What is the most challenging music to play on a stereo?


If you really wanted to test the ability of a stereo, what type of music would you choose?

cdc

Tonality - Human Voice. Male or female, It shouldn't sound tubby, chesty, cupped, or nasal, Emmy Lou Harris Eva Cassidy, Aaron Neville, Mark Knopfler (His voice turns to mud on a lot of systems)

Dynamics - A big symphony, Beethoven's 9th is the first that comes to mind

Detail - Acoustic guitar. Pat Metheny and Charlie Haden. "Beyond The Missouri Sky"

Soundstage - Any well recorded live album, regardless of genre, classical, jazz, rock. Dan Hicks "Where's The Money" on a goodsystem will put you in The Troubador circa 1972. The first time I ever heard Magneplanar Tympani IIIs biamped with Audio Research D-76s and D52s with this album was life changing.

 

The most challenging anything to do it that which you do not like. Polka? @elliottbnewcombjr  glad you are still here, you seemed pretty down the other day 

A wide variety of non-audiophile records. You want to hear the shortcomings, where the illusion fails. Something that is demanding on bass will not reveal midrange anomalies and vice-versa.