What music is your benchmark?

[johnains]

I agree with you Brian, piano and also chamber music. A comparison with acoustic instruments that I have heard live provides me with the assurance that my equipment is getting close. I have one particular piano recording of Anne Queffelec playing a Bach selection which has great presence if the equipment is up to it.
John

[Alex_UK]

I have one particular Sam Brown track, one of my favourite songs of hers - which was actually a B-Side - "No Man Is an Island" - it was the B-Side to the 7" single Mindwprks, and 1 of 4 tracks on the Mindworks CD Single and 12" - I've got both so I can use it for testing either format, and of course a ripped copy.

For me this track really tests the three-dimensionality of a soundstage, as well as female vocals, there's some great acoustic guitar, and a wonderful flute solo, as well as some subtle "brush" drums, a good kick drum and an easy to follow bassline. Only problem is it is one of those "wow" tracks for me that I loved listening to on any system!

(Martin - well worth seeking out the 12" of this, I think it would be absolutely stunning on the Techie... )

[MartinT]

Will do, Alex. Is it not on any of the albums?

[Alex_UK]

Will do, Alex. Is it not on any of the albums?

No - afraid not. I love all of the tracks on the CD/12" but only Mindworks was an album track - true of most of her CD singles/12" - I think I'm only missing one from my collection, and I'm always amazed how much effort she puts into her "B-sides" - most could easily be album tracks. I'm a bit biased, of course as she is one of my all-time favourites!

[WAD62]

I use a few for various purposes...although I listen to quite a bit of electronic music I tend to test stuff out with analogue, as I find it taxes hi-fi's a lot more

Tosca - Dehli 9 (Disk 2)

A good one for testing out speaker capabilities, all recorded on a grand piano, no compression, and I don't know how it is being played, ostensibly it's an ambient album, but when it's turned up the full range of sound can make lesser speakers fart

Radiohead - Hail to the Thief

I like this as there's loads going on, several guitars with loads of effects, keyboards, drums, vocals etc....lots of stuff that can sound a bit confusing on a lesser system. If you can follow the bass through 2 + 2 = 5 then things aren't so bad, and the stereo positioning is excellent.

Dead can Dance - Aeon

Lisa Gerrard's voice should be just this side of making your ears bleed, again all played on traditional medieval instruments.

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

A bit obvious this one, but it's nice to see if you can hear the detail of the brushes on the snare drum, along with the full body of the sax and double bass.

And finally a couple for showing off how nice your system is

Polar Bear - Polar Bear

Tilt - Scott Walker

Both meticulously recorded, and make most systems sound good...

[MartinT]

Martin - well worth seeking out the 12" of this

Click, click, done!

[Tim]

Click, click, done!

Jeez Martin, you have it down to only 2 clicks now - you must have a shortcut . . .

[Alex_UK]

Jeez Martin, you have it down to only 2 clicks now - you must have a shortcut . . .

I reckon you'd love it too Tim. Seriously, must be at least 3 days since I got ya!

[The Grand Wazoo]

I suppose some of my benchmarks would be:

Dusty Springfield - 'Dusty in Memphis'
Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanagan - 'Ballad of the Broken Seas'
Muddy Waters - 'Folk Singer'
Led Zeppelin - 1st album
Grieg's Piano Concerto - Curzon with the LSO / Fjeldstad
FZ - 'The Yellow Shark'

[MartinT]

Jeez Martin, you have it down to only 2 clicks now

We're seriously bad for each other