Most demanding passages for a turntable & system

Joni's Court & Spark always makes my wife come in and sit down with me too.

What is it about wives and this record? Mine does the same, but only with this one!

Mapman, your link is to a CD. No wonder few turntables can track it without audible problems! ;-)

Dear Jsd52756: Most demanding for a TT&system?

well there are some tracks that are really demanding ones that are a challenge for any audio system.

Telarc 1812 Overture is probably the most demanding one and IMHO it's demanding all over the frequency range and very especial to test the system bass management.

Other extreme LP test is the 45 rpm RR Dafos on side two. As with the Telarc one this Dafos is a challenge over the whole frequency range and yes a hard challenge to evaluate the system bass mangement.

I agree too with Tonywinsc about the DD 45rpm RCA Appasionata and the Peterayer advise on the Sheffiel Drum one. Both are excelents tests.

Here we can see some of the LPs I mentioned and other we can use it:

http://cgim.audiogon.com/i/rv/s/f/1313605551.jpg

The DD Flamenco Fever is great for test and great to listen it and all in this picture are great tests:

http://cgim.audiogon.com/i/rv/s/f/1280353318.jpg

Winds for War and Peace is a recording made by Wilson and an extraordynary test LP too. The one at the right medium column here:

http://cgim.audiogon.com/i/rv/s/f/1267979105.jpg

Michael Ruff by Sheffield Records and Midnight Sugar by Three Blind Mice are good ones too:

http://cgim.audiogon.com/i/rv/s/f/1274997607.jpg

Te UHQ Mobile Fidelity of Pines of Rome is really good as is Panaraima ( the third one on the first row ), here:

http://cgim.audiogon.com/i/rv/s/f/1313605550.jpg

Of course the one mentioned Mapman Telarc Firebird as two other Firebird: the one by Sheffield Records and of course the one by Mercury.

Now, on each one of those LPs we really can detect and be aware of system problems starting with the cartridge tracking abilities.

Some one mentioned Test torture test made by Shure and exist several other by other companies. IMHO those " torture tests " could say/means almost nothing, I prefer real recorded music and not only test tones or the like.

Now, an important issue is that when using those music LP tests: against what ( reference ) are we comparing the system quality performance level? and what are we looking for on each one?

Regards and enjoy the music,

R.

Dear Tonywinsc: Which cartridges were used in the Telarc 1812 w/o that penny?

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

Hi: One of the LP mentioned has the wrong name: it's not Panaraima but Pamarita, very good indeed.

Two other great ones are:

the Mobile Fidelity: Power and Majesty and the D2D M&K: The Power and The Glory Vol. 1.

R.

Hi Raul, I have not had a lot of different cartridges over the years- maybe 8 or 9; but I had a Koetsu Black that played it wonderfully until it became a bit worn. It still sounded great with other records so I just put the Appassionta away. Now my current cartridge, the Benz plays it perfectly. These two have been my favorite cartridges. I wore the Koetsu down to a nub almost. I still have it and keep planning to get it retipped. I enjoy the Benz so much that I haven't gotten around to it. I think the Benz cartridges (I have had two of them) and the SME tonearms are a great combination. Couple that with a tube preamp and it is hard to leave the room.