Gabster, I really hope you will soon recommend new songs to us. Your recommendations in this video were just incredible !

Hi there, thank you very much for this, I‘ve already added a couple of songs to my own test-list. Your DIY system looks awesome!

This is an incredible list. Thanks for the new music and introduction to some amazing recordings.

Thank you for sharing this list. It's been great to listen to and the recordings are awesome.

wow, so many great songs and artists I didn't know! Such fantastic production - you are completely right that it showcases good systems! Thank you :)

This track list suggestion was very useful for me, it made it clear that i needed to adjust my bass in dirac (reduce it) Thank you for sharing Gabby

The best part about these videos is- You typically get 10 really good songs (from the video itself), and 50+ more from the “Comments”…. Keep them coming!!

List of Songs 10 Barley by Lizz Wright 9 The Day before you came by ABBA 8 Remember me by Bridges Elver 7 Closer by Ane Brun 6 Fever by Malia 5 Rendez-Vous A Paris by Jean Michael Jarre 4 Autumn Leaves by Eva Cassidy 3 Hush by The Marias 2 Crimson Tide by Hans Zimmer 1 Children Under the Sun by Samuel La Manna

Always good to find new music, thanks for this 👍

Great stuff. Thanks for introducing me to some great music to check out. Cheers from Chicago.

Thank you for sharing. Subscribed for your hard work. As far as the thumbs up is concerned, I was going to wait until I get home and try them on my system frist, but looking over your shoulder I just know they're gonna sound great! Hence the 👍

Nice selection, Gabster. Triste Bahia by Catano Veloso is one of my absolute go-to songs for A-B testing. 1. It's nicely produced 2. It has a wide sound stage with good separation 3. The instruments start off in such a sparse manner that you can hear roll-off, attack etc. Bass isn't widely tested though. 4. It's a bloody good track

Thanks for sharing this list of tracks. It's always refreshing to have "new" recordings by "new" artists recommended rather than the same old predictable dozen or so tracks most folks refer to to. I'll start researching these recommendations immediately!

These recommendations are so helpful! My son introduced me to Eivor a few weeks ago and they are stunning! I'm super happy with my system but I do occasionally audition a track that causes me to question its performance. When that happens, I go back to some really reliable reference recordings, and if those sound right, I know I'm golden. Plus, the sheer pleasure of listening to first rate tracks in terms of both performance and recording is not to be missed. It's all about the music, presented in all its glory. Thanks and cheers! Subscribed, BTW. Also, if you like Hans Zimmer's work, check out Bruno Coulais. The French really understand and value recording and reproduction quality!... as do the South Americans, such as Sera Una Noche, etc.

Nice! Keep sharing tracks and artists you enjoy. Always looking for new artists to enjoy and support.

Thank you. This is going to be helpful! 🙏🏼

Great stuff man! Gonna listen to the entire album each song originally came from. Lizz Wright's Grace is amazing, so far!

Thanks Gabster for your recommendations. I found great new songs for my list. I also envy your audio setup. As many of here I´m also tempted to add some of my favorite songs but don´t want to hijack yours :). Greetings from snowy northern Finland.

I can only say wow!!! Great selection 👍🏼 I only got 2 out of 10 from your list . Amazing choices!

I’ve always used Paul Weller Broken Stones when buying amp, deck or speakers. Will try this new list on my new Naim and B&W’s. Thanks for this list

Thanks for sharing this list. Some great tracks here.

Thank you, this is just what I have been looking for.

A good friend of mine was in business for a while designing and installing home theater systems and he had a mini-theater set up in his commercial office space with speakers hidden behind grille cloth that made up the walls. I had the self-titled EMERSON LAKE & POWELL CD in my car and we threw that on, starting with the first track "The Score." It was an amazing experience. That whole album sounds like it was recorded in a single grand space, as if they were playing live; in fact, it sounds exactly like their video for the track "Touch And Go" looks. But in that demo room "The Score" was simply all-enveloping - three generations' worth of keyboards, massive drumkit with a physically merciless drummer, and a clean-as-can-be bassist with a tremendous singing voice.

Thank you for the wonderful song recommendations and expert insights. Your keen observations about nuisances of the songs really add to the joy of listening to these songs on my HiFi system and helps me appreciate the music and the technology that makes it happen. Keep them coming. God bless.

Thanks for the awesome content! O-Zone Percussion Group - Jazz Variants is very nice too :)

#1 and # 10 are my favorite thank you for sharing!

