Top 3 songs to evaluate a system

As I read through the replies I noticed that most people seem to pick a song that they actually like or have an attribute that they feel stands out. For example - deep bass, 3D soundstage, type of bass guitar, or pick up a cymbal sound. This is interesting to me as these are recording attributes. I mostly prefer to hear these but I don’t use them to judge the sound. How many of you play an instrument or have recorded anything? Not that this may matter. I listen for piano first. What does that sound like as most music is in the mid-range. To me SS cannot offer the piano sound I prefer as the decay of the notes is to my ears to fast. Tubes seem to delay the decay which I prefer as to me it sounds more realistic and I can hear the "wood" of the instrument. Same goes for the sax reproduction. After that I listen for space, separation, and the placement around instruments and vocals. Especially the layering of vocal parts. How separate are they and does the layering seem smeared. Then I listen for backing instruments. I hear many systems that have layering and separation but the tone if off. Drums and bongos especially. Most of these need to have a "boing" or you should hear the skin flex and the body of the drum box. Same as the piano, how is the decay of the notes. Too many times I hear bongos sound like a flat wack. Almost like the drum is made of cardboard. Last to me is the emotion. Does the system portray emotion which I believe comes from the note decay. Shinko resistors from my experience have been the best emotional resistor I have heard.

So to my ears, does your system lay out the music and make me want to listen and not just how much I love the song.

Happy Listening.

Thanks very much for this great post....

Food for tought....You describe exactly and nail it with way  better words than i could what we must strive for when we create the right acoustic with a good system to begin with...

Anyway a good acoustic well done will reveal WHICH part of the system is to be upgrade...

But thanks to all people here for their great music  recommendation....

I will note some.....

@bgross - Beck's "Morning Phase" album is a fave Sunday morning chill record for me; but, it's also a sonically interesting record. It made me revise my opinion of him.

@bigkidz  - Totally agreed about the importance of good sounding persussion (congas, cymbals & drums). I'll never forget auditioning a speaker that made the drummer sound like he was beating on plastic trash can lids!

Great suggestions above.  Looking forward to drilling deep into these.

I'd like to add:

Kansas City Monarch -- Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters.  Nice saxophone and lively piano riffs distinguish good vs great systems
Hard Day's Night -- Kings Singers.  A textbook reference for imaging and vocal placement
Carole Horn -- Nobody Knows.  This is my go to cut for a front row seat to an amazing female vocal.

Others (honorable mention)
Ambrosia -- Time Waits for No One.  The first 1 minute of this recording is still fun to listen to after all these years (crank it up).
The Beatles -- Martha My Dear.  This is an under-appreciated contribution to The Beatles portfolio.

Also, speaking of The Beatles.  I often use the foot tap from Black Bird to demo/evaluate equipment.  You might be surprised how dramatically better equipment affects the "tonality" of something as simple as a foot tap. 

Excellent thread with some seriously good selections, below are a few of mine: sorry, I can’t leave it at just three 😬

Ezio Bosso, “Under The Trees’ Voices” (Live). If you play this and you do not feel that you are one of the musicians sitting in this hall your system needs some attention. It’s a beautiful piece which deserves many ears to listen to it.

Leonard Cohen/Sharon Robinson, “By the Rivers Dark”. Just stunning in ever respect, get lost in that voice with amazing texture and lyrics. Play loud and make your drivers work for a living.

Bob Dylan, “Man in the Long Black Coat”. Give this a spin because it’s not like the BD you think you know (unless your are a true fan. Great recording and detail. If you’re not in the same room as the band check out your gear.

Chris Stapleton, Death Row. You will know why when you play it (loud)

Bela Fleck and the Flectones, “Flight of the Cosmic Hippo” album & track. If you can’t feel the bass strings vibrate?....

Sade, either; “No Ordinary Love” or “Cherish the Day”, both winners.

Hope you enjoy😃

1) "James Newton Howard & Friends" -   Sheffield Labs #23 Side 1           "SHE"

 2) A Tie between: "The Sheffield Drum Record", Side A - Improvisations           By Jim Keltner, Sheffield Labs #14 (As listed by sls141)
      and
      "The Sheffield Track Record", Sheffield Labs #20- Robbie Buchanan,          James Newton Howard, Lenny Castro, Nathan East, Mike Landau*,          Carlos Vega
 3) Donald Fagen - "The Nightfly" (I.G.Y. - New Frontier - The Nightfly)           and/or "Kamakiriad" (Trans-Island Skyway - Snowbound -On The             Dunes)