What's your play list for demo whenever friends come for a visit?. Many of us, (including me) will play the best recording in our collections to show our audio system capability. Most albums are not from the mainstream artist and not known to many. Exclusive recording label with high technology style of recording, singer that sings cover version of popular songs in enhanced recording 32bit digital or half-speed mastering, direct-to-disc 45rpm. Recording that captured exhale/inhale on purpose of the singer to add the so called "audiophile" feel to it.
These album will play to a good level in most system and great in high end system, it's a safe bet for a demo session for good sound reproduction. Having said that, we rarely play albums that recorded in normal industry standard..the mainstream artist that most people know.
Why don't you try to give your system a real test from recording standard, not recording reference album. If your system capable of producing great music in many of recording standard album, you got a great system..musically.
by the way not (not all) many reference recording album are produced musically in mind , but rather to show the fidelity. IMHO.
