Test Track Attack #3

Track: Mr Bojangles

Artist: Chie Ayado

Album: Best II

I’ve chosen this track not necessarily because I love it - in fact, there’s a part of it that really annoys me - but because it’s a superb test of a system’s balance and composure. It opens with piano that should sound soft, weighty and perfectly placed in space, with real air around the notes. As Ayado’s vocal enters, she keeps the power dialled back at first, giving you a chance to assess the balance between piano and voice. Her vocal should sit just slightly left of centre, with a touch of holographic depth - not flat, not stretched. As the intensity builds and that strong vibrato appears (the bit that tests my patience!), your system should remain controlled and open, never aggressive or overpowering - particularly around the 2:03 mark.

Push further into the track and you’ll hear dramatic key changes and a real surge in vocal power. This is where system balance is laid bare. From 4:10, as the tempo lifts, everything should come alive with energy and drive - but without glare or hardness. If the upper mids become harsh, that’s almost certainly your room speaking, not the recording.

Use the first 10-15 seconds on repeat while adjusting speaker position in small 3-5cm movements. If the piano becomes lightweight, try moving the speakers slightly closer to the rear wall; if the vocal loses focus, experiment with subtle toe-in adjustments. Reflections can play havoc here, so soft furnishings at ear height - even temporarily - can help tame brightness before investing in proper treatment.

I gained near-perfect acceptance of this track in our premium listening room (7.2m wide, 5.3m deep, 2.3m rising to 2.7m at the back), with controlled reflections and full diffusion on the side walls. The system was the MOON by Simaudio 371, Dynaudio Special 40, wired throughout with Nordost Red Dawn 3 and a Heimdall 2 Ethernet cable, streaming via Qobuz.

It’s a long way from my usual Bowie playlist - but as a true hi-fi test track, it’s outstanding.

Test Track Attack #2

Track: Shiver

Artist: Fever Ray

Album: Radical Romantics

This is a bit of a show-off track. What it will do is break a weak system if you turn it up. So, back to the MOON ACE all-in-one and the Audiovector QR5-SE loudspeakers I used in last week's track test, and we are flying. This setup is top to tail with Nordost Leif 3 series cables, selected for their fresh presentation.

Fever Ray productions always bring dynamic bounce into the mix, with small bursts of upper highs and those haunting vocals. Add to that the fantastic bass drops and you have a track that, if your system is fit for purpose, will impress your non-audio-educated friends.

If, however, you have knitted together components of audiophilic fragility, then you may be spending tomorrow fitting new drivers and shopping for valves!

Sometimes you just need to blow those cobwebs away, but it’s more fun - and definitely more rewarding - if you do it with a track that also packs groove and engagement into its display of artifice.

Having started here, you may now want to dial it back a bit, as your driver coils will be getting a little warm!

Test Track Attack #1

Track: Nothing as it Seems

Artist: Pearl Jam

Album: Binaural

Not all test tracks are about hearing the type of wax used on the body of the instrument! Some tracks give insight into the artist or band. 'Nothing as it Seems' captures the dark mood that seems to haunt on a daily basis. Played on my little system in our TV room at home through the MOON ACE and streamed from Qobuz, a blanket of deep, dark bass fills the room. The connection between the musicians shows that they truly feel each other in the making of this track. The opening guitar riffs hook you in, followed by the continued strum of the acoustic. Vedder’s voice, a house favourite, evolved during the making of the Binaural album, finding a new depth.

In system judgment terms, this track exposes any lack of texture capability while being totally unforgiving to bass overhang in the loudspeakers. Only amplifiers with a clean top end and an expressive, super-wide soundstage will pull you into this track. Any lack of transparency will cloud the performance. Things can be improved with the addition of the new Nordost Red Dawn 3 loudspeaker cable without sacrificing depth and weight.

If all comes together, as the track says, it will sound like “a whisper through a megaphone.” If anything is lacking in the system, it will follow the other lyrics: “a scratching voice all alone.”

Consider moving your loudspeakers further into the room and sitting a little closer to enjoy the all-involving aspect of this track.