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

When I make changes to the system I just play all the music I love to listen to, and much of it isn't boutique audiophile reissues or anything like that. A lot of it is jazz and classical and early music records from the 70s I have listened to for decades. Some of it is more recent reissues (Tone Poets, AP reissues, etc) that I also pull out. 

@flash56 

I finally got to hear the pink label Island copy of TFTT. I think it's safe to say that it is the best version that I have and I now have about 7 copies in 6 versions. Still waiting for a German pressed Island copy. Maybe that will be enough. :) At any rate, the details are more clear on this pink label copy than they are on my others. It is very easy to hear the pick and the plucking of guitar strings. The dynamics are also stronger, drums more real, making the listening experience a more "live" feel. His voice seemed to be quite well done in every version and is on this as well. I'll have to direct compare with some other copies over time but I am very pleased with this copy. Was also very clean, only one pop on side one, hopefully a speck that I can clean away, otherwise it is easily a NM copy. If you ever find a pink label copy, I'd encourage you to pick it up if you can. The clarity and the dynamics do stand out more so than the rest of them, making it a nice addition to the collection. 

I also picked up the Matthew and Son double album. Have not heard it yet. 

@dogberry 

I've been doing similarly. Sorting into groups that I am likely to listen to, those that I will never listen to and so on. The biggest part of the collection is probably ones that I used to listen to but grew tired of, or that have too much noise etc. I still need to trim the listening room group since many are duplicates. I have ones that I listen to and others that are just part of the collection and have been replaced by better copies. I keep finding more "audiophile copes" that I wish I'd never bought as they miss half of the music, compared to an original. There was a period when I though these new 180g and 200g copies were better but more times than not, they are not at all. 

I did listen to my Opus 3 records. I appreciate the recordings but it's an odd mix of music. Some I like and some, not so much. One is all in Swedish, female vocalist. My grandparents would probably have appreciated it as they would understand it. :) They are really good recordings.

@inna 

Got the Elend Umbersun cd. Very strange. Gave it to my son. He kind of likes it. 

The Karajan's are almost always good. I have a few.