What's on your Hi-Fi auditioning playlist?

[RTHerringbone]

When auditioning new kit, what are your "go to" tracks to test out the potential additions to your system?

I'll be testing out some speakers in the next couple of weeks and as I'll be listening to a few pairs, I'm working on a list of three or four short tracks that I'm familiar with and that should test out a few things I look for in music, without taking too long to work through 4-5 sets of speakers.

What's your approach? What do you listen to and what are you looking for? My shortlist is in progress, but is currently as below:

1. Oh Me - Nirvana (Unplugged) This is all about acoustic detail and production values. It's a very familiar tune for me and has some exquisite acoustic guitar flourishes and some great sections testing out bass tones
2. Where Do You Think You're Going? - Dire Straits (Money For Nothing Remastered) I think this is an extraordinary remaster. Knopfler's exquisite guitar and vocal tones, some beautiful percussion and fabulous tempo shifts
3. Cowboys - Portishead (Roseland NYC) This is included for a lot of reasons. Totally different textures, records being scratched, fantastic percussion, piercing vocals, an orchestra, the pauses. It's a really magical track
4. 78 Stone Wobble - Gomez (Bring It On) Another inclusion for I guess "music complexity" reasons. Multiple vocalists, a wide range of instruments, and it's one of my favourite bands of all time so I feel like I know this track really well. The general tone and development of this track is more or less my perfect template for a song.

 

[jjbomber]

When auditioning new kit, what are your "go to" tracks to test out the potential additions to your system?

... three or four short tracks that I'm familiar with

You've answered your own question! Tracks you are familiar with. The one that generates the biggest smile and gets your feet to tap the most is the winner!

 

[skinnypuppy71]

I think the op is looking for new test tracks.lol

 

[RTHerringbone]

I think the op is looking for new test tracks.lol

Not even that. Just interested in how people approach things.

 

[skinnypuppy71]

Okay..
Youth, Daughter from If you leave album.
Happy and bleeding......Pj Harvey from Dry
Rid of Me.........Pj Harvey from Rid of Me
Two weeks /Hours........fka twigs from Lp1
I became a prostitute.....The twilight sad from Forget the night ahead
The Cold Part.......Modest Mouse from the moon and Antarctica.
Bottom feeder......Amanda Palmer from Piano is evil
Basket ball shoes.....Black Country New Road from Ants from up there.
Pure Shade...Ezra Collective....from We up here, various artists
Gotcha........Patricia Barber from a fortnight in France, live.
Goat and Ram....Matt Sweeney and Bonnie Prince Billy from the superwolf album
Anthem without nation......Nitin Sawney from Beyond skin..
....that's a few to keep you Entertained Hbone...enjoy