[Xerophase]

Just curious what everyone's favorite CD is to benchmark their headphones by. Surely everyone has one. I'm talking about that CD that you *can't wait* to test your new gear out on. Whether you choose it because you think it's production quality is perfect, it has crazy stereo effects, it's your favorite live performance... whatever. Apart from you favorite band or your favorite songs, what's your favorite disc to plug in just because it's fun to listen to?

For myself, I'd have to say right now Dave Matthews Band: Crash and Nine Inch Nails: Pretty Hate Machine are my "benchmark" CD's.

"Crash" for production quality. The fidelity of that CD is amazing. Even if you don't like the genre or the band, you have to admit that plugging your cans into it is an amazing experience.

"Pretty Hate Machine" for the stereo seperation. Turn your cross-feed filters off and crank this puppy. It's very much meant to have wildly different things going off on each hemisphere, something you just can't get without the use of headphones.

What's everyone else jamming to?

 

[Gallaine]

One of my all-time favorite CDs not just for benchmarking but for good music is Sera Una Noche, Ma Records.

It was recorded in a small church outside Buenos Aires. Not only does this recording have superb 3D imaging the woodwinds and vocals sound very natural to me. Though the one thing I seem to pay most attention to when testing new stuff is the hand-clapping.

The CD I listen to alot for female vocals is Jacintha's, Autumn Leaves. I just love her voice.

 

[john_jcb]

"Temptation" Holly Cole

"Famous Blue Raincoat" Jennifer Warnes

"Dark Side of the Moon" Pink Floyd

 

[elrod-tom]

Elvis Costello - Imperial Bedroom
Dave Matthews Band - Crash
Pink Floyd - The Wall

 

[chillysalsa]

My Bloody Valentine - Loveless
Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
Pixies - Trompe le Monde
Delerium - Karma

 

[Nisbeth]

Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms
Genesis - We can't dance
Peter Gabriel - So
Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells II
Beethoven's 5th (DG/Carlos Kleiber) //You haven't heard this piece until you've heard this version...

Oh, and about 200 others

/U.

 

[stallion11msu]

-Buena Vista Social Club - Buena Vista Social Club is amazing.

-Eric Clapton - Unplugged sounds fantastic also.

 

[grinch]

radiohead - amnesiac
j street jumpers - is you or is you ain't my baby?
ella fitzgerald and louis armstrong - ella and louis
tori amos - boys for pele
nirvana - unplugged in ny


those are some of my albums both sonically and musically and i must say that there is something magical about hearing tori amos on the orpheus.

[edit]: added nirvana

 

[Trawlerman]

Cowboy Junkies - Trinity Sessions
Natalie Merchant - Tigerlilly
Lucy Kaplansky - Ten Year Night
Eagles - Hotel California

 

[andrzejpw]

Whenever I get some new gear, this is the cd I put on:

Dave Brubeck: Time Out.

Quite simply one of my favorite recordings ever, and it doesn't hurt that it sounds fantastic! With the right gear, the soundstage is enormous, and the high-end is really stressed. Also, those deep bass notes are a good test for equipment.

 

[TMC]

Sting - Fields of Gold. Especially Englishman in New York is great for a pretty wide range of frequencies, not to mention it's such a great song

 

[aerius]

Tori Amos - Boys for Pele, Scarlet's Walk. "Pele" for the excellent quality and recording job, it's one of the cleanest recordings I have. Also has a good variety of style and instruments. "Scarlet's" for the subtle vocal details and cool sound effects, as well as the catchy tunes.

Metallica - Master of Puppets. If this album hurts my ears I'm going to pass up whatever equipment it was tested on. The sound quality isn't good but there's tons of cool guitar solos.

Sarah Slean - Nightbugs. Good recording quality with a good amount of "liveness" in the songs. There's a lot of variety and subtle details in the music.

Chantal Kreviazuk - Colour Moving and Still. See above.

Joe Satriani - Crystal Planet. Good bass with crazy guitar solos and effects. The cymbals aren't the best and they better not hurt my ears 'cause if they do I ain't buying the equipment.

Jimi Hendrix - Live at the Fillmore East. I use it to check for snare drum impact as well as to see how well the equipment can play guitars set on "feedback overload".

 

[penvzila]

Tool - Lateralus
Ae - Confield

I know how good the system is by how many layers of sounds I can hear.

 

[spritzer]

Mine are:

Iron Maiden - Brave New World
Iron Maiden - Powerslave
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells

 

[heeeraldo]

Radiohead - OK Computer
Bjork - Homogenic
Coldplay - A Rush of Blood to the Head