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Which Albums do you use for reference Listening ?

Which Albums do you use for reference Listening ? Which records are the Tour De Force Records you favor to get things opened up and stretched to the outer limits of what sounds good to YOU

I just installed a New Vintage Empire EDR.9 MM Cartridge. I guess MM's don't have break in time because this sounds so fine right oughta the box !

These albums are some of my favorites that can demonstrate my systems strengths and weaknesses, music that covers the whole frequency spectrum.

I.E ultra low frequencies Organ , Low frequency Cello, Baritone Sax Mid Frequencies etc. etc up to triangles, brushes and sopranno's gone wild

Some of these records do not isolate frequencies but make an the system components go through the full gamut all at once, from the top to bottom, over, under, and sideways down.

Ok this is my Bakers Dozen selections

1812 Overture *
Led Zeppilin II *
Captain Beefheart-Clearspot *
Side 2 - Abbey Road *
Pet Sounds-The Beach Boys *
Issac Hayes-Hot Buttered Soul
Herbi Mann - Push Push
Amsterdam Guitar Quartet- The Four Seasons
Elvis Costello-Imperial Bedroom *
Art Blakey-A Night at Birdland Vol 1 *
Aretha Franklin-Amazing Grace
Arthur Rubenstein - Chopin Collection
Bobby Soxx & the Blue Jeans -
Christmas Baby Please Come Home MONO *
Husker Du-Zen Arcade

It's nice that at least a few of the titles are still in print on wax or easily available.

You should be able to still buy these* without too much trouble.

Best Regards &
Merry Christmas

Groovey Records

Listening to The Phil Spector Christmas Album

Back To Mono !
just kidding;.)
128x128groovey
david12
1,454 posts
 
I find opera very challenging for Vinyl. So 2 I use are

Verdi Ottelo with Placido Domingo: the opening is very busy aND dynamic, with a good loud cannon thrown in too. If cartridge is not tracking, you get congestion and loose the big changes in dynamics.

Verdi Don Carlos again with Domingo: Side 2 has loud and complex choral singing, again a real challenge for a less than perfect vinyl set up.
In general, I much prefer Classical on vinyl, but many records provide a real challenge. Symphonic music too, if a system can make the late Mahler symphonies come to life, it is doing pretty well
forrestc
114 posts
 
One of my all-time vinyl favorites for reference listening is:

Grace Jones, Slave to the Rhythm

. . . quite a sonic experience!
squeegy200
14 posts
 
David Benoit - Every Step of the Way
Jennifer Warnes - Famous Blue Raincoat
Sting - Dream of the Blue Turtles
arnold_layne
141 posts
 
Roger Waters "Amused to Death" - great for testing bass response. This album has it all, low bass, explosions, PP Arnolds excellent vocals, Jeff Beck's awesome guitar, and Q sound.
flyingred
139 posts
 
Supertramp "Crime of the Century" for resolution
Emerson Lake and Palmer's first album for dynamics, bass extension (church organ) and noise floor
Mott the Hoople "Brain Capers" for rhythm and timing
Halle Orchestra/cond Handford Carmina Burana (Orff) on EMI for tonality
More to discover