Thanks for the great finds!

Thank you for this wonderful listing of HiFi Songs. First thing i did was to create a playlist on Spotify and then listen to your observations in the video and play the song. That let's me enjoy there song even better knowing what to expect, the intricacies of the music. This also helped me really appreciate the 5.1 set up that i have at home. Thank you so much. Looking for more recommendations. ❤

I know Spotify isn’t lossless yet but I got myself a Cambridge audio cxn c2 and the upscaling is amazing on it but I found a playlist on there called “Speaker testing tracks” put together by Cambridge audio. Was really a joy hearing them make my speakers sing and definitely worth a listen. Great variation of well recorded tracks.

Thanks, havenm't got past Lizz Wright, new one for me and sounds great and right up my roots street! Look forward to exploring the other 9... Couple of my recommendations: Sara K recordings are incredible, either from her Chesky or Stockfisch labels periods. 'Waterfalls' album and live with Chris Jones are my particular favourites. Stickfisch label 'Closer to the Music' samplers are worth checking out too, featuring Sara, Chris and others

Great News Gabby. Thanks.

great topic, thanks Gabi! I really appreciate your outstanding work! For testing I personally use "Hello" by Evanescence - especially starting from 2:45 - if you turn up volume to the max and sound is clear and not distorted than you have a really good speakers, but I do this kind of testing in the car only, I respect my neighbours too much to do this kind of loud testing at home

Fantastic, Autumn Leaves knocked me out.

That Rendevouz a Paris by JMJ reminds me of Art of Noise. 😉 Good selection over all. Thanks for sharing.

Gabster, a very good all-round smooth playlist. Appreciated. Haters Gona hate. Subscribed.

Great list! Thanks for the video. Subscribed!

Great list! Thanks!

cant wait to listen to these tracks. My dac is at the doctor right now. going thru serious audio system withdraw at the moment. lm listening to music from my TV.

The Crimson Tide soundtrack got me. I listened to it till the end of the track. Now I will have to rewatch the movie again after 28 years!

All the selections are great performances, music voice-on and on. What is played here to test the sound system may be disliked by most listeners, but perform best as tools.

Thank you for introducing me to Hush by The Marias!

Nice list. Another great on is Beck - Where It's At. Incredibly clean music, all different musical sounds.

just found it today .... knew half of the portion, but the other half means some new gems for me .... thx a lot

wow! that's a great list. few new jams, not sure how I didn't know about Lizz Wright.

liked and subscribed, amazing set up.

Love your speakers !

Thanks! The version of these tracks is just as important, please specify, thanks again.

Sharing our favorite music is very much part of the audiophile journey rather than talking about equipment all the time! Eva Cassidy sings a live version of “Over the Rainbow” on “Nightbird” that will give you goosebumps, a corny old song but you will never have heard it sung like this before…….

Trank u a lot für this Video. U have a new Fan. Geräts from Germany 👋

Great many great songs! My go-to songs is: 1 Here’s to life - Antonsen big band. 2 One day you’ll dance for me New York City - Thomas Dybdal 3 Sol - Solar Fields 4 Return to the sauce - infected mushroom.

Thanks for posting this interesting topical video.

You nailed it

Thank you Gabby, diverse and beautiful artistic selection, I have compiled into a playlist for all to enjoy...called Jilted ..because iit is the name of a Christine and the Queens song that I was listening to ...please only click if you have listened to Gabby's complete overview of these 12 tracks 🙏💜🎶🙂❣️

wow you have some amazing gear

@gabster, I have added all the tracks from Tidal and enjoying it a lot. Great job pulling this together.

Thank you. Was watching along with Spotify and copied your selection to try.

Very nice video. Best from Poland.

Thank you. Please more of it. Its very difficult to find good musik.

Great list

There’s only one track i use to demonstrate any decent audio system, it never fails to raise eyebrows, its a Grammy award winning song by the angel voiced ‘Lisa Fischer’ who sang backing for the late great ‘Luther Vandross’, and the track is called “How Can I Ease The Pain”…….. thank me later

1. Arooj Aftab - Baghon Main 2. Bonobo - Emkay 3. Alt-J - Tesselate 4. Sons of Kemet - To Never Forget the Source 5. Melody Gardot - Preacherman 6. The Budos Band - Old Engine Oil 7. Anna von Hausswolff - How Many More of These 8. Yosi Horikawa - Bubbles 9. Ondara - Give Me a Moment 10. Johnny Greenwood - Future Markets A few recent favs! Thanks for sharing, excited to dive in :)

great list

I’m so glad I watched this video. A lot of great new artists to check out. My favorite so far is Eva Cassidy who I was surprised to read lived less than two hours from me. Check out her album ( Acoustic). It’s such a shame she died so young 😢

Nice Selection ..!

