Auditioning Audio Gear - The Music Used

I use basically the same methods listed above. Have a standard set. It evolves, as do I. I also use this rotation when inserting a new component in my system, and again after break-in. Basically, I want to evaluate familiar recordings for male/female voice, saxophone/trumpet/piano/drums/cymbals(I love the cymbal test). I want to hear the tonal characteristics of a component, laid back or forward presentation, dynamics, bass response, weight, sound at low and high volume, and tendency to harshness or brightness. My list? Steely Dan-Aja(Black Cow and Aja), Francis Dunnery-Tall, Blond Helicopter(The Johnny Podell Song and I Believe I Can Change My World), Dar Williams-Mortal City(The Christians And The Pagans and Southern California Wants To Be Western New York), Lucinda Williams-Car Wheels On A Gravel Road(Car Wheels On A Gravel Road and Drunken Angel), The Cure-Mixed Up(Pictures Of You), John Coltrane-Blue Train(several tracks), and Sade-Best Of(several tracks).

Since I primarily listen to classical music, there are a few discs I bring--Bernstein-Candide, Reference Recordings for full scale orchestral, dynamics and bass, Handel--Arias for Cuzzoni and Corelli, Concerti Grossi, both with McGeagan and the Philharmonia Baroque, on Harmonia Mundi, for female voice, small orchestra and natural sound, and the Delos Mahler 2nd, for full scale orchestra and chorus. Sometimes I'll bring The Cars and Linda Ronstadt, too, just for fun. Ultimately, I advise my friends to bring the discs they like the most and listen to the most, because a system that won't convey the enjoyment they get from their favorite discs isn't worth getting, IMO, no matter how good it is.

Stevie Nicks 'Enchanted' HDCD boxed set is my acid test. There's something about her voice that's very difficult to resolve cleanly; if the rig handles Stevie smoothly, only then do I continue testing.