best cd's to impress your friends with..

I think the best CD's to impress friends with are the ones they like. Whenever a friend (mine or my wife) comes over and they show interest in the Hi-Fi, the first question asked always seems to be "how much.....". I usually respond with "it doesn't matter, would you like to hear something?". They of course bite and I set up the listening chair while they search through the CD's and records. Most friends are amazed at the record collection and the thought that "scratchy old records" sound better tham CD. Whatever they want to hear is what we listen to. We often listen to both LP and CD. I always find inner joy in the comments...."Records really do sound better than CD", "It sounds like the band is right there", "If you close your eyes.....", "the voice is so clear and clean", "I've never heard anything like this before"

Let your guest pick the music. They know what they like and what they are familiar with. THAT is how to impress them this hobby. Cheers, Doug

"Ghost of Tom Joad" Springsteen, "Love Over Gold" Dire Straits, "The Symphony Sessions" Tom Cochran, "Graceland" Paul Simon

I'm with Doug. Let them hear what they like with a good system that will impress them more than some super audiophile recording of music they don't. The fastest way to turn someone off is to "force" something on them that they really aren't interested in.

I select something unusual that I am certain that they have not heard, whether it be Yo-Yo Ma or a new version of "Duke of Earl". I do not play any of my reference tracks as I am sick of listening to them. The few local friends that are into this hobby, of course, bring their own CD's. When listening late at night, I often surpise myself by just grabbing any CD in the dark living room and loading it into the player which is now located in the hallway closet.

If your system is really "dialed in" and can throw images around like crazy, try any CD by Isao Tomita. This guy did (does?) classical and movie score material in electronic fashion (synthesizer), and everything I've heard is just completely wacky and wonderful - and mind boggling in terms of imaging and soundstage. I have only 2 right now: (i) "Snowflakes Are Falling" (music of Claude DeBussy) RCA/BMG 9026-63588-2; and (ii) "The Planets" (yes, Holst's) RCA RCD1-1919, but I have heard parts of some others, and all of them more or less remarkable. I'm not saying Tomita's music will end up being your favorite or even your cup of tea, although it is very "accessible", but if you want to impress friends with what YOUR audio system can do, as opposed to a Circuit City or Sam Sung special - Tomita will do it for you.