Recommendations for really well-recorded music for high-end audio system demo


I’m using my system to give some local high-end audio demos for fun, and although I have a good selection of tracks I can always use more and am sure you guys have some great ones out there.  First and foremost I’m looking for really well-recorded material that shows off what a good system can do — you know, the “wow your friends” tracks we all have, and if it happens to be good/fun music as well that’s a nice bonus although not necessarily a requirement.  I’d recommend listing the artist, album, and track so it’s easier to find the right version, and if you feel like elaborating on anything notable that makes it particularly good for a demo that’d be helpful/interesting but not necessary.  As an example…

  • Patricia Barber, Companion, “Like JT” — Great live jazz club vibe, fun instrumental with excellent imaging/depth/3D soundstage.

Thanks for anything ya got!

soix

Hugh Masekela, the track Stimela. A South African trumpeter who will certainly get your attention and anyone else's in the room.

May I suggest the following:

Artist; Mary Fahl - On the Run
Album: From the dark side of the moon
Specially going fron track2 to track3: On The Run
At the beginning of the track her voice swirls round in circle overhead - you are literally forced to look up to see if you have speakers in the ceiling!

Tracy Chapman - Give me one Reason
Front soundstage is amazing and one can clearly visualise each instrument's placement.


Artist: CAN  - SPOON Album Ege Bamyasi
Great dynamics 
 

Alison Krauss and Union Station. “Gravity.”  First song on their album, “Lonely Goes Both Ways.”

Cannonball Adderely's Somethin Else is fantastic music and a great recording.

 

 

Here's a few of my favorites...

Eric Clapton  An Appreciation of JJ Cale  (Sensitive Kind) (Magnolia) (Starbound)

Joni Mitchell Blue (A Case of You)

Sarah McLachlan Fumbling Towards Ecstacy Legacy Edition (Posession) (Hold On)

Sheryl Crow (The First Cut is the Deepest Acoustic)

Peter Gabriel Security (Shock the Monkey)

Pat Metheny As Falls Witchita, So Falls Witchita (September Fifteenth)

Eric Clapton The Definitive 24 Nights (Can't Find My Way Home Orchestral)