You know the deal: a certain banger comes on the radio (sorry, I can’t bring myself to say “the streaming service”) and you are legally obligated to crank it. Sadly, that one particular track exposes the limits of your sound system. Inevitably, you’ll use this same cut to test the tunes in other cars you drive, or are considering plopping down money on. What could be more important when buying a car? The Car Radio Test Song is key for any real subjective automotive analysis.
Before I got my first “real” car in the late nineties, I inexplicably daily’d a black, 200,000 mile 1988 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series to my first professional job. Despite all of its typical Ford Panther shortcomings exacerbated by several round trips to the moon, the factory JBL audio system within could replicate the sound of a person in the trunk banging on the rear seat back with a baseball bat while you sat on a couch identical to what you see below. It was glorious.
This was especially true when playing music from a compact disc, which in the case of these medieval years meant the CD’s ones and zeroes were transmitted by a Discman sitting on the transmission tunnel tray, plugged into one of the three cigarette lighters and interfacing with the head unit via a cassette tape adapter. The Town Car rode so smoothly that the player didn’t skip, though half of you readers are likely too young to even know what I’m even talking about.
Still, even with the low fidelity of the radio, you could easily get trim pieces vibrating annoyingly. Return Of The Mack over the airwaves would get a terrible buzzing going in one of the front doors, and no matter how many times I investigated as the bass thumped, I could not for the life of me figure out what was the cause.
A station playing Breathe by The Prodigy caused me to pull over, stop the car, turn up the volume, and try to source exactly what the hell was rattling on the package shelf, dash top, or doors, despite tightening every screw I could see and shoving business cards into gaps.
Anything by The Crystal Method caused the loose thermometer on the driver’s mirror to bounce up and down.
It was all extremely annoying. Thankfully, the $20,000, 98,000 mile Mercedes S-Class that replaced the Lincoln solved the issue by having what was quite possibly the worst-sounding stereo I have ever experienced in a motor vehicle. No more rattles, and no more bass or treble for that matter. “Problem solved.”
How about you? What are your favorites for testing the stereo in a car? Are you going to fess up to playing the acoustic Hotel California to push your speaker’s limits (apparently that tune is a favorite for stereo analysis) or will you select some deep track to show us how much of an I’m-so-cool scenester you are? The Autopian is asking!
I like to mix several different genres to get a feel for what the audio system can handle:
I’m not usually one for electronic stuff, but Glitch Mob’s “How to Be Eaten By a Woman” is one that I always play due to the wide variety of sounds that really test all portions of a sound system.
Dire Straits “Money for Nothing” album version.
Baby Shark is the only correct answer here…
“Open Book” – Cake. The entirety of Fashion Nugget has some heavy hitting bass, but that one gets a crunchy trashy guitar to work out some high and mid level sound, and then at the 23 second mark the bass line kicks in and does some great work.
“Paul Revere” – Beastie Boys. No explanation really needed. Great song for driving, great mixing, plus it is a great time.
Both were fun to play in my 1992 Town Car Cartier Edition that came stock with a full set of JBL speakers and little amp in the trunk. Replaced the amp and put in a couple 12 inch subs. God, I made some silly car modifications in high school.
La Roux – In For The Kill (Skream’s Let’s Get Ravey Remix)If your system can cope with the bass notes without buzzing you know you’ve done well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGZT0L0tpwI
DNA by Kendrick Lamar. The bass notes during the break will instantly tell you if your woofers are working.
The Descent II Definitive Edition soundtrack, ripped from the game CDs’ Redbook audio. (Though I’ll sometimes also use Levels by Avicii.)
Showing my age:
Crimson and Clover by Tommy James (if you can’t discreetly hear the bongo drum on the left, then the system probably sucks, great highs from acoustic guitar)
Big Log by Robert Plant (this one has it all – bass lines that should be distinct from synth bass drum, crisp vocal and guitar highs, background percussion and supporting instruments that should also be heard clearly, and excellent dynamic range)
I also use these when tuning the “diamond of sound” in my home stereo.
THE WHAT?!?! Diamond of sound?
Return Of The Mack is a great choice. I would like to recommend the updated version.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyVp877Jl3A
Wow. Lots of suggestions. Almost as if car audio is important or something. /s
It’s almost never mentioned in car reviews. SavageGeese are the only ones that I know that give it any thought.
Sarah N Tuned always gives at least a passing mention to how good or bad the audio system is in her reviews.
Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik by OutKast. The song has a lot of dynamics and little background details that don’t always come through clearly. On bad systems it can get really muddy and on good ones it can be really clear.
I see a lot of talk about bass but female voice reproduction is also tough.
When I worked for an automotive audio supplier I used these songs:
Megatron Man by Patrick Crowley (9 min version)
Backstreets of Tokyo – Brian Setzer
The XX – Missing
Madonna – The Power of Goodbye
Maroon 5 – Through with you
Pink Floyd – Have a Cigar
Hotel California live MTV
Two Feet – Go fuck yourself
Backdoor man – Sarah McLachlan
Black & White – Sarah McLachlan
St Etienne – Like a Motorway
Ants Marching by Dave Matthews Band.
Those opening snares let you know how your tweeters are doing.
The violin will measure the crossover from mid to tweeter. It is unlikely you have access to the high pass filter, if there is one, so listen in at around 3k for gaps.
Sub-2k can start to sound like garbage on less than 6.5 inches. If it has a sub, the greatest hope is that it doesn’t drone and crosses over effectively. Just look for the kick drums on any track for that.
Home by Mark Broussard. Love the song, and although i can barely adjust the volume on a radio, if the song sounds good then i know most everything else will as well.
The Tron Legacy OST is a good one. Mix of symphony and Techno. No singing but still a good range. I also like some songs from the artist Mitis (genre: chillstep?) if I want to include singing.
If I’m really interested in the testing the bass, I’ll turn on Xanny by Billie Eilish.
Barry White – Just the way you are
Michael Jackson – I just cant stop loving you
Of course playing those on Tidal with the highest quality possible.
Anya by deep purple. Has lots going on in it and it sounds terrible on a bad stereo.
I like Fools Gold by the Stone Roses. It’s not a fast or heavy song but there is a lot going on in it.