Whats your favourite track to play to the non hi-fi visitor?


Lets be clear, the uninitiated offer an opportunity to show off your hi-fi, and give them an unexpected experience. Most visitors wonder why there is laboratory equipment and Stanly Kubrick 2001 monoliths in the lounge - some even make the connection to the wall of vinyl.

Time to pull out the Matt Bianco LP ’Who’s side are you on’, after warming up the system for an hour or so.
Some people don’t get it at all, but most can be impressed - but not with extended playtime. So, its a rare person that will sit and listen, as the demo nearly always gets turned down to background music to allow conversation.

I once had a good mate over for an evening of music and the odd wine, at one point during the evening he rushed to the kitchen and came back with spoons, which he played alongside the hi-fi to everything - including Pink Floyd. Mind you after a few wines it did bizarrely become a fitting accompaniment.

Whats your ’knock them dead track’ to play to non audiophiles?
128x128surferandy
I have enough genres of music to suitably 'wow' any tastes (except for Rap).

But a few generic crowd pleasers are:

I've got the Music in Me
-Thelma Houston and Pressure Cooker; Sheffield Labs Direct to Disc LP

Aja
- Steely Dan; any format

Pink Martini
- Ohayoo Ohio; Splendor in the Grass (44.1/16 FLAC)

Jazz at the Pawnshop (Vol. 1)
- DSD256 
- this never fails to impress even non-Jazz aficionados

The Carpenters - Singles (1969 - 1981)
- DSD 256

Dire Straits
- any album really
I start with a short cut to show off the system capabilities with vocals.  I use "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" by Manhattan Transfer.  I love the 10 seconds starting at 2:30 in the song.  What's next depends on the persons taste.  If no preference I got to a blues selection.  For classic vinyl I'll grab my Beatles Box (Mobile Fidelity 1/2 speed mastered vinyl  collection).  Either Norwegian Wood or While My Guitar Gently Weeps.