Beyond technical tones, the CD includes reference-grade musical selections recorded by "Prof." Keith O. Johnson, the co-inventor of . These tracks showcase the system's ability to handle soundstaging, imaging, and dynamic range:
| Track | Title | Duration | Detailed Purpose & Use | |:---:|---|---|:---:| | 1 | | 0:30 | Verifies that the left and right speakers are connected to the correct amplifier channels. A voice announces "Left Channel" from the left speaker, and "Right Channel" from the right. | | 2 | Voice In-Phase | 0:11 | A test for correct speaker wiring. Roger Skoff's voice should be clearly focused at the center point between the two speakers. | | 3 | Voice Out-Of-Phase | 0:25 | The same voice but with one speaker's polarity reversed. The image should collapse, becoming diffuse, unfocused, and lacking bass. This is a critical tool for speaker placement; listening to this track, you can move your speakers until the voice has no discernible location. | | 4 | Clap Track | 0:59 | A recording of a hand clap. This is used to assess your room's acoustics, specifically to identify excessive echo, flutter echo, or uneven sound decay. | | 5 | 315 Hz Test Tone | 1:15 | A single-frequency tone. This track has multiple uses: it can be used with an SPL meter to balance channel levels, with a voltmeter to check amplifier output balance, and for identifying room modes and "comb filtering" effects. | | 6 | "Prof." Johnson Does Something Spatial | 4:19 | Keith O. Johnson provides a fascinating, narrated demonstration of soundstaging, imaging, and depth, moving around and using percussive instruments to illustrate how spatial cues are captured in a recording. | | 7 | Demagnetizing Sweep | 0:57 | A sweeping signal (40Hz to 19kHz) designed to demagnetize the metal parts in the signal path (cables, connectors, PCBs) of your entire system. | | 8 | Demagnetizing Fade | 1:00 | A continuation of the demagnetization process, focusing on lower frequencies. These two tracks can be played at a high volume (your normal listening level) and are said to immediately clean up the sound. | | 9 | System Burn-In | 15:00 | A specially designed signal meant to be played on loop for hours or even days to "burn in" new components, particularly speakers, by exercising their full frequency and dynamic range. |
The first half of the disc provides step-by-step guidance to ensure your hardware is operating in perfect harmony with your listening environment. A voice announces "Left Channel" from the left
When archiving or downloading this album today, the format is mandatory. Unlike MP3s, which discard critical high- and low-frequency data to save file space, FLAC compresses the audio without losing a single bit of information.
Features sweeping classical movements with massive transient spikes—sudden kettle drum strikes and brass crescendos that test an amplifier’s current reserves and power supply speed. | | 3 | Voice Out-Of-Phase | 0:25
: Features a "Clap Track" specifically recorded to help listeners evaluate room acoustics and speaker dispersion patterns. Full Tracklist XLO Reference Recordings Test & Burn-In HDCD - Elusive Disc
Whether you are burning in a new pair of electrostatic headphones, diagnosing a vintage Marantz amplifier, or just wanting to hear what 20Hz feels like in your chest cavity, this disc—preserved in perfect FLAC fidelity—remains the final word in system calibration. Find a legitimate rip, set your player to "Repeat," and leave the room. Tomorrow, your system will be reborn. diagnosing a vintage Marantz amplifier
To understand the value of this disc, you have to look at the forces behind it:
