What Are Your Reference Discs? or Specific Reference Tracks


Looking for new gems!  My reference discs are: Graceland, Paul Simon  Avalon, Roxy Music  Brothers in Arms, Dire Straits  So, Peter Gabriel  Ten Summoner's Tales, Sting 

What are yours?

wweiss
All the recordings mentioned are well recorded but might not challenge or tax a system to reveal its weaknesses. Beethoven Symphony No, 9/4th movement(Ode To Joy) will challenge any system. I have always played the Vaclav Neumann/Czech Philharmonic(live recording) Denon 81757 7575 2(CD format). Notice how few(if any) audio show demos of "Ode To Joy" on Youtube. 
My Dozen ….
01/12: Gounod-Faust / Bizet-Carmen RCA LSC-2449-45CVp  
02/12: Ballet Music From The Opera RCA LSC-2400
03/12: Grieg, Peer Gynt London CS-6049  
04/12: Massenet, Le Cid Klavier KS 522  
05/12: Walton, Facade Suite RCA SB-2039
06/12: Zero Mostel, Fiddler On The Roof RCA LSO-1093
07/12: Shchedrin, The Carmen Ballet, Melodiya ASD-2448
08/12: Albéniz, Suite Española Decca SXL-6355
09/12: Rimsky-Korsakoff, Scheherazade RCA LSC-2446
10/12: Offenbach, Gaîté Parisienne RCA LSC-1817
11/12: Arnold, English & Scottish Dances Lyrita SRCS-109
12/12: Casino Royale, Colgems COSO-5005

Rather than list tracks, I'd refer you to this video and comment:

"If you want to learn to evaluate sound equipment, the most important factor to start with is being comfortable with your stereo. Just take many hours, listening to a variety of music you like. 

Do not use a limited number of records because they sound so good. That’s ear candy, used in every hifi demo room all over the world. 

Simple jazz combo’s making impressive music will be impressive on a broad variety of equipment. That’s why on hifi shows you hear them in every room. 

Pop and rock know their ear candy as well: Dire Straits, Kari Bremnes, Diana Krall and so on. Nothing wrong with the music by the way but it’s not too difficult to reproduce properly. 

There is no need to play classical music if you don’t enjoy it but playing acoustically recorded performances might be a good idea. Think of folk music, Fado, flamenco and so on. 

Again vary in genre for each genre will use its own difficult instruments. 

Visiting shows and listening to all kinds of setups at that show can be very instructive if you are allowed to listen to music of your choice - and thus no ear candy."

https://youtu.be/lkgRzLygNrU


Roger Waters, “Amused To Death   SACD
Pink Floyd, “Wish You Were Here”   SACD
Kim Simmons & Savoy Brown, “The Devil To Pay”  CD
Legacy Audio, “Music Sampler 3”   CD
Muddy Waters, Folk Singer”   MFSL CD