I’m a resident reviews writer here at TechRadar, and for the last year and a half audio has been my bread and butter. I’ve tested dozens of headphones, earbuds, Bluetooth speakers, and even soundbars here, and even after writing hundreds of articles I still get a real kick out of unboxing a new audio product, connecting it up, and indulging – sometimes overindulging – in a nice, long listening session.
When testing new audio tech, I always play through the TechRadar testing playlist, which is full of songs from a bunch of different genres, and is designed to highlight the capabilities – or lack thereof – of a piece of audio equipment. But as well as bumping this, I have a few tracks of my own that I regularly use for testing, in order to judge everything from bass response, through dynamics, to instrument separation.
I’ve compiled a list of seven go-to tracks I use when testing, as well as some products that can showcase these and other tunes at their very best. Interested? Then why not take a lil’ scroll? You know you want to…
1. Sunny Days by Kolter
Let’s kick things off with a true summertime banger. Sunny Days is a house track by German DJ and producer Kolter, and it’s one that I really enjoy throwing at flashy new audio gear to see how it copes.
As the track opens, high-pitched drums burst onto the scene. I’ll listen out for how they translate – do they sound harsh or tinny? How about if I ramp the volume up real high? If the answer is no, we’re off to a good start.
It’s not long before you’re smacked by a deep kick drum, which combines with a soulful vocal sample and smooth keys for an atmospheric, almost hypnotic sound. I always pay close attention to that kick drum, ensuring that it’s weighty without smothering other instrumental elements, like those keys for example.
Headphones like the five star-rated Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 are perfect for a track like this. They have an open yet cohesive sound that plays to the expansive nature of the record. Pair that with their ability to replicate hard-hitting, clean bass as well as energetic treble, and you’re in for an audio feast fit for a king.
2. DOWN EAST by Sadao Watanabe
I’m big into jazz-funk fusion, and it feels like I uncover new gems week on week, and one of those is Down East by legendary Japanese musician Sadao Watanabe.
This record has a whole lot going for it, including bass so groovy I guarantee you won’t be able to stop your head from bopping. But when I’m testing, I’m laser-focused on the fidelity of the leading saxophone – Mr Watanabe’s instrument of choice.
Some earbuds I’ve tested, like the Panasonic RP-TCM225, for example, don’t give the sax enough room to breathe and almost push it into the background; what I’m looking for instead is something that can drag it to the fore, resulting in an engaging, rousing listen.
An alternative pair of wired buds that show Down East in its best light would be the Master & Dynamic ME05, which I personally reviewed and enjoyed a whole lot. These offer beautifully balanced sound, with a slight bump in the low end – ideal for funk-infused tracks like this. When listening to this song, I made use of the ME05’s USB-C adapter, which supports up to 32-bit / 384kHz resolution audio, opening me up to higher-than CD quality sound.
Oh, and fun fact: Sadao Watanabe it still performing at the age of 92 – crazy impressive!
3. The Boys Are Back In Town by Yung Gravy
Meme rap was pretty massive when I was in my teens, and Yung Gravy is a true icon of the bizarre sub-genre. But it’s not the goofy 20s style swing sections or zany lyrics that make The Boys Are Back In Town so useful during testing, it’s that rippling sub-bass which rumbles through the majority of its runtime.
I want to ensure whatever I’m testing has the extension to hit this tune’s outlandishly deep notes, which are integral to its impactful, booming sound. If a Bluetooth speaker, for example, lacks the ability to reach down extremely low, the song ends up sounding thin and underpowered.
One speaker that knocked it out of the park with this track is the Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 – easily one of the best Bluetooth speakers around in my book. The sheer might of this beast’s low-end output enabled it to strike each deep, dark note to perfection – I can still feel the ground shaking from the speaker’s wicked performance!
4. Black Eye by Allie X
This one’s a track from our TechRadar testing playlist that I mentioned earlier – something that’s integral to each testing session. I’ve probably found Allie X’s Black Eye to be more useful than almost anything when trialling audio products.
Why? Well, first of all, it’s a great tune for assessing the dynamics of audio tech. Right away, dramatic, haunting strings cut through, and it’s important that a more premium pair of headphones, say, replicate that explosiveness without compromise.
