Recording to show off your hifi?

[jaxwired]

When someone comes over that has never heard my hifi, I have a couple of favorite CDs that sound amazing on my system. Here's one that I've used many times. Thought maybe some of you guys could post your favs as well...

 

[chebby]

jaxwired:When someone comes over that has never heard my hifi, I have a couple of favorite CDs that sound amazing on my system.

I turn the stereo right down (or off) if we have guests. Occasionally I will put iTunes or Radio Paradise on very low just as background. We prefer to chat.

Only one of our friends is really into hifi and he does not need 'impressing' because he enjoys Primare and ATC back at his place.

 

[Anonymous]

I generally find Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Rasing Sands is pretty good as a quick this is why I spend money on Hifi.

If I've got people round especially to listen to music, we generally have a sort of rota - generally stuff people know well is what allows them to really enjoy it.

 

[the record spot]

Music is low-level, not for showing off and a lot of the time we don't have folk round as it's too busy getting the kids to bed. Usually going out is the preferred option. If I was to pick something, it'd be the likes of Julie Feeney's "Pages" album, or Joni Mitchell's "Night Ride Home" and then because they're very good albums as opposed to "hifi" showcasers.

 

[matthewpiano]

Right on RS.

One of the best bits of advice Kevin at Audio T gave me when I booked the demo that eventually led to me purchasing the Arcam and B&Ws was to pick a cross section of my music and NOT to choose 'demo' discs for the audition. He also advised to focus on listening to the music rather than the hi-fi, suggesting that no matter how good a system is you will always eventually find the novelty of what the hi-fi is doing will run out whereas the music will keep you going for much longer.

 

[Messiah]

I hear ya Jaxwired. What is with these grumpy people tonight eh!

Jax is simply asking what you would use to showcase the hifi and not a judgement on whether he should...

Personally I would use:

Or

 

[staggerlee]

I find any type of acoustic music - just vocals and a guitar for example does make people sit up and notice why i have a hifi. Most people i know think the car stereo is fine.

 

[Anonymous]

i have a 320kb download of billy joels greatest hits and it sounds brilliant on my system, one track, streetlife serenader, really stands out, it ebbs and flows between soft music and vocals to a crescendo of powerful voculs and music, very dynamic, i assume the cd would sound even better..

 

[Anonymous]

Messiah:
I hear ya Jaxwired. What is with these grumpy people tonight eh!

Jax is simply asking what you would use to showcase the hifi and not a judgement on whether he should...

I would agree with the Corrs Unplugged. Not my sort of music but it's great to show of the HiFi.

I tend to reach for:

 

[jaxwired]

My bad, I phrased the post poorly. I'm in agreement about not forcing guests to enjoy my hobby. I rarely do that. What I should have said was if someone wants to know why you spend money on hifi and they want to hear your hifi, what do you play for them. That's more the idea I was shooting for here...

 

[tosh]

No need for the apology,everyone knows what you meant.A couple of cd's i would use are Neil Young Unplugged and Lambchop Is A Woman.

 

[the record spot]

jaxwired:My bad, I phrased the post poorly. I'm in agreement about not forcing guests to enjoy my hobby. I rarely do that. What I should have said was if someone wants to know why you spend money on hifi and they want to hear your hifi, what do you play for them. That's more the idea I was shooting for here...

No worries, I took it to mean the other, so I guess I'm not everyone! (/snark).

If it was a "guys round the hifi" night, which would be well good, then it'd be a bunch of stuff and more often than not, something mastered by Barry Diament!

 

[Anonymous]

Kate Bush The Whole Story, Bowie Greatest hits, Sacd of Jeff Waynes muisical version of war of the worlds or a depeche mode Sacd

 

[Andy H]

Well I would use

An amazing album to bring the best out of your hifi. The only problem is, a lot of my friends don't like this type of music.

There's no accounting for taste.

 

[Anonymous]

Well JW, I have a few fav CD's that are smooth, easy on the ear and generally impress...I think good production is essentail so would play...

or

James Taylor (Hourglass) You know who !!

 

[Anonymous]

Another vote for Raising Sands. Also Katy Perry unplugged as it sounds superb and her music is pretty well known.

 

[El Hefe]

Depends on my guests. For metal, i would use metallica black album. For vocals, diana krall, janet seidle or any of best of audiophiles cds. For orchestra, i would use titanic or braveheart score. For uptempo acoustic guitar works, definitely needs a gypsy kings album.

 

[Anonymous]

[*]Toto - IV
[*]Joe Jackson - Body and Soul
[*]Tears for Fears - Elemental
[*]Saga - Worlds Apart
[*]Teenage Head - Frantic City
[*]Frankie Goes to Hollywood - Welcome to .....

 

[Anonymous]

Not that my Hifi claims to be one for showing of , but if some one asks me to spin something to listen to it has got to be the Mono recording of "In my Room" by the Beach Boys on C.D. (not the remastered stereo version).

This was recorded in 1963 (from the surfer girl album).... a mind blowingly beautiful production of how music should be transfered to & produced on cd.

 

[AudioPlaya]

A couple of gems off the top of my head to test the sheer musicality of a system

Raw Stylus - Pushing Against The Flow

New Power Generation - Hallucination Rain

Also the live BBC Elbow with orchestra thing on DVD... a very good recording.