THE BEST JOHN WILLIAMS MOVIE SCORES TO TEST YOUR HI-FI SYSTEM

Our go-to test tracks from the movie maestro's epic collection

We test every piece of hi-fi kit that comes our way with a huge variety of musical genres, from rock and pop to hip-hop and jazz, not forgetting a healthy dose of classical music. And no composer’s body of work gets as much of a workout as the great John Williams.

With a career spanning seven decades that includes a recurring collaboration with Steven Spielberg, not to mention a musical offering for every single Star Wars trilogy, the celebrated composer has scored nearly every major movie from your childhood, from the ’70s to the noughties, spanning fantasy classics to Oscar-worthy pictures and more.

However, this isn’t a rundown of our favourite John Williams tracks – that would be an extremely long list! This is a carefully considered selection of the best test tracks from Williams that we play during our reviewing of hi-fi products in our dedicated listening rooms. Tracks that we know and love, that no amount of repeat play will diminish; tracks that push even high-end hi-fi systems to the limits; tracks that reveal just how well something can handle, well, everything.

Williams’ scores are forever tied to their films and it is paramount (to him and to our testing) that we should feel the emotion he is trying to elicit from the music to augment what is happening on screen. While we listen out for all the usual sonic qualities – deep basslines, clear highs, strong mids, scale of sound, superb timing and dynamics – it ultimately comes down to whether the song makes you feel as intended. Is this system delivering its musical intent coherently and in a way that genuinely connects with you? The tracks we suggest here will answer those questions perfectly.

Theme from Jurassic Park