Following on from this, you’re introduced to a deep, rhythmic drum machine, something that trips a lot of lower-quality options up. There’s also a ‘bounce’ effect to the bassline, which gives the song its energetic edge. So, if that bassline sounds lethargic or uncontrolled, it likely indicates that they don’t have the nimbleness or high-calibre bass response to deliver a well-balanced listening experience.
Around the one-minute mark, there’s also some light electronica that adds a splash of color to the record. Headphones and earbuds like the majestic Sony WH-1000XM6 or Sony WF-1000XM5 offer enough detail to uncover this, in part thanks to the inclusion of LDAC – a Bluetooth codec that enables ‘hi-res’ wireless listening.
5. Komm, Susser Tod – M-10 Director’s Edit Version by Arianne, Shiro Sagisu
Anyone who’s watched the 1997 cinematic masterpiece that is The End of Evangelion will be plenty familiar with this number. And I’ve found it to be a highly insightful listen when judging how well a product can handle complexly layered arrangements.
As the track reaches its almost haunting, dramatic climax, there’s a lot going on – a plodding bassline, piercing strings, looping backing vocals, clapping – you name it. It’s crucial, then, for a product to give all of these instruments adequate room in the mix – if it sounds like they’re competing or clashing rather than collaborating, the track loses its extravagance.
Our Reviews Editor, Josh Russell, tested the Cambridge Audio Evo One earlier this year – and this is a shining example of a wireless speaker that can handle layered mixes with ease. In his review Josh said that “everything has a palpable sense of space that makes everything feel much more real and evocative”.
6. I’m Gonna Love You Just A Little More Baby by Barry White (Dolby Atmos mix)
Here’s something a little different. I’ve tested a ton of soundbars here at TechRadar, including some of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars around. And interestingly, a lot of soundbars struggle to deliver fantastic music playback.
So, when I put the quality of Dolby Atmos music replication to the test, I’m Gonna Love You Just A Little More Baby by the eternally smooth Barry White is an absolute go-to. This version of the track is amazing for analyzing the soundstage and Atmos capabilities of a model, with guitars meant to sound as if they’re playing from the sides of the room, rather than from the bar itself. On top of that, percussion dances across the bar, while White’s unmistakable vocals spring from the center.
If a soundbar can master that nuanced, expansive delivery, while still supplying a clean, distortion-free listening experience, it’s doing a whole lot right. And one model that captured this track beautifully during my testing was the masterful Marshall Heston 120. This amp-inspired, all-in-one soundbar was able to serve up a three-dimensional, immersive listen, and it’s one of the best soundbars I’ve used for music, hands down.
For reference, I always listen to this song – and all the others on this list – via Tidal, a high-resolution streaming service.
7. Foxey Lady by Jimi Hendrix
One last song? Go on then, and I’ll finish off with one of my top tracks from the one and only Jimi Hendrix. So much of my music taste is inspired by my dad, who raised me on his favorite blues, funk, jazz, and rock tracks. A lot of credit goes to him for my fantastic taste, so thanks Dad! Anyway, he would burn me a CD from time to time – remember those things?
I have fond memories of listening to tunes from Gorillaz, Stevie Wonder, and yes – Jimi Hendrix – on that disc, with All Along the Watchtower being a firm favorite. Years later, I decided to listen to a few of Hendrix’s greatest hits, and for some time now, Foxey Lady has been an integral part of my playlist. Little did I know, it would come in handy for my audio testing shenanigans.
Like a lot of Hendrix’s recordings, Foxey Lady pans sounds across the stereo field to conjure a sense of movement, resulting in an entrancing listening experience. So, then, whatever I’m testing needs to plate up strong stereo separation to pull this effect off as intended. We talked up the KEF LS50 Wireless II review for their excellent separation and soundstage, but the Bose SoundLink Max is also a good choice if you want a single, portable unit with stereo sound capabilities.
So, those are just a handful of tracks I use to test out the capabilities of the audio tech we test here at TechRadar. Do you have some tunes you play to test the talents of your equipment? Or do you just want to drop some song recommendations? Then make sure to get chatting in the comments!
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harry.padoan@futurenet.com (Harry Padoan)
