommends.
Aldo Filippelli has had a long career in the audiophile side of the home electronics industry–with him currently serving as the CEO of Luxury Audio Group–and citing the first album from the iconic band Black Sabbath, the industry veteran points out the British band’s perfect record.
“It was a masterpiece of rock for the time. A completely new, heavy and raw sound and what would later be called heavy metal. ‘Black Sabbath,’ ‘The Wizard’ and ‘NIB’ are iconic songs that carved the way and help secure the band as the godfathers of metal,” he emphasizes.
One of the most technically adept dealers in the U.S., Robert Zohn and the Value Electronics team are recognized by experts that include Joel Silver of the Imaging Science Foundation and Jason Dustal of Murideo, for their video expertise. Talking about demo music, Zohn says when demonstrating vinyl Value Electronics goes to perfect records such as the Roy Orbison Album, Black & White, and the song, “Blue Bayou.”
Another very good audio demonstration choice; is streaming via the TIDAL app for the very enjoyable song “Liberty,” by Annete Askvik.
“We have a nice collection of vinyl and SACDs, CDs and TIDAL’s premium streaming service, and we ask our clients what they would like to hear for our audio demo,” he adds. “We can play content that they are familiar with and like.
Jason Zidle, brand manager at Lenbrook, points out that streaming services have made it easy to cherry pick tracks, so relying on full albums has become less common. When Zidle worked in retail he recalls, it seemed like everyone had copies of Eric Clapton’s Unplugged, the Eagles’ Hell Freezes Over, and various albums by Holly Cole or Diana Krall.
Offering some alternative choices for some newer perfect records Zidle may shock some older audiophiles.
“Now, I have a collection of demo tracks from a wide range of artists, with rarely more than one track from the same artist. The exception for me would be Billie Eilish for a couple of reasons: Her music is exceptionally well recorded, and I enjoy playing modern tracks that can attract a younger crowd to the demo room. ‘Happier Than Ever’ is my go-to album by her, and “Billie Bossa Nova” is my favorite track. I like a lot of Ed Sheeran, too,” he points out.
Zidle’s other go-to track, he says, is Love, by the Beatles.
“It features tracks that most people have encountered at some point in their lives, but with a refreshing twist,” he says. Like Charschan, Zidle also states the acapella performances are breathtaking and the occasional bird sounds add a lifelike quality that encourages the audience to look up and around the room.
“Following that, I like to play a revamped version of ‘Here Comes the Sun,’ which has a notably different introduction. Then comes one of the most iconic guitar riffs and exemplary stereo imaging in music history. The soundstage begins in an intimate manner and then expands, making everyone start tapping their toes. Every time I play it, someone inevitably says, ‘I’ve never heard it like that before,’ and they add it to their own playlist,” he adds.
Moving on into CE Pro staff picks, web editor Nick Boever says The Gorillaz have always been known for playing with eclectic sounds on their albums and Demon Days sits as quite possibly one of their most iconic works.
“Songs such as ‘Dirty Harry,’ ‘Feel Good Inc.’ and ‘DARE’ sit as some of the highlights of the work with the first of the trio offering up some some beautiful vocals from the children’s choir. Even the more subdued portions like ‘Fire Coming Out of the Monkey’s Head’ provide some interesting atmospheric elements, such as touches of wind and haunting harmonies that intermingle with the spoken word narration,” he comments.
Describing the Typhoon album, Boever notes this record is structured like its own creation myth, telling a story across each of its songs, with much of that story playing out in the structuring of the soundscapes. Offerings presents high highs and low lows as intense orchestral arrangements weave themselves around driving rock segments and sentimental piano performances.
“Given its subject matter, the songs are beautifully interwoven with one another through plenty of leitmotifs and often employ chanting, hymnals and other haunting audio elements that, when listened to through the right system, really place you in the heart of it. It’s an album you’re going to want to listen to from start to finish to really get the whole experience, though.”
Moving on to his last pick, Boever declares the album Perihelion by Sungazer a “must-listen” for anyone that’s a fan of jazz.
“Perihelion definitely leans more into the jazz and electronic elements of their sound, and that realization starts off strong with the opening song ‘Threshold’ as false starts and riffs climb into one mighty crescendo to start off the album. Songs like ‘Macchina’ also add in more lo-fi elements that give your speakers a chance to simulate the crackle of older equipment before swapping over into a clearer mixing of the same song. It’s simultaneously trippy and energetic.”
