Best Albums Any Genre

[vkvedam]

Could you please state the 5 best albums to measure the my rig and headphones to do some testing across the spectrum and pleasing to listen.

 

[shooter]

Before these crowded streets - Dave Matthews

 

[Bizzel]

Aero - Jean Michel Jarre: Great soundstage and bass. Sounds wonderful on 650s.

Dark Side of the Moon (Original Master) - Pink Floyd: What can I say? Listen to Money.

Flashpoint - Rolling Stones: It's a really well recorded and mastered live album and those are far too rare nowadays (contrast with Live in Dakota, Stereophonics, awful)

Aja (MoFi Remaster) - Steely Dan: Simply put, the best sounding CD I've ever heard. Very little digital compression and it's gold, ooh shiny!

Kamakiriad - Donald Fagen: It's toe-tappingly awesome. Well mastered and very punchy.

 

[tygger]

Houses of the Holy - Led Zeppelin ('target' CD, mastered by Barry Diament)

Houses of the Holy - Led Zeppelin ('digitally remastered' CD, butchered (IMO) by George Marino)

The more differences you can hear between the two (provided perfect level matching) the better your system is.

 

[hultin]

Michael Ruff - Speaking in melodies - Can be difficult to find, but it's a very dynamic album (Sheffield Labs).
Donald Fagen - Kamikarad and Morph the Cat

 

[Mik]

Paco De Lucia, Al Di Meola and John McLaughlin - The Guitar Trio

This always stuck out as a particularly great recording to me.

 

[lonereaction]

Daft Punk? Electronic.

 

[espire]

Anything by Jean-Michel Jarré is great for testing headphones. His latest album, Téo & Téa, is especially techno.

I'll also just throw in a shameless plug for Alizée. She's French Pop, but you'll thank me later.

 

[jh4db536]

i test/measure my headphone rig with the official IASCA Sound Quality Reference CD.

IASCA - The Standard by Which Great Mobile Electronics Performance Is Measured

 

[mr.karmalicious]

Quote:

John McLaughlin - The Guitar Trio

That is one of the best sounding albums I've ever heard. Pure bliss. Definitely a great choice to test out your rig.

 

[AnGeLiCbOrIs]

I like using The Ultimate Demonstration Disc from Chesky Jazz. The recording quality is amazing and there is an explanation about what to listen for before each track.

To test for my personal music taste I like to listen to anything from Porcupine Tree.

 

[number1sixerfan]

Michael Jackson....off the wall. His music is great for testing equipment.

 

[EdT]

For more refined tastes:

For trebles, highs and spacial depth:
Libera - Angel Voices
Sample here: Libera Official Website | Music

Orchestra:
Elgar - Cello Concerto in E minor

 

[patalp]

Liquid Tension Experiment - Liquid Tension Experiment
Liquid Tension Experiment - Liquid Tension Experiment 2
Dream Theater - Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence

 

[vkvedam]

Hey all, thanks for your posts. Now I will go on a proper test with my rig. I have already got Daft Punk and quite a few rock albums from Led Zeppelin, Neil Young, Eric Clapton & White Stripes. I am a big fan of Kraftwerk. I listen to MJJ, Sting, Ricky Martin Pop wise.