The Who, Quadrophenia and Love Reign o’re me - dynamic range, thunderous drums and impeccably recorded too. ❤

Great list - thank you. Does anybody have a similar list with classical music? My experience is that concertos and symphonies can push any system to it's limits.

Some of my favorite rock songs for testing: The Knack - My Sharona -live studio sound. Toni Basil- Mickey . Squeeze - Tempted the remix and Lisa Loeb -Stay- remixes from movie Soundtrack Reality Bites. Pink Floyd- Time and Money from Dark Side of the Moon.. British Import vinyl. Alan Parsons Project- Sirius and Eye in the Sky. Hello- Oh Yeah (Ferris Buehler) . Lou Rawls- You’ll Never Find

Please try these songs, all with impressive sound: 1. The Cousins - Twistin In 2. Rosemary Clooney , Perez Prado- Like a Woman 3. Dead Can Dance - Rakim 4. Bjork - HUman Behaviour 5. Muddy Waters - Country Boy 6. Connie Francis - Solamente Una Vez 7. Tom Jones - Live from Las Vegas

I like the concept that many tunes are needed and correct about poor recordings. Vocals are essential for testing mid. I find electronic instruments are not good tests because they are flat and any depth sound is purely artificial. Electric bass is rather essential to test woofer-mid transition but double/tripple bass is essential to test woofer natural sound delivery. - Only one orchestra? For testing I use acoustic instruments especially for speaker placement and transitions between the speaker components. For testing highs and mids I believe Paul Winter Consort albums are a must especially Kurski Funk (triple bass and amazing clear high percussion). Tommy Emmanuel's albums are exceptionally recorded and give a pure test of mid and mid-high transition.

My go-to songs for system evaluation: Kevin Eubanks - The Heat of Heat Kool & the Gang - Summer Madness Jewel - Serve the Ego Sarah McLachlan - Into the Fire Shawn Colvin - Shotgun Down the Avalanche

Thanks for sharing

appreciate the list. try Harmonium from Quebec. I was stunned by the recording since its from the 70s. hope you don*t mind the french singing.

Emerson, Lake & Palmer's "Lucky Man" was my go-to test song back in the '70s.

Thanks man. Happy New Year! :-)

I have just come across your channel by chance and continually searching for all things music and audiophile related. So glad I did. Music is such a huge part of my life; I was basically born with it in me. Interesting, surprising music, the kind that makes your hairs stand on end is what drives me to continue to search for fascinating music. I love some of your suggestions on this presentation and have already added them to my library. I have subscribed to your channel and will continue to get new ideas. You have given me some great songs; I will offer you two gems in return although I have so many favorites it is always hard to choose. #1 is Paul Mealor's 'A Tender Light' (song #4) 'Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal'. Uncompressed there are huge volume changes, but the fidelity, the huge soundstage of the recording of this madrigal, and the vocal harmonies are 'hair rasing'. #2 at the total other of the music spectrum is Darj. This is extreme low-bass electronica with lots of pops, crackles, and percussive surprises. The album is "Low Voltage Vol. 27" and the song is 'Journey'. It's a treat for your ears and a great test for your sound system or headphones. Happy listening!

Gabster, I truly enjoy your videos. Your song suggestions are all excellent. Please tell me, did you recommend Lyn Stanley's Bye Bye Blackbird? I am searching for that video. Thanks

Thank you for the list. It led to so many other good music. You might like Agnes Obel Familiar of her Album Citizen of Glass

Mighty Sam McClain: “Give It Up To Love.” it is a super high quality recording by Audioquest. On inferior quality equipment, Sam‘s voice sounds thin and scratchy, and it is only on better quality equipment, that the true richness and power of his voice comes out; although not well-known outside of the blues genre, McClain may be the finest male blues singer of all time. Back in the 1990s I was demoing some compact systems at Circuit City for my wife with the song, and two teenagers came up to me and asked for the name of the album they liked it so much.

Tin Pan Alley SRV from Couldn't Stand the Weather.... the best recording I have ever heard.

