Skip to content

Instantly share code, notes, and snippets.

@jeongho

jeongho/jp-reference-track.md

Last active June 29, 2025 13:56
Show Gist options

  • Select an option

    Learn more about clone URLs
  • Save jeongho/0f2d84293c8d2f191bdcac40291c4f88 to your computer and use it in GitHub Desktop.

Select an option

Learn more about clone URLs
Save jeongho/0f2d84293c8d2f191bdcac40291c4f88 to your computer and use it in GitHub Desktop.
Download ZIP
Raw
jp-reference-track.md

🔗 tinyurl.com/jp-reference-track

Ultimate Audiophile Reference Playlist

A carefully curated collection of 22 reference tracks for evaluating audio equipment, organized by sonic characteristics and musical genres.

Vocals/Jazz

  1. "Spanish Harlem" - Rebecca Pidgeon (The Raven)

    • Test for: precise vocal imaging, microphone quality
    • Listen for: voice placement, breath control, consonant detail

  2. "Peel Me A Grape" - Diana Krall (Love Scenes)

    • Test for: vocal clarity, nuance, microphone technique
    • Listen for: intimate vocals, piano hammer action, bass definition

  3. "The Look Of Love" - Diana Krall (The Look Of Love)

    • Test for: intimate vocal presence, acoustic space
    • Listen for: vocal breathiness, bossa nova rhythm detail

  4. "Come Away With Me" - Norah Jones (Come Away With Me)

    • Test for: warm vocal texture, natural timbre
    • Listen for: subtle vocal inflections, acoustic guitar resonance

  5. "At Last" - Etta James

    • Test for: dynamic vocal range, vintage recording quality
    • Listen for: emotional delivery, orchestral backing clarity

Jazz/Classical

  1. "Take Five" - Dave Brubeck (Time Out)

    • Test for: instrument separation, acoustic space
    • Listen for: saxophone reed detail, cymbal decay, piano harmonics

  2. "The Man I Love" - Tete Montoliu

    • Test for: piano timbre accuracy, harmonic complexity
    • Listen for: piano hammer action detail, sustain pedal use, intimate recording space

  3. "Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major" - Bach (Unaccompanied)

    • Test for: tonal accuracy, single instrument reproduction
    • Listen for: cello resonance, bow texture, harmonic overtones

  4. "Rhapsody in Blue" - Gershwin

    • Test for: dynamic range, orchestral scale
    • Listen for: pianissimo to fortissimo transitions, instrument placement

Rock/Progressive

  1. "Paranoid Android" - Radiohead (OK Computer)

    • Test for: complex layering, production techniques
    • Listen for: section transitions, guitar textures, vocal effects

  2. "Money" - Pink Floyd (Dark Side of the Moon)

    • Test for: soundstage width and imaging, stereo effects
    • Listen for: cash register positioning, bass lines, saxophone detail

  3. "Hotel California" - Eagles (Hell Freezes Over/Live On MTV, 1994)

    • Test for: spatial cues, acoustic instrument reproduction
    • Listen for: guitar harmonics, percussion detail, audience ambience

Electronic/Production

  1. "Angel" - Massive Attack (Mezzanine)

    • Test for: bass extension, sub-bass control
    • Listen for: deep bass texture, midrange clarity despite bass weight

  2. "Giorgio by Moroder" - Daft Punk (Random Access Memories)

    • Test for: production clarity, electronic textures
    • Listen for: spoken word clarity, synthesizer separation, drum dynamics

  3. "Left Alone" - Airixis

    • Test for: spatial imaging, electronic detail
    • Listen for: layered textures, frequency separation, digital precision

  4. "These Bones" - The Fairfield Four

    • Test for: vocal harmony separation, a cappella purity, tonal balance transition
    • Listen for: individual voices in group harmony, chest voice resonance, acoustic space

  5. "Bubbles" - Yosi Horikawa (Wandering)

    • Test for: binaural imaging, sound field recreation
    • Listen for: 3D positioning, micro-details, natural sound effects

  6. "Limit to Your Love" - James Blake

    • Test for: sub-bass test, silence between notes
    • Listen for: controlled bass drops, vocal intimacy, piano resonance

Fusion/Complex

  1. "Aja" - Steely Dan (Aja)

    • Test for: recording perfection, studio techniques
    • Listen for: drum solo detail, instrumental layering, production clarity

  2. "Temptation" - Diana Krall (The Girl In The Other Room)

    • Test for: spatial positioning, vocal and instrumental balance
    • Listen for: piano dynamics, percussion placement, vocal presence

  3. "No habrá nadie en el mundo" - Buika (Niña de Fuego)

    • Test for: vocal texture, emotional delivery
    • Listen for: flamenco influences, vocal grain, guitar detail

  4. "California Dreamin'" - Diana Krall (Wallflower)

    • Test for: arrangement detail, modern production
    • Listen for: vocal layers, instrumental separation, dynamic control

How To Use This Playlist

  • Listen on a system you know well first to establish a baseline
  • When evaluating new equipment, focus on the tracks that highlight relevant characteristics
  • Pay attention to both technical aspects and emotional engagement
  • Compare different versions of tracks when available (e.g., studio vs. live)
  • Listen at moderate volumes to avoid hearing fatigue

Playlist curated for audiophile evaluation across various genres and recording techniques

Sign up for free to join this conversation on GitHub. Already have an account? Sign in to comment