Sinead O'Connor: Speaker Test
Sinead O'Connor's Nothing Compares 2 U was the inspiration for this playlist, which draws from her memoir, Remembrings.
Nothing Compares 2 U is one of the most beautiful songs ever written and recorded. Not many people know that the song was actually written by Prince in the late 1980s. Prince recorded the song himself, but it didn’t gain much attention at the time.
When the song was given to Sinéad O'Connor, it was clear that her powerful Irish voice was exactly what the song needed to propel it into the stratosphere. Sinéad's version of Nothing Compares 2 U became iconic, and it was going to be the centerpiece of my playlist. However, I wasn’t sure where to take it next.
Around the time I read Sinéad O'Connor's book and started making this playlist, I upgraded my vintage Sansui speakers at home with new tweeters. My sound system consists of a 1973 vintage Realistic receiver paired with two 1983 vintage Sansui speakers.
While I was working on the playlist, the two tweeters in my speakers blew out. The wonderful thing about old vintage speakers is that they’re relatively easy to repair.
Vintage speakers are typically built with a wooden case and often feature a fabric mesh on the front to protect the speaker cones inside. Back in the day, if you blew out a woofer or tweeter, you could simply head to your local Radio Shack or any other audio store to replace the part. All you needed was a screwdriver, scissors, and some black electrical tape.
I ordered two new tweeters online, which were a definite upgrade from the original ones. Once the new tweeters were installed, I began choosing songs to test the sound of my refurbished speakers.
All the songs in this playlist are ideal for testing vintage speakers (or any stereo system, really). I specifically selected tracks with delicate, high treble and rich, deep bass to hear the full range of sound.
These songs feature a lot of piano and acoustic guitar, with a deep bass that really shines. Haunting vocals also seem to pair perfectly with the sound of the speakers, making them an ideal fit for testing my new setup.
I highly recommend listening to these songs when you want to demo any new speakers or sound system, especially if you’re aiming for that classic vintage sound.
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