great sounding cds to audition new speakers

The movie soundtrack "Shaft." Excellent recording with dynamics, bass weight, clarity, full orchestral arrangement, and timeless music.

"No Absolute Time" Jean Luc Ponty

I burn a disc of music which I know well and will be listening to at home on the speakers I select. I listen to a wide range of music so my test disc includes rock, jazz, classical, female vocals and so on. It even includes a few tracks which are not well recorded as this can help show you whether the speakers will give a "warts and all" presentation or a "rose tinted" one.

I strongly recommend you do not use music you are not very familiar with, regardless of what your current speakers are like.

Hens' recommendations are excellent. I'd suggest putting most any Reference Recording on your list. Try Minnesota Orchestra, Eiji Oue conducting, Pictures at an Exhibition. Whether or not you are a classical music listener, full orchestra is a necessary part of your CD audition list. Orchestral music is a major challenge for any speaker. If it can do orchestra right, it will do everything else right too.

Ideally, something you are familiar with to have a basis for comparison. A great sounding recording does not help you much if you don't have a reference. I usually take with me things I know well. Recently Vienna Teng, Rostropovich on Teldec, Massiva Attack. For imaging, cannot beat Roger Waters Amused to Death, uncanny. You did not tell us your favorite style of music, so the range to choose from is way too wide. Note this has been discussed a lot, so doing a search on it may bring up things that are in your musical area of interest.