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Test Tones & Test & Setup Track Repository - Please Contribute Tracks & Techniques

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23K views 49 replies 27 participants last post by  bbfoto  
B
#1 · (Edited)
Test Tones & Test & Setup Track Repository - Please Contribute Tracks & Techniques

So I wanted to start a Repository of sorts for the most common Test Tracks that we all use to Setup, Measure, and Tune our car audio systems, both By Ear, and with a Measurement Microphone & Software/Apps. PLEASE CONTRIBUTE!


TYPES:

Mono & Stereo

  • Sine Waves & Sine Sweeps
  • Pink Noise, White Noise, Brown Noise (Correlated & Uncorrelated, Full Spectrum & Band-Limited)
  • Band-Limited "Click" or repetitive On/Off/On/Off tracks.
  • Phase
  • Others


FORMAT:

LOSSLESS WAV files preferred.

Otherwise please submit other LOSSLESS, Uncompressed formats.

NOTE:

MP3, AAC, and other Compressed File Encoders can add Spurious Artifacts to certain test tones OR will apply HPF & LPF which will skew your measurements and trick your ears. So please try to submit or Link to files that are in Full Lossless WAV format if at all possible.


TECHNIQUES & PRINCIPLES:

Please Describe any particular Methods or Processes that you use with a Particular type of test track.



To Start things off, here is a Link to the FREE Focal CD Tools Download

The included "Sourdo" drum track is an excellent one to use to locate door panel or other resonances and buzzing panels. ;)


Another EXCELLENT set of Discs are the Navone Engineering/Autosound 2000 Test CDs: CD#101 thru CD#105


SOFTWARE/APP TONE GENERATORS & RTA:

You can use REW or Audacity (among other free programs) to Create Custom Test Tones & Pink Noise, etc.

And I've been using the "Function Generator" Android app A LOT lately. You can create nearly unlimited types of test tones in real time, and it allows you to easily switch from Left to Right, or mute individual L/R channels.

This makes it easy to quickly balance the Frequency Response of the L & R channels with PN or WN. You can also CHANGE THE PHASE of an individual channel in Real Time. So you can play a test tone in your Left Midbass at 0°, while incrementally changing the Phase ° on your Right Midbass, etc. ;)

A nice little Android RTA is Advanced Spectrum Analyzer PRO or Spectroid.

iOS & Mac users, please post your preferred Programs & Apps.
 
#6 ·
#8 · (Edited)
Great idea. Subbed.
I've been using Audiotool for RTA. Dayton imm-6 for mic.
A Simple bracket that positions the mic right between the ears in the driver's position.
Sheffield Labs uncorrelated pink noise on Spotify (sigh...I know)
There's also a tone generator on Audiotool but I use a second Android for the RTA so I can have that open on its own, while I stream Spotify thru the SpotEQ31 app on my main phone. The SpotEQ31 app has a single/dual eq settings and up to 33 bands.
I will be replacing this system with a usb stick full of quality files thanks to this thread. Lol bluetooth and mp3 is a really bad place to start.
 
B
#14 ·
B
#24 · (Edited)
Bumping this up.

Here is a simple track that I've found useful for getting the Center Image tightly focused and properly positioned in the Soundstage for my mids and tweeters, as well as dialing in the spectral balance of the upper mids and treble.

I will use this to confirm my IR/time alignment measurements because this tests what my ears are actually hearing in the environment, as opposed to what the microphone is "seeing" or telling me.

It is a recording using a very high-quality Josephson/Microtech Gefell C617 Omni measurement & instrument microphone of a piece of cellophane being physically crushed or "crinkled" by hand.

In addition, it should sound extremely detailed and not smeared, congested, or compressed in any way. And while it is extremely detailed, it should not sound too bright, harsh, or grating. It should have some "depth" or good separation/transients between the multitude of individual crinkled sounds. IOW, it should test the reproduction or accuracy of the Time Domain.

It has excellent transient information and should sound lifelike and natural. If it just sounds like "static", your tweeters are not accurate or resolving.

Listen to it with just your tweeters playing, and then just your midrange drivers.

Then combine tweeters and midranges. If the image is not as pinpoint and focused or if it is smeared and not as detailed as when the tweeters or mids are played individually, there is still some work to do. You might also notice that the Image Height changes when switching between the midrange or tweeters separately as opposed to when you combine them. Ideally, the image height should not change but should remain high (just under the rearview mirror) when you isolate or combine the mids and tweeters.

