System Reference Recordings

For imaging and soundstage width, I use Madonna's Immaculate Collection CD. This CD will put sound around you in 180 degrees on some tracks, especially "Vogue". On my system the sound is 6-8 feet outside the speaker boundaries and the depth reaches out to directly left and right of your ears, as well as 5-6 feet back behind the speakers. Almost like surround sound from stereo!
For female voice, I use Joni Mitchell "Hits" with the song "Urge for Going". The guitars aren't mixed too great, but the vocal is extremely natural and imaged rock solid center. You could swear she is right there in front of you. Another good one is Sarah Brightman "La Luna". At the end of the CD, after the last track is done, wait about 15-20 seconds, and there is another song that is not listed on the CD or the liner notes. It is "Moon River" and it is a killer rendition. Very short but very sweet. She is right there in the room. You can hear every movement of her mouth.
Male vocals I use Willie Nelson "Stardust". Very good recording. I have the LP for that.
I have just mentioned on a new thread I put up about Orff's Carmina Burana becoming a new reference recording for many aspects of sound. Parliament LP PLP (S) 161. A real torture test for a turntable system and great sounding perfromance and recording.
Manhattan Transfer "Vocalese" is a great recording for following 4 part harmonic vocals in jazz "scat" type arrangements. You can always hear all 4 singers no matter how frantic the song, if the system is up to it.

There is already a thread going on this very subject. Check it out

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?hbest&1024255477&read&h24&zzlMrderrick&&

"Soular Energy" The Ray Brown Trio.

Looked into both threads, I haven't seen much classical music. Some systems perform well until you start playing a symphony - gets congested. Could you guys add some good orchestra recordings in your recommendation? e.g., you can hear second violin third chair made a mistake? :) By the way, I don't like reference recordings. They are 'clean', but seems like something was missing from their recordings. I don't know if anybody else has the same feeling.

Here are some orchestral recordings on LP that will let you hear how well a system is performing. I've tried to keep mostly to some reissues that should still be available through the usual mail order sources (marked with *).

Stravinsky, Firebird, Dorati/LSO, Mercury SR90226 (Classic Records reissue)

Stravinsky, Le Sacre du Printemps, Solti/CSO, Decca SXL 6691 (Mine is the original and I haven't heard the recent reissued by Speakers Corner, but given their track record it should be good)*

Larsson, Concertino for Double Bass & Str Orch, Wedin/OskarshamnEns, Fredin -db, Opus 3 8502

Chabrier, Espana, Argenta/LSO, Decca SXL 2020 (Speakers Corner reissue)*

Kodaly, Galanta Dances, Kertesz/LSO, Decca SXL 6136 (Speakers Corner reissue)*

Varese, Ionisation, Mehta/LAPO and LA Percussion Ensemble, Decca SXL 6550 (Speakers Corner reissue)*

Ravel, Works for Orchestra, Skrowaczewski/MinnO, Analogue Productions APC 007 (Vanguard recording)*

Bartok, Music for Strings, Percussion and Celeste, Decca 6111 (Speakers Corner reissue)*

Thank you for your recommendation, Rushton. My system does not play LPs. Do you have any recommendation on CDs?

Aliu, CD recommendations are more problematical for me since I listen primarily to vinyl. Hopefully, others will contribute. Here are a few orchestral CDs that I've found well recorded and reproduced:

Opus 3, COPU 8502, Concertos For Double Bass and Orchestra, (same recording as the LP I recommended above)

Dorian, DOR-90156, Prokofiev: Scythian Suite

Mercury, CMER 432005, Kodaly: Dances of Galanta

Water Lily, CWATD 66, Nature's Realm/Sawallisch/PhilO

Hope some of these may be of interest to you.

Bach, Goldberg Variations, played by Glen Gould. I consider the piano the hardest instrument to record/reproduce in a "life like" manner. On a "good" system with better than "good" speakers, you can clearly hear not only beautiful piano, but also Glen Gould humming along with his remarkable playing. There are two recordings of this piece, the first being from the late 50's I think, and another, later. I prefer the first.

I happen to like Reference Recordings to test equipment. In particular the Dukas Sorcerer's Apprentence. Most systems can't clearly seperate the Contra Bassoon and Bass Drum when they double each other solo. But for Classical CD's But Not RR:

Bartok Concerto for Orchestra -Solti, Chicago, Decca
Mahler Symphony #1 Levi, Atlanta, Telarc
Rimsky Korsakoff Sheherazade Conlon, Atlanta, Telarc

These three CD's played on absolutely the best DAC's will give most systems some problems played at full volume. I measured the Chicago Symphony at about 100 db AVERAGE SPL in the loud section of the of a live performance of the last movement of the Bartok.