Best tracks to "show off" your system

to show off, i tell my friend to bring their own CDs.

Yeah, "2 Against Nature" is pretty hard to beat. I also love the original soundtrack recording of "Princess Mononoke" on the Milan label (Red Book CD).

I like acoustic and organic based music. Chris Isaak's Baja Sessions, Jack Johnson's first album (mentioned above), Willie Nelson's Teatro, Paul Kelly's May 1992.

For full band, vintage albums include the Band's Music from Big Pink and Marvin Gaye's What's Going On.

Planty and Kraussy off the album 'Raising sand', track title
'Sister Rosetta goes before us', mesmerizing lilting track, lovely vocals by Kraussy, and all the instruments are nice with a special mention of the violin/fiddle in the background.

Lesse. 'The Wand of Youth', EMI, the track: 'the Wild Bears' for depth and soundstage.

For impact and ability to demonstrate energy without being overbearing: "Paranoid" by Black Sabbath, on white label Vertigo vinyl

for dynamic range vs detail: Verdi's Requiem, RCA Soria series, track 2 'Dies Irae' (LP only)

For outright beauty to make you cry: 'Heil dir, Sonne!' Seigfried, from the Decca/Solti Ring Cycle (LP), also 'The Lark Ascending' Vaughn Williams, EMI cond. by Boult (LP)

for a recording that sounds better and better, the better you stereo is, and sounds awful the worse it is: 'Village Music of Bulgaria' Nonesuch (LP)