Volunteer sir sanders zingmore Posted February 25, 2014 Volunteer Share Posted February 25, 2014 At my recent “Electrifying Electrostats†GTG I felt I did a rather good job of playing music that I actually listen to. I must admit though, that I was very tempted to put tracks on that would fall under the category of “sounds awesome and shows off the system really well, but really who ever listens to it?â€. Here are some tracks that I scrupulously avoided: “Stimela†– Hugh Masekela “Three Wishes†– Roger Waters Anything by Dead Can Dance What are your tracks in this category? On reflection there was one track that slipped through, but I ain’t saying what it was Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheekyboy Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 (edited) Hi Trevor, Hugh Masekela - Hope is a very good album and Stimela is far from the best track. I agree though, it is played at a lot of GTGs and if I never heard it again, it wouldn't bother me too much. Likewise, Amused To Death is also a very good album, but most gravitate to Three Wishes and probably for the reason you've nominated. I like most of what Dead Can Dance do and it's a pity that you're more likely to hear Yulunga from Into The Labyrinth.............maybe if they just left the album on and then actually turned it over and played all the other tracks, they'd get a better appreciation. Cheers, Keith Edited February 25, 2014 by cheekyboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audiomuze (R.I.P) Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 I tend to play music I like rather than stuff that just shows off the system. Tracks I'm sick to death of hearing include: - Nils Lofgren - Keith Don't Go - Rebecca Pidgeon - Spanish Harlem - Eagles - Hotel California off Hell Freezes Over - Most anything by Diana Krall - Patricia Barber *.* - Jazz at the Pawnshop 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty boop Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 its interesting isnt it. what I actually find most enjoying about gtgs is to experience some music not heard before.... but yeah there is some stuff thats been given a flogging...poor old hugh masekela ...patricia barbara, rebecca pidgeon, diana krall or Jennifer warnes...dark side of the moon... look I'll be honest its still good music for me. and good music is and always be good music. I dont cringe to be honest if hear it again. but yeah I do think at gtgs an opportunity to play so much more.... feel compelled to play what you really enjoy, hey good chance I will enjoy it with you if something heard before ...or if new to me something I can be introduced to ps perhaps another title of a thread... ...music you wouldnt dare play at a gtg :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyr Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 (edited) Haha ... an interesting concept. So I'll add my 2c worth: Nothing by DK! Absoloooootely, 'Hotel California' off the 'Hell Freezes Over' LP! The audience claps and whistles/cheers show off the depth of your sound stage and your system needs to be able to deliver the palpability of the bass drum and the syncopated percussion strikes in the R channel. R. Pidgeon - simply used for the bass notes. Roger Waters "A t D - Three Wishes" shows off the bass capability of your system but several other tracks on this album show the extent of your front/back/side-to-side sound stage. Leonard Cohen "Songs from the Road" - the live album made from his world tour. Tremendous sound stage depth, wonderful sax. "Friday Night in San Fransisco" - tremendous dynamics and fast picking. If your system can't keep up ... it will just blur. Regards, Andy PS: So, Trevor, let's use #2, 4, 5 & 6 in our upcoming phono stage shootout. Edited February 25, 2014 by andyr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Volunteer sir sanders zingmore Posted February 25, 2014 Author Volunteer Share Posted February 25, 2014 Perhaps phono stages are the new DAC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gz76 Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 (edited) I guess these songs may seem to get a bit tired, but they do provide a good benchmark and measuring stick when everything else in the system is unknown. Edited February 25, 2014 by gz76 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty boop Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 I guess these songs may seem to get a bit tired, but they do provide a good benchmark and measuring stick when everything else in the system is unknown. its a good point. the old favourites you know extremely well and heard on either your own system or others .... can be a very good yardstick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stereophilus Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 I guess these songs may seem to get a bit tired, but they do provide a good benchmark and measuring stick when everything else in the system is unknown. Absolutely. If you are trying to get an idea of how a system performs, you need to play music on it that is well known and can show strengths and weaknesses of its resolving power and musicality. The downside to this is it is about discovering a new system, not new music. If you are listening to new music on an unfamiliar system, you can't really determine which element (music or system) you are enjoying. Having said that, I can imagine some GtG's are just about having some fun, meeting new people, and listening to good music. If that is the case, ditch the reference recordings. