What CD's do you take for a speaker audition?

R_f_sayles is giving you sound advice. Take recordings that exemplify the specific virtues and nuances of musical reproduction that are most important to you. It's fine and even encouraged to torture your prospective purchase with a challenging base line, etc. But don't abandon musical involvement for the more easily attained "Wow did you hear that" some dealers so deftly evoke.

To test all aspects of the speaker you need several discs (or LPs). Organ, Trumpet, Piano, Violin, Full orchestra, and, of course, the ubiquitous female vocalist.

When I was shopping speakers I made a CD expecially for that. I picked some Jazz, Rock, Classical, Drum Solo, Female Vocals, etc. I found it gave me a reference point on each speaker.

I am with Eldartford. Any speaker can sound quite good if you happen to find the right material.

The trick is to try to test the weakness of the speaker by giving it all kinds of material, at different volume levels and dynamics....choose good recordings and push it until you find the limits. A good speaker will sound accurate and balanced on all music/instruments/vocals and at all levels. A bad speaker will only sound good on a portion of the material.

Walter Becker : 11 Tracks of Whack
Donald Fagen : Kamakiriad