I'm currently looking to purchase some low-end studio monitors, but when shopping for speakers in general I wonder what songs people use to test speakers/systems out? I'm tend to test out mostly pop/rock songs, but I'm curious to see what other people would recommend/suggest testing equipment with, regardless of genre. So far, my list has:

"Hotel California" by The Eagles (from Hell Freezes Over)
"Take the Power Back" by Rage Against the Machine
"Santeria" by Sublime
"Still D.R.E." by Dr. Dre
"Building a Mystery" by Sarah McLachlan
"Anthem Part 2" by blink-182
"Round Here" by Counting Crows

What're the criteria people use to pick a song to test equipment with?

The first two songs from Porcupine Tree's "In Absentia" DVD-A (Blackest Eyes and Trains) Because I'm really familar with these songs and they're mixed really well, I think. The acoustic guitars as well as the vocals sound excellent.

"The Drapery Falls" and "Windowpane" by Opeth too because I'm familar with the songs. On Drapery I just listen for how the song sounds in general, especially the acoustic guitars. On "Windowpane" I listen to how the bassline sounds the the guitar solo as well.

and ""Angel" by Sarah McLachlan for it's bass part >.>

I've found that the tracks that I like the most are often pretty bad at identifying speaker issues. You should choose music that sounds obviously bad with the "usual" speaker issues. That means focusing on harmonic distortion, nonlinearities at loud volumes (ie big peaks), low/high frequency bass extension, and smooth frequency response.

The first thing I'd suggest is a well-recorded classical piano track, because pianos tend to show harmonic distortion very quickly, and they have large signal peaks. I'm sort of at a loss on the other things to look for, but whatever you do, you should use stuff that familiar to you (of course).

The sound we know best is the human voice. Therefore it is important that this be central to evaluating speakers. Electronic sounds are not good as you never know when they are correct. And audio "memory" is pretty much a myth as has been demonstrated by the A-B-X testing of various encoding formats. You can be sure in your mind what sounds "best" but testing will not bear that out.

So, when I shop I bring a good CD of vocals with a small group of acoustic instruments. I have a vague idea of what I think it should sound like. I also know the CD is a good recording by being familiar with it. Switching between pairs of speakers and moving in your price range comparing pairs will get you what you want. This has worked for me for ~50 years now and I have wound up with killer speakers. They were reviewed and appreciated as stellar when I bought them ~20 years ago and they still kick ass, politley.

Warning: do this in the afternoon when the audio store is empty and the salesman has the time to fuss and do the A-B comparisons and be genial with you. It may take a few visits. It is better to take your time and get the set you really want. Fuck the salesman: your job is not to please him; it is his to please you. If they are really pricey ask to listen to them in your home for a week or so. Good high-end stores will do this as a matter of course. Circuit City will laugh. YMMV

I usually use a mix of different genres. And a mix of older and newer stuff. I have found however (at least for my tastes) if a good classical piece like 1812 overture does well, then most everything across the board will.

Practically any track from Yello. My choices would be "Get On" and "The Race" (from the albums "Motion Picture" and "Flag", respectively). Tracks from Yello feature a uniquely perfect combination of high and low frequencies, vocals (both real and manipulated), real instruments and synthetized samples. "Get On" literally starts with a sine wave. In fact, most audiophile test CDs have at least one track from them already.
Plus, their music is bitching good.

I'd also check one or two tracks from the album "Revolutions" by Magenta. It's surprisingly well mastered for a recent (2001) album, and very rich in sound.

For dynamics and noise, I'd use the 4th Movement of the New World Symphony, from the Karajan Gold edition (439 009-2, Polydor). That disc is possible the clearest CD I ever listened to. Absolutely no background noise, and superb dynamics.

Other then that I would use music I most frequently listen to... because I already know how they should sound (to me).

Clair Marlo's "Till They Take My Heart Away" has wide dynamic range, good for testing equipment even for car audio

Telarc's all digital Round-Up CD, especially "Magnificent Seven" which is an orchestra music, lots of instruments and good for fine tuning

IASCA Competition CD for car audio, especially the 20khz to 20hz sweep track (and you thought you can hear 20khz?)

I like some heavy, distorted guitar. If you are used to what it sounds like, it's pretty easy to notice some classes of speaker problems. In addition, some jazz and classical tracks always come in handy. Some favourites of mine:

• "Friday Night in San Francisco" by DiMeola, McLaughlin and DeLucia - plenty of attacks, a fair amount of dynamics and a very very challenging sections
• A good recording of Copland's Appalacian Spring - huge dynamics, some very simple and some very complex parts
• Any good jazz trumpet - some speakers make the trumpet sound terrible

Of course, the most difficult thing about auditioning speakers is not being biased by those you own. If yours, for example. roll off the treble a little then a "reference" speaker is likely to sound bright and harsh, at least early on in the audition.

I like to start with whatever I like listening to at the time, and if that sounds good, work at selections that will pick apart the weaknesses and strengths of the specific speaker. Sometimes what I listen for is exactly how a crappy bit of pop sounds crappy. Do single mic mono things sound single mic and mono or is the image all over the place etc. Massed voices, solo male and female voice.

I used to also take a song with me that totally sucked the life out of anything but insanely powerful systems. Something about the bass guitar, organ, dunno exactly what, but turn it up where it "sounds" right and most amps and receivers would be puking.

Mostly stuff that I know well and can identify the things that I like

Dark Side Of The Moon
Extreme - 3 Sides To Every Story
Kicking Harold - Ugly And Festering
Prince - Purple Rain
Def Leppard - Hysteria and Pyromania
Metallica - Metallica
Dream Theater - Awake (especially the beginning of 6:00)