Words by Scott Eastlick
While my love for music is as preternatural as my love for sugar, oxygen, and affection, I’ve never considered myself to be a bonafide audiophile. Even if I have the ear, I don’t have the income, so me wanting to be an audiophile is a bit like a greeter at Walmart having a penchant for single malt scotch. Though my recent experiences evaluating high-end gear and writing glossaries of audiophile terminology have taught me to truly understand the flaws of my own equipment, leaving me feeling how Madonna must when she sees an un-airbrushed photograph of her arms.
I’ve also come to realize the extent to which people use undeniably great equipment to listen to unbelievably bad music. The refrain is that top-tier equipment reveals details in the music that inferior gear would leave unexposed, which is absolutely true, but a pair of $1,200 headphones isn’t going to make me appreciate Taylor Swift any more than the disposable earbuds they give out on the plane, nor would the best speaker system in the world convince me that I need to hear Bohemian Rhapsody again.
This is a Test represents an attempt to cull some of the most impeccably produced music ever recorded with consideration for those who test, review, or strive to better appreciate audio gear, while also working as a listenable playlist for those who do not. All of the music is taken from lossless sources and can be downloaded in lossless format HERE. (Right-click to download)
Check out more of Scott Eastlick's audio mixes, visit his website Electric Adolescence.
Tracklist:
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