[Ingo]

Quote:

Stevie Ray Vaughn - Little Wing

That's one of my favorite guitar songs ever. I listen to Hendrix's original version and the SRV version almost every day. I've got the SRV version about half figured out on my guitar. Brilliant cover by SRV.

 

[Chef Medeski]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReDVsion Hard to disagree. I'd recommend some great Jazz, but unfortunately I don't have any truly well-recorded stuff in my collection! It'll sound spectacular anyway. Check out some Miles Davis (Kind of Blue is a good starter album), Oscar Peterson, Dave Brubeck,

Here is a couple that I have found to have amazing recording quality.

MMW-Tonic
JFJO-Walking with Giants
The Bad Plus-Give (They even have a cover of Iron man for you rock fans.)

 

[Anarchris]

Quote:

The Bad Plus-Give (They even have a cover of Iron man for you rock fans.)

I love The Bad Plus. Saw them when the Pixies came to town and have been a fan ever since. Great song!

 

[Enverxis]

Iron Maiden - Dance of Death and Paschendale

 

[ChicagoPhil]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dominator No way, Wish You Were Here is where it's at.

yeah, that's a good one too. especially when the second guitar starts up. it kinda jumps out at you.

 

[Kirosia]

A song that I consider near perfect is Sora no Mori de by Kawada Mami. It's a japanese song, but it let's you see how equip. improvements affect the sound. there's a certain something I'm looking for with this song, but I still haven't found it. My headphone audio quest continues . . .

 

[LOmac]

THE POLICE-MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE

 

[bg4533]

Perfect Circle-The Package
Eagles-Hotel California
Eric Clapton- Unplugged CD
Tool-Aenima CD
Lots of Radiohead sounds great on headphones, but it might not be the best to demonstrate with.

 

[ChicagoPhil]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bg4533 Eagles-Hotel California

from the Hell Freezes Over album? great demo, but i'm growing tired of the song...

Quote:

Originally Posted by bg4533 Eric Clapton- Unplugged CD

this sounds great on my magnepans!

cheers,
phil

 

[pne]

it's sad to say, but there are people out there who simply can't appreciate good hi-fi sound.They can't understand why people would pay so much for hi end audio because to them it sounds the same as a cheap source or their ipod earbuds. They will never notice the difference, and there is always the saying ignorance is bliss. For example, I just spent 2 grand on a set of mid-end floor standing speakers. I told my friends about them and invited them over for a listen. the conversation went like this:

him: 2000?! holy cow! is it BOSE?
me: nope, bose speakers are not top of the line, neither are these but they spank any bose system out there.
him: how many speakers are there?
me: two.
him: you mean all that money and it isn't even surround sound??

Since then I've stopped talking hi-fi with my regular friends, and save it for the forums or people who can actually differentiate and appreciate.

 

[Geek]

You should get some bach organ fugues (I like the Passacaglia, Fugue in c minor), some symphonic works, and also just find what music he likes and play it on them.

Remember, bassheads are hard to convert because they are used to listening to colored boomy midbass as a reference standard and don't have a clue about what a good sound is.

It took me two years to finally realise that the sound I was hearing in real life in orchestras was better suited to audiophile equipment than crap phones and crap speakers.

Cheers,
Geek

 

[bg4533]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChicagoPhil from the Hell Freezes Over album? great demo, but i'm growing tired of the song... this sounds great on my magnepans! cheers, phil

Yep, Hotel California from Hell Freezes Over. That is the best one I have heard.

It is overplayed, but that makes it all the better for demonstrating your headphones to a newbie. My girlfriend who is happy listening to laptop speakers even said wow to all the details and intricacies in the music she had never heard before.

 

[BuddhaSack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pne him: 2000?! holy cow! is it BOSE? me: nope, bose speakers are not top of the line, neither are these but they spank any bose system out there. him: how many speakers are there? me: two. him: you mean all that money and it isn't even surround sound?? Since then I've stopped talking hi-fi with my regular friends, and save it for the forums or people who can actually differentiate and appreciate.

I can totally relate to this. Trying to have conversations w/ people who don't understand/care to understand is EXTREMELY frustrating. My own FATHER almost bought a Bose system-- and that's after I told him not to! He was going to do it and I blew up on him so badly that he realized how serious I was and heeded my advice. He just liked how easy it was.

 

[Bosch]

I think for simple demos and making an impression it is hard to go past pop. You can pick up cheap compilations secondhand easily. Grab some from the last couple of years, say 2002 onward, and find the most sparkling tracks.

 

[Wmcmanus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wmcmanus Comes A Time - Neil Young.

Quotes himself as he slaps his head in disgust for not reading the thread before responding.

Ok, so if we're talking about sound quality for showing off what a high end system can do...

I'd suggest "Spanish Harlem" as perfomed by Rebecca Pidgeon on the Chesky label. The SACD version of "The Raven" disc is incredible from top to bottom, so it's not as though you would be buying an albulm for one track. I've heard this song at several high end stores, and you just can't imagine how amazing it sounds on electrostatic speakers such as the Martin Logan Prodigy. Every breath and jingle of the bells. Wow!