Only the Best Speakers Survive This 10-Track Audio Test
Are you planning to get new speakers or headphones but aren’t sure how to test them? It’s easy, just play one of these tracks and listen closely to all the details. You might know some songs, while others could be new to you, but they will all reveal the character and mood of the acoustics in their wayEven experts and sound engineers recommend these tracks.
1. Bob Marley – “Turn Your Lights Down Low”
For its year of release (1977, the album ” Exodus” (“Turn Your Lights Down Low” sounds very clean, and even polished – and this is one of its main trump cards. A wonderful find for those music lovers who love not just high-quality, but spatial sound, at the same time, integral and polished. To enjoy the song in all its splendor, every detail is important, and believe me, it is worth it.
2. Björk – “Hunter”
Let’s be honest: as much as we’d like to thoroughly test headphones or speakers, most of us simply don’t have a couple of hours to spare. “Hunter” comes to the rescue. The opening drums alone give a good idea – the clearer they are, the better (especially if they are accompanied by a sense of enveloping sound). The vocals are also worth paying attention to: around the middle, there are backing vocals, also recorded by Björk. The electronic instrumentals are subtle in places, but important – all in all, a great song for testing audio systems.
3. Depeche Mode – “Enjoy the Silence”
This spot could have been filled by any other track from the 1990 album Violator, perhaps the most important synth-pop release of all time. “Enjoy the Silence” is the most obvious choice, and the title is appropriate – “Enjoy the Silence.” In this case, of course, the silence is only in words. You’ve probably heard both the song and the album “Violator” more than once – when testing audio equipment, this will help you focus on purely technical aspects. “Enjoy the Silence” will help you understand how well your speakers can convey non-obvious sounds.
4. The Chemical Brothers – “Das Spiegel”
The sound selection in the track from the album “We Are The Night” (2007) is so diverse that it may seem random. An unusual introduction, strange noises reminiscent of computer problems, and short high notes similar to either a squeal or a whistle. “Das Spiegel” is a crazy and unpredictable composition in a positive sense. When choosing it for a test, make sure that not a single piece sounds shrill or harsh. The Chemical Brothers track is not very suitable for headphones, but for speakers, the option is almost ideal.
You can purchase a collection of The Chemical Brothers records at Pult.ru. We recommend not only the classics but also the more recent works of the electronic duo, for example: “No Geography” (2019) and “For That Beautiful Feeling” (2023).
5. Thundercat – “Uh Uh”
Thundercat is a cult bass player, known to metal fans for Suicidal Tendencies, and to rap fans for Kendrick Lamar, in particular the album «Untitled Unmastered » (2016). His songs should appeal to lovers of skillful bass playing. And if you are one of them, «Uh Uh» is also suitable for testing the reproducibility of bass lines in stereo speakers. The level of virtuosity is stunningly high – notes follow each other in fractions of a second, the rhythm is so dynamic that the music seems to bounce off the listener. Only truly high-quality systems will be able to catch all the nuances and subtleties.
6. Massive Attack – “Teardrop”
The band’s most famous song, released on the album “Mezzanine” (1999), is suitable not only for the soundtrack to “House M.D.” In “Teardrop,” there are barely noticeable clicks of the drums, a growing part of the harpsichord, and a very pronounced bass line. This helps to understand how well the acoustic systems maintain the balance of different sounds and frequencies. In principle, in place of “Teardrop,” there could have been any other song by Massive Attack: their tracks are recommended for sound checks even by professional sound engineers.
7. Queen – “Bohemian Rhapsody”
There is probably no other song (at least a popular one) that can compare to “Rhapsody” in terms of the number of frequencies – it is not without reason that sound engineers often turn it on to test equipment. The track has a huge number of overdubs, more than 180, and its tempo and volume level change almost every second. And we have not yet remembered the vocals and instrumental parts, which are striking in their complexity. Performing “Bohemian Rhapsody” is not an easy task, but listening to this great hit will help you decide on the search for headphones and speakers.
Just in case, let us remind you: “Bohemian Rhapsody” was released on Queen’s fourth album, “A Night at the Opera” (1975).
8. Radiohead – “The National Anthem”
Don’t be alarmed, the only thing that’s “national anthem” here is the name (and the track has nothing to do with the Lana Del Rey song of the same name). “The National Anthem” from the legendary album “The Kid A” (2000) and the compilation “Kid A Mnesia” (2021) is a favorite song of many audiophiles. The composition is, in a good sense of the word, oversaturated with sounds (acoustic, electronic, and vocal) and has a somewhat chaotic structure – on a bad audio system, it will turn into cacophony. The most popular comment on YouTube speaks for itself: “I’m a bass player. I play this song every time my jazz band tunes up.”
9. Johnny Cash – “Hurt” (Nine Inch Nails cover)
Another song that is simple in structure, but only at first glance. “Hurt” begins with vocals and acoustic guitar, and around the end of the first minute, the arrangement becomes more spacious and rich, with the addition of new instruments (piano and an additional guitar). The transition is smooth and should remain so. Therefore, you need to listen carefully, so as not to miss anything and to distinguish one guitar from another. In high-quality audio systems, there should be no indistinct mixing of parts.
“Hurt” can be heard on the album “American IV: The Man Comes Around” (2002). And other songs by Cash can be heard on the albums “American VI: Ain’t No Grave” (2010), “Best Of The Johnny Cash TV Show: 1969–1971” (2007), and others.
10. Tori Amos – “Jackie’s Strength”
Unlike Radiohead, Amos’s song is extremely melodic, clear, and almost minimalist: voice, piano, and violin. It is atmospheric and ideally should create a feeling of warm space, and the keyboards and vocals should sound flawless. If you feel like “Jackie’s Strength” is missing something right now, maybe you should change your speakers or headphones to something more advanced.
Conclusion:
Testing your speakers or headphones doesn’t have to be complicated—it can be a fun way to enjoy amazing music. Each of these songs highlights something special in your audio setup, like deep bass, clear highs, or the way instruments are placed.
Whether you’re trying new gear or just want to hear your current setup at its best, these tracks will help. You might even fall in love with your favorite songs all over again.
So take a moment, press play, and just listen. Your ears will tell you everything you need to know.
I’m currently sourcing high-bitrate FLAC versions of all these songs and will update this list soon with direct FLAC playback options so that you can easily play and test your speakers.
