[Bigfish]

When you are critically listening to your system to evaluate a new piece of gear or a new cable, etc. what music do you select?  Currently, I guess my favorites are Alison Kraus Live and maybe some of the Govt. Mule Tracks.

Ken

[Hogg]

I suggest acquiring a few "Reference Recording."  The recordings are so well done they allow one to critically listen for differences in setups.  Try a sampler.

http://www.referencerecordings.com/

                                                                          Jim

[TerryO]

When I'm testing or voicing a speaker I use several cds that I favor. In no particular order:

(Passion) , a sampler cd from Mercedes/AMG, quite possibly the finest cd recording to date in the world! The problem with this disc is that you have to buy the car to get it, not sold separately

Oh! That Cello, from First Impression Music. Simply wonderful.

Come Walk With Me, by the ARC Gospel Choir from Mapleshade. Great for Imaging and soundstage. Kevin Haskins of Exodus Audio also uses this one! This cd is the only Gospel music I own, but if it got damaged I'd be ordering another one the same day.

Great Opera Choruses-Wagner & Verdi from Chesky. Great for evaluating the sense of scale that a speaker (or system) can deliver. Good sounds as well.

I use a variety of others, but these are always on the list.
Best regards,
TerryO

[alwayslearning]

I listen to lots of music and gauge my emotional involvement over time.  Listening intellectually & analytically seems to  belittle the music & my experience. 
A few gems, in no order for me:
  * Ballad of a Runaway Horse & The Hunter on Jennifer Warnes, Best, by Zounds Music
  * Stimela by Hugh Masekala on Burmester CD3
  *Lord's Tundra by Dean Peer on Ucross by XLO Recordings
  *Fields of Gold by Eva Cassidy on Live at Blues Alley by Blix Street Records
  *Chouval Boa & Shibumu Dunes by Mino Cinelu (self titled)
  *Voccuuccia de no pierzeco by Marcotulli, Pia De Vito & Tuncboyacian on Triboh
  * From the Gekko by Doboa
    etc etc etc ...

[meilankev]

It will be the same music I regularly listen to - whatever strikes my fancy that day.  What's the sense in bringing out some uber-recording of "Greatest Hits of Jazz Artists (That are guaranteed to Bore you to Tears)", if it's not something you listen to on a regular basis???

If I'm in the mood to listen to some poorly-recorded album from Mott the Hoople, the Allman Brothers, or Tom Waits, that's what I'm gonna listen to - even if I'm in the process of wringing out some new piece of gear.  Because I'm really only concerned with how this piece is going to sound with music I enjoy.  That high-brow stuff doesn't matter. 

As always, when it comes to evaluating my system, the only ears that matter are the ones attached to my head.

Kevin

[Housteau]

It will be the same music I regularly listen to

Agreed.  I just use music that I listen to normally and that I am very familiar with.

[WEEZ]

I usually pick favorites...stuff I'm very familiar with. It includes a variety of styles so I can evaluate the timbre of different instruments.

Usually stuff with piano is good for evaluation. It's a difficult instrument to record correctly; so if a speaker or component can reproduce piano convincingly...I'm half way there. Then vocals..especially female. Then on to brass and strings, etc.

WEEZ

[rcarlton]

I use Patricia Barber's Orpheus and Nardis. Both give my system a workout.

The Yellow Jackets Wildlife is not too bad.