Only two tracks to test your system, forever!

All good suggestions. I’m trying to think of only TWO songs that can provide all of the following:

1. Dynamics.
2. Soundstage and imaging.
3. Frequency response.
4. Bass textures.
5. The critical midrange - female and male vocalists and most instruments sounding natural.
6. Top end clarity and air without harshness.

This is fairly hard to do. I can think of numerous songs that test one or the other, but not all of these qualities. But it is a good exercise for those lucky enough to actually have a bricks and mortar store nearby so we can hear amps, speakers, streamers and such before making a purchasing decision. While many stores will entertain you playing a couple tracks they’d likely not let you listen for an hour - unless you kick them some $$ in upfront "good faith" money, which isn’t a bad idea anyway for their time and trouble.

Funny that no one mentioned Cheapaudioman Randy's test track of choice, Tool's "Chocolate Chip Trip" for soundstage and imaging. 
 

"Letter" - Yosi Horikawa

"Run" - Abe Rounds

"Rust Belt Fields" - Slaid Cleaves

@mjmcubfn Tidal’s search is just as bad. Leave out anything and it won’t find it. They really do need to incorporate a level of "intelligent closeness" and offer suggestions better. And oftentimes I do better by searching for the song title rather than the artist.

Whoever mentioned Patricia Barber, thanks. I need some "audiophile grade pap" like her on this cold, grey, gloomy, rainy December day.  Never had heard of her. And whoever mentioned Deeper with its 25Hz bass, thanks. Good finds. At least something "new" to me. Bass extension is important. 

 

Tiger Prowl - Cualli

War of the Worlds tripod emergence scene

Because I’m non-conformist:

- Baaba Maal, Mansour Seck, Djam Leelii (space, middle to hi end)

- Ry Cooder, Ali Farka Toure - Talking Timbuktu (overall)

- The Doors - Roadhouse Blues (bass)

- Richard and Mimi Farina - Joy Going Round My Brain (vocal and harmonica duet details)

- Paul Robeson - Deep River (THAT voice!)

- The Moody Blues - Tuesday Afternoon (atmosphere)

- The Moody Blues - Thinking is the best way to travel (special effects)

- Fennel - Hi-Fi A La Espanola on Mercury Living Presence (that Mercury sound)

- Max Roach with Abbey Lincoln - We Insist (abbey’s voice, the snare)

- Mahler - 5th - von Karajan (Adagietto, the cellos)

- Bruce Springsteen - American Skin (separation of the 4 voices, crowd ambiance)

- Led Zeppelin - The Battle of Evermore (For the interplay between Robert Plant’s and Sandy Denny’s voices)

- Tito Puente - Ran Kan Kan - the 12” 45rpm version (for slam)

- Laura Nyro - Tom Cat Goodbye (quiet and dynamics)