Three CDs I use most for exposing system weaknesses:
Clair Marlow Let It Go, Sheffield Lab #CD-29. First cut, on anything but a near perfect system her voice and the instruments will have an absolutely unpleasant "steely" edge to them.
Oliver! Original Soundtrack Recording. RCA #5501-2-R. Track 10 will have voices with "sore throats" and overall sense of congestion and crappy musicality on any but super transparent and defined systems.
Titanic Soundtrack. Sony 5K 63213. Irish instruments will have a very unpleasant "edge" and deep bass will get completely out of hand on inadequate systems. Track 14 (Celine Dion solo) with have an absolutely nearly erotic emotion to it when played back properly.
Note that the remaster of Clair Marlow on a different label is pure crap, avoid that, you must find the Sheffield Lab original.
Frank Van Alstine