Editor-in-chief Arlen Schweiger has been an audio guy since he began working for CE Pro a couple of decades ago, and he says the Sting album sounds about as crisp and dynamic as you can get.
“Listen to ‘Englishman in New York’ and prepare for the section that segues from a little jazz to some booming drums before returning to the main song structure. Check out ‘Fragile’ for its beautiful Flamenco guitar picking,” he comments.
Talking about the Taylor Swift perfect record choice, Schweiger suggests that pop music is an underrated category for demos, whether it’s 1980s tunes or current music. Citing some standout tracks from the record Schweiger notes that “You Need to Calm Down” features some incredibly deep bass and layered chorus that make for an intense combination. Play “Death by a Thousand Cuts” – especially a high-res version – to hear wonderful imaging and piano accompanying Swift’s sweet voice as another standout song on the record.
CE Pro’s editor-in-chief emphasizes that you can’t have an audio demo without arguably the most popular album of all-time.
“Right from the heartbeats that open the album into the ethereal vibe of ‘Speak to Me/Breathe’ and into songs that blend wild sound and vocal parts with sublime instrumentation. The production value and stereo effects of ‘Time,’ “The Great Gig in the Sky,’ and ‘Money’ will wow listeners,” stresses Schweiger.
Our senior editor Zachary Comeau is a metalhead, but he, like Boever, is young and both listen to a variety of music beyond their respective go-to music categories.
Commenting on the Nas album Comeau says that from the moment Illmatic begins, the warm and effortless sound pulls you in, the jazz-infused samples feel alive, the drums hit with crisp precision, and Nas’s endlessly flowy rhymes cut through with raw clarity.
“Throughout the album, but notably on ‘N.Y. State of Mind,’ listeners can hear every detail, from the deep basslines to the subtle vinyl crackle,” he points out.
Summarizing the classic RATM perfect records album, Comeau states that from the first note in “Bombtrack,” Rage Against the Machine’s debut album hits like a force of nature.
“Anyone will have a hard time sitting still while listening to this album on a Hi-Fi system thanks to Tom Morello’s crisp, punchy, and dare we say groovy guitar riffs and Zach de la Rocha’s aggressive vocals,” says Comeau.
For my own personal picks, what more can be said about Back in Black. There is no question this AC/DC classic is a perfect record. Just listen to the radio and you’ll hear the title track, as well as “You Shook Me All Night Long,” “Hells Bells” or any song from the record, or look at the record sales of the band’s first record with singer Brian Johnson.
Back in Black is great from the first song to the last song, and within those songs are audiophile traits including great drum sounds, great guitar tones, and Johnson’s screeching vocals. The songs are also a collection of fantastic Malcom Young groovy riffs and Angus Young’s vocal-like guitar solos to make rock fans happy while simply pleasing to casual listeners. One song that particularly stands out is the song “Back in Black.” This song features space to let Malcom’s riff’s breath, as well as a sparse drum part that is behind the beat and during the first solo section there is an unbelievable groove that sucks listeners in who are trying to focus on that groove while Angus plays a great solo over that groove.
Admittedly I don’t listen to a lot of pop music, but when my college-age daughter sent me a clip of Chappell covering Heart’s “Barracuda,” I decided to check out more of her music. From there I’ve become a huge fan of Miss Roan’s (a stage name like David Bowie or Alice Cooper) through her enormous talent and rock-star attitude, which are on full display on her perfect album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess.
I love the Dolby Atmos version, which is available from Apple Music, which I listen to with either a set of Sonos Ace headphones or via my Apple TV 4K and sonically, the album is a treasure trove of classic 80s synthesizer sounds, hooky dance beats, beautifully played piano-based ballads, and for fair warning purposes, adult-themed lyrics that I believe resonate with young people.
My favorite tracks, include “Red Wine Supernova” and “Casual.” For system demo purposes, the tracks “My Kink is Karma” and “Pink Pony Club” incorporate deep synthesizer textures, a mix of acoustic and electronic drums (they may be loops). “Pink Pony Club” even includes a couple of great melodic guitar solos.
One more thing I’d like to add about Roan and her talent and attitude, is as a live performer she plays with a drummer, guitar player and bass player. There are no dancers and other than some keyboard tracks, the band is absolutely live, which is a rarity in the world of pop music today.
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