You can also use headphones or earbuds as a reference to hear how it should sound without the reflections and "smearing" of your vehicle's environment.

Do NOT play this file via Bluetooth unless your source and receiver use the LDAC codec. Play the WAV file, or convert it to FLAC or ALAC and play it via USB input or using a wired connection (digital optical, coaxial, USB) from your DAP or other source directly to the DSP. Or burn the file to a CD.

Put in on Repeat.

bbfoto DIYMA Test Tracks [Misc] - Cellophane Mid/Tweeter Center Image/Transients/Spectral Balance - WAV D/L

A non-clipped, high-quality, mono "key jangle" recording will work similarly for this task.
 
#25 ·
Seems as good a place as any to ask these questions.

I know there are a lot of already generated tones in here, but I want to learn to make my own with REW. I have 2 task I want to achieve, set amp gain structure and tuning.

I know many say just use your ears for gain, I like using tools.

For amp gain, I want to use -3db for subs and mid-base and -0db for tweeters and mid-range.

What are the correct settings here or can I use a band specific pink noise? If pink noise, what kind and what settings?

Image


For tuning, is it Periodic Pink noise? What settings are best to use?

Image
 
#26 · (Edited)
@BobTheBirdTurd

You have a good setup for the pink noise. Personally, i use -12db and max the volume on my "music phone" for repeatable testing.

Full range Periodic Pink Noise

Click the dropdown on the left side for stereo or mono and select mono
Click Save to File to export it as a .wav file


Repeat for your Tones. Only difference is changing the db level
Image
Image
 
#27 ·
Thanks, do I need to do anything with sequence length or add dither? Or is 64k and 16 bit good?
 
#30 ·
Any music can be used for focusing a centre… literally anything…

route left ‘and’ right signals to each speaker, guess what you should get? A perfect centre… if you don’t it’s either timing or eq that’s incorrect or reflections playing havoc
 
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B
#31 · (Edited)
Bumping this one back To The Top...

I'm currently working on uploading the David Navone & Richard Clark "AUTOSOUND 2000 Test CD" series from the 1990s. I believe I have at least CD #101 through #104.

The files were Ripped from the Original CDs to Uncompressed FLAC format. I will try to upload WAV files at a later date. I've also included JPEG images of the CD Cover and Liner Notes/Booklet pages.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

The download link and files are Password Protected. Enter the actual User Name of the Original Founder of these DIYMA Forums.

Hint: np _ _ _ _ (with no spaces)


bbfoto DIYMA Test Tone Tracks - Autosound 2000 Test CD #101 (Low Frequency) - FLAC D/L (Password Protected)

UPDATED July 25, 2025:

bbfoto DIYMA Test Tone Tracks - ''MY DISC'' Autosound 2000/Sheffield Lab Test CD #103 - FLAC D/L (Password Protected)

UPDATED July 26, 2025:

bbfoto DIYMA Music Demo Tracks - ''SHEFFIELD DRIVE'' by Sheffield Labs - FLAC D/L (Password Protected)

UPDATED July 27, 2025:

bbfoto DIYMA Music Demo & Test Tracks - Chesky Records Jazz Sampler & Audiophile Test Compact Disc Vol. 1 - FLAC D/L (Password Protected)

bbfoto DIYMA Test Tone Tracks - Rockford-Fosgate 3Sixty.3 DSP Setup Disc (Test Tones) - FLAC D/L (Password Protected)

UPDATED JULY 28, 2025:

bbfoto DIYMA Test Tones & Music Demo Tracks - DENON Hi-Fi Check CD - FLAC D/L (Password Protected)

UPDATED JULY 31, 2025:

bbfoto DIYMA Music Demo Tracks - James Newton Howard & Friends [1995 Sheffield Lab 24-Kt. GOLD CD] - FLAC D/L (Password Protected)

UPDATED AUGUST 1, 2025:

bbfoto DIYMA Music Demo Tracks - Audionutz ECA SQ Vol. 11.2 [Dynamic & Heavy Bass] - FLAC D/L (Password Protected)

bbfoto DIYMA Music Demo Tracks - ADVENTURES IN CAR AUDIO SOFTWARE [Old School Bass Tracks - 2000] - FLAC D/L (Password Protected)

bbfoto DIYMA Music Demo & Test Tones - CAR SOUND Magazine Test Disc # 1 [1995] - FLAC D/L (Password Protected)

UPDATED AUGUST 29, 2025:

bbfoto DIYMA Music Demo Tracks - Linn Records Super Audio Collection Volume 8 - 2015 Hybrid SACD [AKP 357] - FLAC D/L (Password Protected)


Hopefully, I will also get back to ripping and uploading more of the Audionutz ECA SQ CD Demo & Test CDs as well. I have over 50 CDs from this series. It's an excellent collection of music by Steven Head even though everything I have from this series is from 2009 and earlier.

