"Drew Tronvig" writes:
I'm shopping for speakers--so far the Definitive Tech 7000 series is my
reference standard (I'd also love suggestions for speakers in the
~$2000-a-stereo-set range) and I would welcome suggestions for really
well-recorded natural-sounding CDs to audition speakers.

I would mostly be looking for acoustic content and mostly small groups,
so I can listen to individual instruments and voices. I have eclectic
tastes so almost any good music would be of interest. I am learning
string base so any acoustic or electric/acoustic bass content would be
great. Some other ideas:

Solo or small-group-accompanied piano
String quartets and/or piano-and-string quintets
Chamber groups
Small vocal groups, possibly in audible acoustic spaces,
such as chapels, etc.
Solo cello--a good test of smooth crossover
and phase consistency, I think
Great voices, solo or with small groups, mostly acoustic
String bands, Bluegrass or whatever
Organ, such as Taccota and Fugue, preferably with room sound


One I always bring with me is
Lyle Lovett and His Large Band

It's one of his earlier releases, and like so many of his releases,
they are SUPERBLY engineered, and with the range of intrumentation
from string bass to big band horns, it's always been a good litmus
test for me. I'm also thoroughly familiar with the CD, which I think
is important to become before using any piece of source material for
auditioning speakers.

Best Regards,
--
/"\ ASCII Ribbon Campaign | Todd H
\ / | http://www.toddh.net/
X Promoting good netiquette | http://triplethreatband.com/
/ \ http://www.toddh.net/netiquette/ | "4 lines suffice."