This document provides a summary of the tracks included on the SOUND CHECK 2 audio test and demonstration CD. It was created in association with record producer Alan Parsons to be used as an instant system response analyzer when used with its third octave pink noise tracks. The CD contains 99 tracks of various audio content including pink noise spectra, test tones, sweep tones, spot frequencies, vocal recordings, instrumental recordings, and music tracks. The tracks are intended to help assess the technical performance and fidelity of audio equipment for applications such as equipment alignment, response measurements, analysis, and demonstration.
This document provides a summary of the tracks included on the SOUND CHECK 2 audio test and demonstration CD. It was created in association with record producer Alan Parsons to be used as an instant system response analyzer when used with its third octave pink noise tracks. The CD contains 99 tracks of various audio content including pink noise spectra, test tones, sweep tones, spot frequencies, vocal recordings, instrumental recordings, and music tracks. The tracks are intended to help assess the technical performance and fidelity of audio equipment for applications such as equipment alignment, response measurements, analysis, and demonstration.
This document provides a summary of the tracks included on the SOUND CHECK 2 audio test and demonstration CD. It was created in association with record producer Alan Parsons to be used as an instant system response analyzer when used with its third octave pink noise tracks. The CD contains 99 tracks of various audio content including pink noise spectra, test tones, sweep tones, spot frequencies, vocal recordings, instrumental recordings, and music tracks. The tracks are intended to help assess the technical performance and fidelity of audio equipment for applications such as equipment alignment, response measurements, analysis, and demonstration.
This document provides a summary of the tracks included on the SOUND CHECK 2 audio test and demonstration CD. It was created in association with record producer Alan Parsons to be used as an instant system response analyzer when used with its third octave pink noise tracks. The CD contains 99 tracks of various audio content including pink noise spectra, test tones, sweep tones, spot frequencies, vocal recordings, instrumental recordings, and music tracks. The tracks are intended to help assess the technical performance and fidelity of audio equipment for applications such as equipment alignment, response measurements, analysis, and demonstration.
SOUND CHECK 2 is the definitive audio test disc. Created in association with renowned record producer, engineer and musician TM
Alan Parsons, it is available as a single CD or in a double CD case with built-in microphone and sound level meter, calibrated TM
from -15dB to +12dB. When used in conjunction with its third octave tracks, SOUND CHECK 2 forms an instant system response analyser.
It contains 99 tracks of practical material compiled as a result of careful research and investigation into the needs of studio engineers, audio technicians, serious audiophiles, record producers and musicians. The disc has been designed not only to help assess the technical performance of a wide range of sound recording and reproduction equipment, but also to offer the very best available musical, vocal and effects sources for experimentation and demonstration. TM The levels indicated on SOUND CHECK 2 refer to 0dB FS (Full Scale), the theoretical maximum level obtainable on digital recordings. Analogue equipment can be calibrated to read 0VU at the sine wave reference tone on this disc which is recorded at –14dB FS. Digital meters should indicate this level. There are no rigid standards regarding digital/analogue operating levels, however you can easily choose a higher or lower operating level. For example, if analogue VU meters are lined up to +2VU, then 0VU will represent –16dB FS.
By selecting individual tracks on your CD player while the disc is running, the announcements preceding test signals can be eliminated. This is especially useful for extended play of one track, when used in conjunction with the Store and Repeat or Continuous Play functions found on most CD players.
Cliff Electronic Components, Inc.
4876 East Second Street, Visit us online at: Benicia, California 94510 Tel: (707) 746 8090 Fax: (707) 746 8092 w w w. cl i f f u s a . c o m Email: sales@cliffcomponents.com PINK NOISE 1/3 OCTAVE 5. 40Hz 12. 200Hz 19. 1kHz 26. 5kHz SPECTRUM ANALYSIS 6. 50Hz 13. 250Hz 20. 1.25kHz 27. 6.3kHz 7. 63Hz 14. 315Hz 21. 1.6kHz 28. 8kHz 1. 1kHz reference tone 8. 80Hz 15. 400Hz 22. 2kHz 29. 10kHz 2. 20Hz 9. 100Hz 16. 500Hz 23. 2.5kHz 30. 12.5kHz 3. 25Hz 10. 125Hz 17. 630Hz 24. 3.15kHz 31. 16kHz 4. 31.5Hz 11. 160Hz 18. 800Hz 25. 4kHz 32. 20kHz
PINK NOISE TEST TONES
These tones are intended for equipment alignment and are especially designed for active speaker set-up. Track 33 is a 1kHz reference tone lasting 30 seconds. Monitoring equipment should be set to a useful working volume and measuring equipment set to read 0dB. All other tones in this section are at the reference level. Phase checks are on index 2, where appropriate, in 5 second bursts. 33. 1Khz sine wave reference tone @ -14dB FS 37. Bass band – 0-200Hz & phase check 34. Pink Noise – Left channel only 38. Low mid band – 200Hz-1kHz & phase check 35. Pink Noise – Right channel only 39. High mid band – 1kHz to infinity & phase check 36. Pink Noise – Both channels and phase check 40. High band – 7kHz to infinity & phase check
