killer violin tracks.

anything by jean-luc ponty,enigmatic ocean is a great album.

Here are three violin recordings I would recommend for critical listening:

"Music for a Glass Bead Game" - Arturo Delmoni (vn), Nathaniel Rosen (vc), John Marks Records 15 - music of Bach, Kodaly and Giordani. An extremely well recorded disc of outstanding music for violin and cello played by two masters. Listening to the interplay of the cello and the violin will tell you a lot about how resolving your system is in being able to differentiate the musical lines of each instrument, in recreating the distinctly different timbre of those two instruments and in being able to present each instrument as an organic whole from the bottom of its respective range to the top. Also listen to the different size of the instruments as reproduced by your system.

"Songs My Mother Taught Me" - Arturo Delmoni (vn), John Marks Records 1 - short pieces for violin and piano by Dvorak, Faure, Kreisler, Mendelssohn, Paradis, Sarasate and others. The music on this disc is beautifully played by Delmoni in a full romantic style. Delmoni's violin should sound warm, full of texture, and sweet through the upper ranges.

"Piano Trios of Schubert and Mendelssohn" - The Rembrandt Trio, Dorian DOR-90130. OK, this has a piano and a cello in addition to a violin. But, it is superbly recorded and the combination of instruments will give you some variety. If you prefer Brahms and Dvorak, get DOR-90160 with the same Trio. Or for Tchaikovsky, get DOR-90146. Can't go wrong with any of them, and all are in Dorian's traditional demonstration quality sonics.

While these recordings should match your request for "killer violin tracks," I would suggest music other than violin for truly assessing and dialing in the sound of a system. Violin can tell you a lot about one or two aspects of a system, but not enough. To really come to grips with a system, I encourage you to read and follow the advice given by Lloyd Walker at his web site. See his article about evaluating components, particularly the paragraphs on "My approach to listening" and "The evaluation process" at:
http://www.walkeraudio.com/evaluating_components.htm

Lara St. John's Bach Concertos CD. Fantastic sound and incredible performance.

Ric Sanders Group- "In Lincoln Cathedral" as available thru Music Direct: Ric Sanders (acoustic violin), Vo Fletcher (acoustic guitar), Michael Gregory (drums, percussion). The group's repertoire is drawn from the work of composers including Chick Corea, George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, Joe Zawinul, Miles Davis, Stephane Grappelly, Django Reinhardt, John McLaughlin etc., plus original compositions and songs from within the group and new interpretations of folk material and some re-worked Fairport Convention favourites (of which Ric is a member). Their new album was recorded live in Lincoln Cathedral without overdubbing. A real sonic gem- includes compositions by Jimi Hendrix, George Harrison, McCartney, Miles Davis, Chick Corea.

The soundtrack from Schindler's list is very good, as is most anything by Mark O'Conner. Gil Shaham is an incredible violinist as well-- especially the Four Seasons with Orpheus. Well worth picking up.