Check out this thread… What are your audiophile recordings for system evaluation and setup?
For me: it changes because I get sick of the same stuff, but here goes:
1 - For imaging - Chesky Ana Caram Rio After Dark. There is a rain forest tune… cant rember the name wow… best for imaging I have… there is a jingly prcussive instrument that actually moves in an arch above your speakers… hight… pretty rare in a recording (I hate her singing… barf… flat flat flat… Astrud was OK, after her… stop it will ya?)
2 - For imaging: Dave Brubek Time Further Out, Unsquare Dance… the percussive sticks are highly localized
3 - For general musicality: Bachman Turner Overdrive, Looking OUt for Number One - Guitar sounds like its on the forward pickup… nice.
4 - Imaging, Bass, Dynamics: Jennifer Warnes - The Hunter… Rock You Gently and Way Way Down Deep (wow bass)
5 - Overall: Opus 3 sampler… I have the individual discs on vinyl, the CD sampler is darn good. I know exactly how far to the left that acoustic guitar can go on Tiden Bara Gar.
6 - Casino Royal Casino Royale… guys, I played this again the other night… you really should seek this out. It really is a system tester… Harry Pearson is spot on about this recording.
On CD, there are a few versions, I have two… one is not so good, the other is fantastic.
Do not get the Kritzerland version.
Get: Varese Sarabrand version… wow.
Peace
Bruce in Philly