Best Five Demo Pieces for your System


What five pieces of music would you turn to in order to evaluate or demonstrate the fidelity of your system? Or, to critically listen to a new "challenger" component which is being demoed? I listen solely to cd:

Al Jarreau, from the disc Tenderness, track 2 "Try a Little Tenderness" - live recording, can catch great detail and nuances in his voice

Herbie Hancock from disc Possibilites, track 3 "A Song for You" with Christina Agulera - again, wonderful inflection, shows off the female vocals in a system

(Don't Laugh!) Usher speaker demo disc entitled, "Compass Dancer series II" track 2 which is a drum solo improv. by Jim Keltner This is seven minutes of pure percussion workout for the rig! One of the absolute best demo cuts I've ever used.

Lesiem's cd "Auracle" tracks 1 "Humilitas" or 10 "Invidia"
gives a sample of orchestrated, choral, synthsized and vocals all in one!

Joss Stone's The Soul Sessions, track 1 "The Choking Kind"
What a voice! and excellent demo for bass.

There are so many others...I used to listen quite a bit to a disc entitled "Begin Sweet World" which has wonderful lead clarinet!

These selections say as much about a person as the system. It should be interesting to see the selections our illustrious audiophiles use to "put their system through the paces." Then, if assertainable, one can glance at the components in the "system" link and try to gain an appreciation for the sytle of music enjoyed and the rig it's played on!
douglas_schroeder

Showing 1 response by puntloos

Let me add my list then.

James Blunt's "Goodbye my Lover" has an incredible piano and just a voice (not my favourite voice but..) Simplicity.

Eva Cassidy's "Fields of Gold" from her live at blues alley album.. one of the best female vocalists there ever was (:()

Jennifer Warnes' entire "the Hunter" CD.. check out "Way down deep" for an incredible bass drum, or "Lights of Lousianne" for the total audiophile soundstage.

Blue man group with "Persona" for some modern electronica.

Damien Rice's "Cheers Darlin'" for a very intimate setting, yet with some very nice situational sounds (a wedding party).

Tchaikovsky - Violin Concertos - Vadim Repin Valery Gergiev are very nice and full orchestral classical pieces.. pick any spot and sit back.