If you could only pick one album to show off....

[tuga]

I would not play Classical to someone who doesn't like the genre, Jazz to somenone who's into Electronica, or Electronica because I don't have any.
I might play this:

 

[MVJ]

Yello - The Eye. depending who's listening it's superbly recorded with great imaging & bass....

 

[Bazzer]

 

[lazycat]

The original or remaster-bought because of another album of remixes. Vinyl obviously.

 

[Sumdumgi]

The title track is one of the greatest pieces of music ever written and performed imho. Its just absolutely wonderful.

 

[Von Krolock]

 

[Hornucopia]

It's not supposed to be 'your favourite....' but technically good. When I visited Max Townshend in Malta, he sat us down to demonstrate his speakers and put on the exact same LP that I'd always used to show off speakers; Andreas Vollenweider 'Beyond the gardens....'

I also like 'Yellow moon' by the Neville Bros which was recorded on valve equipment in Daniel Lanois' house in New Orleans.

 

[DJAlex]

This repress is incredible.. well worth hunting it out

 

[Jaguarnut]

Exile on Main St - The Rolling Stones. It features straight-ahead rock, boogie, blues, country, gospel... Just a tremendous achievement

 

[Lordgumboot]

This on the OG vinyl, although the remastered box set is pretty good, this honestly just pips it.
Produced to within an inch of of it's life and then dialled back just enough to add the smallest amount of grit. So spacious, so separated and yet so intimate and coherant. Sounds incredible through my LS3/5a v2's.

 

[Hornucopia]

Try Attila Bozay 'Improvisations for Zither', described as the zither equivalent of Hendrix's Star Spangled Banner and a great system demo track.

 

[maddog_007]

Friday Night in San Francisco

Al de Meola - John McLaughlin -Paco de Lucia

Got this on vinyl and it's a guitarist lovers delight with three wonderful artists working together....

 

[maddog_007]

Supertramp - PARIS.

 

[theadmans]

Blue Nile Hats, I tried it to show off my system to a friend and he liked the music, so he bought them.
He was aware that I was showing the system off which he thought was sad but the music won the day.

Good choice - "Hats" is what I use for Hi-Fi demo purposes.

Were you using vinyl or CD?

You do have to be careful with the original UK CD - it has pre-emphasis.

Many modern CD players will not decode the pre-emphasis.

Also if you rip to flac - that won't work unless you deal with the pre-emphasis. I use sox to decode my original CD to flac.

My 2016 Creek 50CD player does not do pre-emphasis. However, I can at least play the sox decoded flacs via the Creek's excellent DAC.

BTW I have "Hats" on the original vinyl, reissue vinyl, original CD and deluxe 2CD versions.

For my money the best version is the original CD (with pre-emphasis correctly treated). This beats out even the original vinyl on my system.

 

[Von Krolock]

Showing off - like a politician with a funny voice - Education is back on the agenda - damn - we're back there again.
The raw power of Rush's Earthshine.

 

[TIU]

Good choice - "Hats" is what I use for Hi-Fi demo purposes.

Were you using vinyl or CD?

You do have to be careful with the original UK CD - it has pre-emphasis.

Many modern CD players will not decode the pre-emphasis.

Also if you rip to flac - that won't work unless you deal with the pre-emphasis. I use sox to decode my original CD to flac.

My 2016 Creek 50CD player does not do pre-emphasis. However, I can at least play the sox decoded flacs via the Creek's excellent DAC.

BTW I have "Hats" on the original vinyl, reissue vinyl, original CD and deluxe 2CD versions.

For my money the best version is the original CD (with pre-emphasis correctly treated). This beats out even the original vinyl on my system.

What is pre-emphasis in a nutshell?

 

[StingRay]

Good choice - "Hats" is what I use for Hi-Fi demo purposes.

Were you using vinyl or CD?

You do have to be careful with the original UK CD - it has pre-emphasis.

Many modern CD players will not decode the pre-emphasis.

Also if you rip to flac - that won't work unless you deal with the pre-emphasis. I use sox to decode my original CD to flac.

My 2016 Creek 50CD player does not do pre-emphasis. However, I can at least play the sox decoded flacs via the Creek's excellent DAC.

BTW I have "Hats" on the original vinyl, reissue vinyl, original CD and deluxe 2CD versions.

For my money the best version is the original CD (with pre-emphasis correctly treated). This beats out even the original vinyl on my system.

I have Hats on cd, probably the original, never used it at demos, don't think it is that testing. Not the sort of music I want to play over and over again.