Enjoy the Music!

Cheers
 
#32 ·
bbfoto said:
Bumping this one back To The Top...

I'm currently working on uploading the David Navone & Richard Clark "AUTOSOUND 2000 Test CD" series from the 1990s. I believe I have at least CD #101 through #104.

The files were Ripped from the Original CDs to Uncompressed FLAC format. I will try to upload WAV files at a later date). I've also included JPEG images of the CD Cover and Liner Notes/Booklet pages.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

The download link and files are Password Protected. Enter the actual User Name of the Original Founder of these DIYMA Forums.

Hint: np _ _ _ _ (with no spaces)


bbfoto DIYMA Test Tone Tracks - Autosound 2000 Test CD #101 (Low Frequency) - FLAC D/L (Password Protected)


Hopefully, I will also get back to ripping and uploading more of the Audionutz ECA SQ CD Demo & Test CDs as well. I have over 50 CDs from this series. It's an excellent collection of music by Steven Head even though everything I have from this series is from 2009 and earlier.

Enjoy the Music!

Cheers
Click to expand...
i could always use more tones and testing stuff ... :(

Image
 
B
#34 · (Edited)
I Updated my Post #31 above to include a D/L Link for the following:

Sheffield Lab/Autosound 2000 "MY DISC" Test CD #103 [1994 Silver CD]

It includes a TEXT file (.txt) with all of the TRACK INFORMATION AND TRACK INSTRUCTIONS from the CD Booklet/Liner Notes.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Tracks 83 through 86 had DATA ERRORS during the Ripping process even though this CD is immaculate and absolutely perfect with ZERO scratches or smudges. :( So, there May Be Digital GLITCHES and/or DROP-OUTS in these tracks! These DATA ERRORS are listed in the included Rip "Log" file.

I used a CD drive that normally reads extremely scratched and flawed CDs with ease. And I also tried another excellent drive...an external Pioneer Blu-Ray/DVD/CD burner drive that also reads and plays terrible condition discs...but still NO GO! :(

I think that this particular disc was produced with about the Maximum amount of data possible (750mb), so the data is encoded closest to the extreme center of the disc as possible, which can make it more difficult to read. IDK!?!?

However, I have previously Ripped this disc to Apple Lossless (ALAC) format, so I'll try to find those files and include and upload them as well as convert them to Lossless WAV and FLAC.

Cheers

P.S. FYI, I believe that this Sheffield Lab/Autosound 2000 "My Disc" is available to stream on Apple Music and possibly other streaming services.
 
B
#35 ·
I Updated my Post #31 above to include a D/L Link for the following on July 26, 2025:

Sheffield Lab "SHEFFIELD DRIVE" Car Audio Demo Music CD [1993]

It includes IMAGES in the "ALBUM ART & LOGS" folder of the CD BOOKLET & LINER NOTES with TRACK INSTRUCTIONS (what to "test" or listen for in each track).

NOTE: This CD contains MUSIC Demo Tracks Only, NO TEST TONES, but the music tracks are specifically chosen to demonstrate Dynamics, Imaging & Sound Stage, Detail & Realism, and Spectral Balance/Tonality, etc.

Cheers
 
B
#36 · (Edited)
^ I Updated my Post #31 above to include a D/L Link for the following on July 27, 2025:

Chesky Records Jazz Sampler & Audiophile Test Compact Disc Vol. 1

It includes IMAGES in the "ALBUM ART & LOGS" folder of the CD BOOKLET & LINER NOTES with TRACK INSTRUCTIONS (what to "test" or listen for in each track).


Link to the TRACK LIST and CD INFORMATION on Discogs...

https://www.discogs.com/release/555.../5552732-Various-Chesky-Records-Jazz-Sampler-Audiophile-Test-Compact-Disc-Vol-1

NOTE:

This Test CD includes a few simple but Excellent tracks which demonstrate real world IMAGING in regards to SOUND STAGE DEPTH & ROOM AMBIANCE which were recorded "Live" within a real listening space with a single stereo microphone (not artificial Reverb that is added in post-production/mixing...which can also be very convincing).

Cheers
 
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