What are your go to LP's for evaluating new gear or new tubes?

David Lindley's 1981 album El Rayo-X. "Mercury Blues" is a killer track.

Shostakovich Tenth Symphony Karajan/Berlin or the previously mentioned Reiner/CSO Scherazade.

  I listen primarily to digital and the OP is analog but the above are 2 LPs that sound great and the works test every bit of the orchestra.  For organ I would find a good copy of E Power Biggs Bach at the Thomaskirche.

  I can’t resist telling the OP that yes, streaming and all forms of digital media can sound ‘as good’ as vinyl, and IMO usually better 

@billpete

Thanks for the advice for "Tea for the Tillerman". I am actually in the market for a better copy of the album. I had been considering Analog Productions 200g remaster. But they were a limited edition. And are now quite expensive. I currently have an A&M 1973 reissue that has seen its better days. I have read many good things about the Island pressings. Based on your experience, I will abandon the AP 200g idea, and search for a pristine Island pressing instead. You just saved me from an expensive disappointment. Thank you.

I find many remasters to be a disappointment when compared to the original pressings. I have a 1981 Mobile Fidelity half speed remaster of the Stones' Sticky Fingers. It is an abomination when compared to my 1971 original pressing or my 1974 reissue pressing. MoFi managed to remaster the life out of the album. And that is pretty difficult to do to an album such as Sticky Fingers. I am not saying that all of the 1980s MoFi half speed remasters are bad. But they are certainly hit and miss at best. And they didn't even come close to the target with Sticky Fingers.

Just a side note to your album art remark. I have heard Joni Mitchell say in an interview, that she did not consider music to be her native tongue. That she considers painting as her native tongue. She is an avid painter. And all of her albums have her original artwork on the covers. She also did the album artwork for CSNY "So Far". I have never heard of her selling any of her paintings. But she has done quite a number of them. I believe that you are correct about Cat Stevens doing his own album artwork as well. At least I am quite sure that Tea for the Tillerman was painted by him.

@flash56 

I just checked and my digital remaster is 180G, not 200 and on the Universal label. I bought it a long time ago from Music Direct, $30 or $40 even then. I didn't bother to open it for a couple of years, just put it in the collection. When I finally did and tried to play it, I discovered that the hole is drilled off-center, rendering it unplayable unless you're into really odd sounding music. :) What I was able to discern was that it didn't particularly seem to capture the essence of the original anyway. It just sits in the collection. I have plenty that don't get played for various reasons. 

Most of my copies of Tea For The Tillerman are A&M, not Atlantic. I just mixed that up and thought after I said it that I was probably wrong. I bought my Island copy as used but excellent. It does have a touch of surface noise but still better than the A&M's without noise. The differences aren't huge but they are there. I just wish I'd have had the instincts to buy the "import copies" back in the day. They could all be had for $1 to $2 more but back in those days, it was a quarter tank of gas or whatever. Had I known they were indeed far better, I'd have bought them every time. I used to buy most of my records at head shops. Most of the employees were not usually audiophiles, they were mostly young hippie stoner kids who worked in a cool shop. My main record rack (for storage) came from one of those old head shops. It was the record rack for a store called The Grass Menagerie.  A piece of history. :) We didn't really have record stores until years later. 

Cat Stevens was a pretty fair artist himself. He even did an animated film around 1969 or 1970. I remember watching it at a buddy's house. Interesting film and showed the introspective nature of Mr Stevens, obviously a very kind and gentle soul. I can't think of the name of the film but it has something to do with points. Either you have a point or you don't. Try to find the film and you will understand.

I just recently watched an interview with Joni Mitchell and she did speak of her art. Joni is/was "The Classic Hippie Chick". She epitomizes it. She is like the girls I used to date and eventually chose to marry. Growing up in the 60's and 70's is something that cannot be replicated and it never will be. OK, enough of my nonsense. I listened to another Joni Mitchell named Blue on Warner label. In some ways even better than my copy of Court and Spark. Both are certainly very enjoyable and well worth a listen. Great acoustics and a lovely voice. 

@mahler123 

Still rounding up my Karajan recordings. So far, Showpieces For Orchestra Album 2 on Angel label. I have found some Angel and EMI/Angel recordings to be very good. Another is Liszt/Karajan Mezeppa Les Preludes, Hungarian Rhapsodies/Berlin Philharmonic on Deutsche Gramaphon and Swan Lake & Sleeping Beauty with Vienna Philharmonic on London ffrr. All good labels.

I know that I have quite a few E Power Biggs organ LP's. Still going through to see which ones. He was very good. My favorite organist is Virgil Fox but I have many recordings of other organists that are very good.