# Good songs to test a car stereo?



## happydude (Oct 15, 2007)

I was driving the Rav4 and heard Bloodhound Gang's 'Bad Touch' come on and thought, 'I judge myself for having this on my IPod but at the same time, it sounds even worse on this system'. Being in the vehicle market, testing the sound system is part of my process. I'm not one of those guys who has to have an aftermarket system, in fact I dislike those people because "I don't want to hear your god damn rap or whatever the hell else you're playing in your Civic 1/2 mile away". My cash is going to be spent on a nice set of BFG mud terrains or something like that. Ahem, in any event I want a half decent system that is, above all else, clear. Seems like anything with heavy distortion or bass the Rav4's system can't handle. The bulk of my music comes through a radio transmitter through my IPod but I'm thinking of burning a CD with a few songs for clarity. The Malibu I usually drive is much better for clarity, but the bass sucks.

Looking for suggestions for no more than 5 songs and from a variety of genres. I'm having a hard time picking something with a lot of bass since I really don't listen to rap, and I don't feel like blasting Bad Touch during a test drive.

So far I'm thinking
-Pearl Jam - Alive
-B&D - Boot Scootin
-Blink 182 - All the Small things
-Kim Mitchell - Go for a Soda
-The Hip - Blow at High Dough


----------



## Andy (Sep 23, 2007)

One thing with many car stereos is that they have a built-in loudness curve -- the mids are completely sucked out when the EQ is flat. Yes, it sounds wicked when you're sitting in the lot, but it's fatiguing on long drives (and the music is easily drowned out by road noise).

When speaker shopping, I usually use a couple great sounding CDs, and a couple with flawed mixes -- usually ones that have that loudness curve. I use A Crow Left of the Murder by Incubus, OK Computer by Radiohead, and the self-titled Rage Against the Machine album, as they are fantastic sounding albums (audiophiles often use RATM as a reference, even if they don't dig the music). Then, I use Undertow by Tool and Gold by Sublime to check for a loudness curve or hyped highs/lows. Undertow is VERY scooped sounding, and only sounds good on a system with even mids, and Gold has overwhelming bass or piercing highs on many tracks that are tolerable on good systems but annoying on exaggerated sounding ones.

EDIT:

Just realized you were asking for 5 songs, and I put albums. In that case, I'll say:

Take the Power Back -- Rage
Smile Lines -- Incubus
The Great Gig in the Sky -- Pink Floyd
Garden Grove -- Sublime
Intolerance -- Tool


----------



## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

Great Gig in the Sky is a nice choice.


you might also want to include so classical or opera to test the clarity in some other ranges than the usual.

Leoncavallo - I Pagliacci
Tchaikovski - Pathetique (Symphony #6)

then I'd go with:
The Who - Behind Blue Eyes 
Smashing Pumpkins - Drown (to see how it handles feedback) :smile:
Twilight Singers - Teenage Wristband (ranges from light piano to kickin')


----------



## suttree (Aug 17, 2007)

most people who are into judging stereo systems will have some Steely Dan. 

I'm also a fan of Jeff Buckley's Grace for checking systems out.


----------



## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

I tend to use music with the widest dynamic range and frequency range from my general listening tastes. Then I use music with great acoustic instrument quality. Speakers which can reproduce one qualifier aren't necessarily able to reproduce the other, so it's a good idea to test both. Over the years I have found, as a general rule, a stereo which can handle pipe organ well can handle most anything else. This isn't very helpful unless one is very familiar with the genres. 

1) The St. Matthew Passion by Johann Sebastian Bach for solo voices, double choir and double orchestra.

2) E. Power Biggs, The Four Great Toccatas and Fugues.

3) For acoustic guitar, Don Ross, Joscho Stephan, Pierre Bensusan, Tony McManus.

4) For mandolin, Simon Mayor, Marilynn Mair, Chris Thile.

5) Various Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Dire Straits, and Roy Buchanan.

6) Bonus, King Crimson.

Harpsichord, ukulele, and mandolin DO NOT sound the same. Bass drum, thunder, and cannon fire DO NOT sound the same. Waves, cymbals, and applause DO NOT sound the same. And, Page's solo from Since I've Been Loving You had better sound like electric guitar and not some stupid washed out synth.

Fwiw, ymmv, blah, blah, blah...

Peace, Mooh.


----------



## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

For deep bass I suggest: Peter Gabriel - Growing up
For power in the mids try: Billy Talent - Fallen Leaves
For clear defined sibilance: Yes - Close to the Edge
For everything in general: Supertramp -School




Of course the real important thing is that you know how your reference music sounds on other systems so it's a good idea to use music you know well.


----------



## Guest (Feb 15, 2009)

Milkman said:


> For deep bass I suggest: Peter Gabriel - Growing up


+1 Back in my stereo-selling high school job days we used and abused Floyd's Division Bell as well as Gabriel's stuff. His production on the Afro-Celt Soundsystem discs also moved lots of units.


----------



## happydude (Oct 15, 2007)

Good info folks. Never even considered something classical, I'll give it a whirl.


----------



## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I brought If Hope Dies - i want to make sure that the bass frequencies in my CD's aren't going to fight with the speakers.

Our accord has a decent stereo, no mid EQ though unlike my aunt's 300


----------



## james on bass (Feb 4, 2006)

Queensryche - Empire.


*thread closed *


----------



## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

Robert Plant - Big Log
Dire Straits - Fade to Black


----------



## Guest (Feb 15, 2009)

james on bass said:


> Queensryche - Empire.
> 
> 
> *thread closed *


While I love that album, the mixing and mastering on Empire always sounded wrong to me. Vocals too out in front, too much kick on the kit, guitars are mixed too far in the back and sound slightly anemic. Although the intro to Jet City Woman...on a nice stereo...has always brought a smile to my face.


----------



## fretboard (May 31, 2006)

I use Stevie Wonder's Superstitious as my test tune.


----------



## lbrown1 (Mar 22, 2007)

there's only 1 song that can be used to truly put the car stereo to the test.....Yellow's "Oh Yeah"


----------



## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

I test drove a car before work this morning the I"ll probably end up buying. I just grabbed the first CD I could. Ended up being Kansas Greatest hits. Seemed like a good CD to test with.


----------



## Guest (Feb 17, 2009)

guitarman2 said:


> I test drove a car before work this morning the I"ll probably end up buying. I just grabbed the first CD I could. Ended up being Kansas Greatest hits. Seemed like a good CD to test with.


What'd ya drive?


----------



## bscott (Mar 3, 2008)

Collective Soul - 7 Year Itch. Good bass and mids.


----------



## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

iaresee said:


> What'd ya drive?



Honda Accord.


----------



## happydude (Oct 15, 2007)

guitarman2 said:


> Honda Accord.


Tried out a Ridgeline on Monday. Was a bit of a sissy truck but I think that might be all I need.


----------

