Most demanding passages for a turntable & system

I also use Sheffield's Drum Record, especially the side with Jim Keltner. Compare your listening experience with that of the liner notes. If your system doesn't match up, then, your system has a weakness.

I also play Mozart's 2 piano concerto. If I can clearly identify which piano is playing, that is the better piece of equipment.

I seem to remember that Shure (the cartridge manufacturer) had a torture test record.

I'd like to try the Sheffield Drum Track. I've been thinking of other LP's I own that are tough. Rick Wakemans' Myth & Legends of King Aurthur, Merlin the Magician also fits the bill. There are some extremely demanding passages on that as well. If the cartridge setup can track and handle that song well then I know I got it all goin' on. Smiles all the way. The turntable set up as noted above plays everything very well. Joni's Court & Spark always makes my wife come in and sit down with me too. It's like Joni is singing in our home.
-John

One of my favorites and most demanding to play is a Japanese Direct to Disc 45rpm recording of Bethoven's Appassionata on the RCA label. It is very dynamic and exciting to hear. I got it in the 80s and have played it on some good systems. I have heard mistracking on most systems with this record. I can play it with my current cartridge but the stylus has to be perfectly clean. The other record to try is T's 1812 overture on the Telarc label. You can plainly see where the canon shots are in the grooves. I have seen that record (not with my copy, fortunately) throw tonearms off the record! If Peterayer ever invites me over to hear his turntable, I'm bringing these two records with me.

Tonywinsc, I also have that Beethoven "Appassionata" on 45 RPM
RCA. Kamiya is the pianist and it is a Bosendorfer Imperial piano. It's a very
fast, dynamic performance. I prefer slower versions, musically, so I don't play
it often.

This is a difficult to track LP. I listened to it again tonight just to make sure.
The LP played all the way through with no problems on my rig. I find the
beginning of side one to be the most demanding. Unfortunately, this is
another one of those LPs where the recording and sound quality is excellent,
but I don't really love the performance.

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Agon system.