My top recordings Runrig - Mighty Atlantic Jennifer Warnes - Famous blue raincoat Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms Eagles - Hotel California (live from hell freezes over album) Johnny Cash - Unchained album Jameroqui - travelling without moving Eva Cassidy - Live at Blues Alley Jacques Loussier - air on a g string Best streaming quality - Amazon music ultra HD, yes better than tidal. KZfaq, Spotify etc are just not cut out for high listening, zero sound staging from mp3s.

Settle in in front of your sound system, turn the lights down a bit, close your eyes and play "What A Wonderful World" by Eva Cassidy from her album Live At Blues Alley. Pure bliss...it doesn't get any better than that.

@Gabster Look for Joni Mitchell's "Just Like This Train" (Acoustic Live track in the KCRW radio station studio in Santa Monica, CA). It is on the *KCRW Rare On Air Vol. 2* CD. Phenomenal performance and excellent recording.

Thanks for the tips….of course the music quality would be depending from the source of tracks download. What’s the best digital download there is on the net? Apple Music, Spotify or TIDAL for example?

Thanks To You - Box Scaggs

A few songs I've become partial to... So lonely (the police), Stereo (pavement), As (Stevie Wonder) Deja vu (csny), Down to Zero (Joan Armatrading).

'base' - the lowest part or edge of something, especially the part on which it rests or is supported. 'bass' - deep or grave in tone

Great suggestions. Some of my favorites are from Gino Vitelli, especially “Powerful People” and “People Gotta Move”. Superb dynamic range, seperation and just incredible recordings. Not heavy on bass but will demonstrate how good an😊 amp/speaker system really is…

Hush by Marías is recorded in spatial audio (Dolby ATMOS) Hmmm, okay. Did some research. Music is being released with both Stereo & ‘Spatial’ (Dolby ATMOS) versions mastered. That is, from the base recording tracks… sound engineers are producing 2 versions. Stereo & Spatial. So, it’s not wrong to listen to Stereo where spatial exists… though it can be a very different listening experience. Sometimes the Spatial version is significantly more interesting… ie. Lotsa Billie Elish stuff. Original Pink Floyd Time (Original quadraphonic) … Sometimes the stereo is superior. Ideally they’re both attempting to accomplish the same thing… wonderful staging.

Thanks

I once played Pink Floyd’s “Time” on a pair of Klipschorns.

Hello Gabby, enjoy your channel and wanted to thank you for these music selections. In particular, Ms. Eva Cassidy, whom i had been completely unaware of. Such a wonderful voice and guitarist. So sad that she passed away at such a young age. Appreciate your narrative and knowledge🤙

I would also credit the mastering on top of the recording for these tracks❤

Nicely Done. You had me with the first song Barley. But you lost me on the last song "Children under the star" at 8:10 in your video you talk about great vocals. Maybe my system can't pick up the vocals if they are in the way way way way background. If you didn't mention it I would of not known any vocals were on this track. Maybe I missed something or the amazon streaming version is different :)

Just looking at your DIY gear, modern and digital - it seems like I'm dealing with a trustworthy pro, not an audio-voodoo camp ;) DYI audio FTW! I'll definitely check my gear with the songs you recommend. BTW, nice choice, I already know some of them. My recommendation is "Final Cut" by Pink Floyd, the fragment with a gunshot. There is a huge difference in how it sounds on different systems. As I learned listening to it on very good speakers - the author's intention was to shake and even scare the listener. The gunshot is expected to make you jump startled. It comes suddenly after the quietest part of the song. On a bad system it's just a sound, on a good system it's very realistic. It really moves you. It tests mainly the dynamics, is the system capable of delivering content with a large difference in volume. Also - if the listening environment is right, because unnecessary reflections ruin fast transitions and soften them to a point of simply loosing some otherwise very audible details.

your gear and set up is crazy, how much did all of that cost?

btw, that DAC/streamer is elegant.

You have to like the music Traffic - Low Spark, John Barleycorn Steely Dan - Aja side 1 Joni Mitchell Hejira Bill Evans - Sunday Night At the Village Vanguard Duke Ellimgtom - Masterpieces at Midnight

I will add to the list of great songs, Bellavia by Chuck Mangione, my all time favorite song

Planet dada buy yello also great , the boris blank track is fantastic too

The Abba Gold album is the anniversary edition, not the regular Abba Gold. The edition with this song has 59 songs on it.