What are your go to LP's for evaluating new gear or new tubes?

inna

I still find it interesting that you evaluate new gear using what you consider to be poor recordings. In some ways, I think a nice system reveals even more of it's flaws but maybe we just have different ways of looking at it. I know that you use good recordings as well, just find it "unusual" that you also evaluate with poor ones. 

I have no idea what DiMeola albums we listened to. It was a long time ago. One was vinyl, one was Cd. I just found it somewhat interesting, not so much that I went out and bought it. My best buddy and main listening partner (other than my wife), was a jazz enthusiast. He passed away a couple years ago. He was kind of a Dahlquist nut, had several pair, used a CJ preamp and main cartridge was Grace F9E Ruby. He never did get into MC's but the F9E Ruby was no slouch. Anyway, off topic. Sorry.

A long time ago it was direct-2-disk LP’s (Sheffield Labs, etc.). Then it was the Water Lily Record label LP’s (A Meeting By The River, an album of duet improvisations between Ry Cooder and Vishwa Mohan Bhatt). Cat Stevens Tea For The Tillerman LP (first the original pink label UK Island pressing, now the Analogue Productions version). Talking Book by Stevie Wonder, and If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lightfoot. And the Dan Hicks And His Hot Licks album Striking It Rich. Produced by Tommy LiPuma, strings arranged by Nick DeCaro, engineered by Bruce Botnick. MaryAnn Price’s singing of "I’m An Old Cowhand" is absolutely salacious!

Holst The Planets, with Sir Adrian Boult conducting The New Philharmonia Orchestra With Chorus (EMI ASD 2301). Trevor Pinnock playing Scarlatti’s Sonatas For Harpsichord (CRD 1068, UK). Anything on Lyrita Records, and Harmonia Mundi (USA and France).

billpete,

Yes, I use a combination of poor and good recordings. Most of what I listen to was not recorded well, but I want it to sound as good as possible.

Also, specifically in my case, electric guitar must sound right or close to it, especially earlier John McLaughlin's electric guitar. Not to mention his acoustic guitar, of course.

"@billpete I do see some die hard old vinyl guys like me, switching to streaming nowadays."...

You can do both. Experiencing remastered content, and how learning engines of streaming works, and discovering more of the types of music you enjoy now, opens so many more doors of listening enjoyment.

Ask those same diehards if they quit streaming and went back to vinyl & CDs only. I’d venture to guess it’s a small percentage - if any. Quality streaming can be a game changer for those who try it and embrace it fully. Enjoy.