SWEEP TONES These are intended for sweep response measurements and are especially useful for checking system resonances. Track 41 is the reference warble that lasts 20 seconds. The sweeps are in one octave sections down from 1kHz, and in one octave sections up from 1kHz – for easier frequency identification. 41. 1kHz reference warble for sweeps 43. Sweep tones up: 1kHz-4kHz, 4kHz-8kHz, 8kHz-20kHz 42. Sectional sweep tones down in 1 octave steps: 44. Sine wave sweep 20Hz-20kHz 1kHz-500Hz, 500Hz-250Hz, 250Hz-125Hz, 125Hz-20Hz
SINE AND SQUARE WAVE SPOT FREQUENCIES
This section is for recording and reproduction equipment line-up, analysis and fault finding. The square wave spot frequencies are also useful for bandwidth assessment and loudspeaker phase and time alignment. Track 45 is the reference tone, lasting 20 seconds. All other tones in this section last 10 seconds. All sine waves are at a reference level, -14dB FS. The square waves are at –20dB FS. 45. 1kHz reference tone @ -14dB FS 50. 1kHz 55. 12kHz 46. 60Hz 51. 2kHz 56. 15kHz 47. 100Hz 52. 3kHz 57. 1kHz square wave @ -20dB FS 48. 250Hz 53. 5kHz 58. 5kHz square wave @ -20dB FS 49. 500Hz 54. 10kHz
VOCAL While the sound complexity of music is widely recognized, the human voice is equally difficult to reproduce and a voice recording that one is familiar with is a useful reference source. Before Sound Check came along, a good, unprocessed voice recording was very difficult to obtain, especially under test conditions. These 4 tracks provide that reference source and start with Alan Parson’s spoken voice. The rarely available, dry, uncompressed voice of Luciano Pavarotti recorded live, and Soprano Catherine Bott in a natural acoustic, together with the dynamic voice of rock singer Steve Overland, complete this section of valuable reference recordings. 59. Spoken word (mono) 61. Soprano (stereo) 60. Tenor (mono) 62. Male Rock Vocal (mono)
INSTRUMENTAL This section contains closely miked instrumental recordings without electronic processing such as limiting or compression. They contain subtle transients which define true fidelity and which are often lost in the reverberation and processing of commercial records. These tracks are therefore invaluable for assessing the transient response and fidelity of audio equipment and for experimentation with effects units. These are original studio master recordings and in some cases instrument overspill may be heard. 63. Piano (stereo) 67. Electric guitar – clean sound 72. Bongos (mono) 79. Violins (stereo – 1st violins 64. Acoustic steel-strung guitar – (mono) 73. Tambourine (mono) panned left, 2nd violins panned finger style (mono) 68. Electric guitar – distorted rock 74. Kick drum (mono) right) 65. Acoustic steel-strung guitar – sound (mono) 75. Snare drum (mono) 80. Cello and violas (stereo-starting strummed (mono) 69. Bass guitar (mono) 76. Cymbals and hi-hat (stereo) with cellos only panned right, joined 66. Nylon strung Spanish guitar 70. Flute (mono) 77. Toms (stereo) by violas panned left) (mono) 71. Saxophone (mono) 78. Whole drum kit (stereo) 81. Woodwind ensemble (stereo)
MUSIC TRACKS Extracts from studio master recordings, specially selected to asses the various qualities of loudspeakers and sound equipment. ‘Limelight’ for example, has a very even frequency and dynamic balance throughout the audio spectrum and therefore is an ideal reference for overall sound quality. By contrast, Luv 4 Luv contains extremely high bass and sub sonic energy and is an ideal test for low frequency loudspeakers and their power amplifiers. 82. The Race by Yello 86. Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor. Daniel Chorzempa, organ 83. Limelight by the Alan Parsons Project, featuring Gary Brooker 87. Rigaletto transcription by Liszt: Jean Yves Thibaudet, piano 84. Luv 4 Luv by Robin S. 88. Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky: Deutsches Symphonie Orchestra 85. Seasons Of Our Lives by Graham de Wilde and Mitch Dalton conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy
SOUND EFFECTS These sound effects provide extreme tests of dynamic and frequency range. The steam trains, the sub machine gun and the Chieftain tank are historical analogue recordings which have been digitally re-mastered. 89. Sub machine gun – Chieftain tank target ranging (mono) 92. Steam trains (stereo) 90. Chieftain tank: Firing – shell detonation – the target (mono) 93. F-16 and Tornado jets: flypast with afterburners (stereo) 91. Thunderstorm (stereo)
UTILITY TRACKS A series of useful tools – a left/right channel indent; invaluable for multiple unit hook-ups, digital black for noise assessment, a tuning reference and timecode in all three standard formats for checking timecode-based equipment and striping code onto tapes. c 2003 CLIFF ®
94. Left / Right channel ident 97. EBU 25 frame Timecode 09:59:45 to 10:05:00 95. Digital Black – i.e. silence – all bits at 0 98. Left Channel SMPTE non drop frame Timecode 09:59:45 to 10:05:00 96. A-440 tuning reference Right Channel SMPTE drop frame Timecode 09:59:45 to 10:05:00 Warning – This track is at the theoretical maximum recording level, 0dB FS. 99. 1kHz sine wave at 0dB FS. (Duration 20 secs.) THIS IS A VERY LOUD TONE - USE WITH CAUTION.