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houdinifangs Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 Poor old DCD. I remember listening to them in the early 90's while trying to pick up hot goth chicks. What happened? How did they become stereo fodder? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Rab of Everest Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 So that's what I was doing wrong. In the early 90s, I was trying pixies, dinosaur jr, and Coltrane. (In any case, I ended up with someone who listened to George Michael (long since banished!)). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Volunteer sir sanders zingmore Posted February 26, 2014 Author Volunteer Share Posted February 26, 2014 Poor old DCD. I remember listening to them in the early 90's while trying to pick up hot goth chicks. What happened? How did they become stereo fodder? I thought the hot goths (is that an oxymoron btw) were into Sisters of Mercy and Fields of the Nephilim - was I wasting my time pretending to like those bands ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JukKluk2 Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Isn't everyone? Does no-one play Stairway to Heaven these days, or Speed King, or Take a Pebble, or Tank, or even 21st Century Schizoid Man any more? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty boop Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Poor old DCD. I remember listening to them in the early 90's while trying to pick up hot goth chicks. What happened? How did they become stereo fodder? DCD ? is it that something so common that everyone now knows it by a 3 letter acronym Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houdinifangs Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 I thought the hot goths (is that an oxymoron btw) were into Sisters of Mercy and Fields of the Nephilim - was I wasting my time pretending to like those bands ? The key is pretending to show contempt for the same things...I think... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emesbee Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Isn't everyone? Does no-one play Stairway to Heaven these days, or Speed King, or Take a Pebble, or Tank, or even 21st Century Schizoid Man any more? I play all of these...... at home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Rab of Everest Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Here are some tracks that I scrupulously avoided: “Stimela†– Hugh Masekela If memory serves, you played that at my first ever GTG...? OK, i will confess that i have several examples of this type of recording, and bought them for the sole reason that i had heard them played on other systems and wanted to hear how they sound on my system. Some of them i still play from time to time just to get a handle on what my system is doing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Volunteer sir sanders zingmore Posted February 27, 2014 Author Volunteer Share Posted February 27, 2014 No that wasn't me Rab. That's going back a while is anything the same in your system from back then? I first heard it at the house of the Bearded One, which was after your gtg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Rab of Everest Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 No that wasn't me Rab. That's going back a while is anything the same in your system from back then? I first heard it at the house of the Bearded One, which was after your gtg. Ah, apologies.... well, someone must have bought it to my 2nd GTG.. Having never heard it before, it did leave quite an impression! Now that i've heard it 7843934739457322574 times, it has less appeal... ... and no, there is *nothing* the same in my system! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Vandelay Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Does no-one play Stairway to Heaven these days, Not since Rolf was arrested, no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JukKluk2 Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Not since Rolf was arrested, no. I'm still waiting for Metallica to cover Jake the Peg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emesbee Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 (edited) Rodrigo y Gabriela's version of Stairway to Heaven is a good one to play at GTGs. I think I did so once. And I play it at home, frequently. Personally, I think its about the best thing they've recorded so far. Edited February 28, 2014 by emesbee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houdinifangs Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 I could live without hearing Yello at a GTG again. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Volunteer sir sanders zingmore Posted February 28, 2014 Author Volunteer Share Posted February 28, 2014 Rodrigo y Gabriela's version of Stairway to Heaven is a good one to play at GTGs. I think I did so once. And I play it at home, frequently. Personally, I think its about the best thing they've recorded so far. That is a good version of Stairway, yes. But it does include that same riff that they have in every single bloody track they play Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JukKluk2 Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 Have you guys heard Dolly Parton's version of Stairway? I love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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