You just got a new piece of gear (or entire system) and need to select one of your reference songs to see how you new gear fares; get your first impression. What do you play, and furthermore, why?

Alternately, you attend a meet and sit at someone elses table. Same question.

For a while there, it was Einsturzende Neubauten, "Sabrina" from Silence is Sexy, mostly because that first bass gank goes down pretty low, and I am familiar with it, and bass is pretty important to me. For mids and trebles, it's a track from Camille's Le Fil, and then it's usually Talk Talk's "The Rainbow" and "Desire", from Spirit of Eden for pretty much everything else (busy section, trumpet, black backgrounds, psychedelic section).

When auditioning new gear, I typically use the Burmester Art for the Ear(CD-II) demo CD. I start on the first track, which is Radja Toneff singing The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. It's an excellent check for how the system handles women voices. I move done the tracks from there.

In this order, depending on what is available:

Eva Cassidy Live at Blues Alley - "Stormy Monday" or

Diana Krall - Live in Paris - "Case of You"

It used to be Shelby Lynn - Just a Little Lovin' - the title track.

Sonny Rollins - Way Out West - I'm An Old Cowhand

Curtis Counce - You Get More Bounce With Curtis Counce - Stranger In Paradise

Bill Evans Trio - Portrait In Jazz - ANY TRACK

Cannonball Adderley feat. Bill Evans - Know What I Mean? - ANY TRACK

QUEEN - Greatest Hits - ANY TRACK

Art Pepper - +11 - Four Brothers

Herb Alpert - Casino Royale - Theme Song

Frank Sinatra - Come Fly With Me - On The Road To Mandalay

Nat King Cole - Greatest Hits (DCC) - Any Track

Except for the DCC - all are custom remasters by me.

Alison Krauss & Union Station - "This Sad Song" from Lonely Runs Both Ways, which I consider a decent test for primarily speed, separation, and dynamic range. There are a bunch of other AKUS tracks I also use for the same thing but "This Sad Song" is one of my most-used ones.

If I'm at a meet, I play whatever's already in the CD player (or on the computer). Never know what I might discover.

Usually what I reach for these days; good dynamics, fairly complex. But a lot of times it's just what I'm in the mood for. On the demo CDR I made it is a combination of symphonies, harp bop, industrial, classic rock, acoustic and folk music.

For new gear for the first listen I try music I know well and truly enjoy. The first two songs are usually Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" and "Spring" from Vivaldi's four seasons. Does it sound right? Was it fun? Did I enjoy it? That's really what I'm looking for from Zep's classic. Same questions with Spring but now I'm looking for PRAT and if Salvatore Accardo's violin has the resonance and tone I'm expecting. Then on to female vocals.

I've been to one meet. Only had time to listen to music other people brought, much of what I was unfamiliar with.

Alison Krauss, "Down to the river to pray", O Brother Where Art Thou (Sound Track).

Wonderfully recorded piece with wonderful imaging space. If the phasing is wrong this track points it out.

Radiohead, "15 Step", In Rainbows

Good overall track for balance and speed. At least for me.

James Blunt, "Goodbye My Lover", Back to Bedlam

Lots of very small details in the recording and good space good for studying resolution.

Hopefully I will be breaking these out today

Accardo is good? I have several things by him on my wishlist (3x Piazzolla SACD) that I should probably raise to a higher level if so, or is it only the Vivaldi? Too bad that (Four Seasons) is not available on SACD.

The only recording I have Accardo is the Four Seasons. It has become my favorite version. Sad to say, I have not heard him otherwise.

Usually what I reach for these days; good dynamics, fairly complex. But a lot of times it's just what I'm in the mood for. On the demo CDR I made it is a combination of symphonies, harp bop, industrial, classic rock, acoustic and folk music.

If you like that version of the Requiem, you should really check out THIS VERSION!

Radiohead, "15 Step", In Rainbows

Good overall track for balance and speed. At least for me.

Good choice. Most gear can sound pretty when you play some Diana Krall on it. I usually go for something loud and crunchy, because if the new gear cowers in the corner when you push it, it's not for me.

Ride of the Valkyries, and crank the volume way up. Why? Because it's loud & fun, goddamnit. Plus a lot of systems can't handle the dynamics and crap out.

O Fortuna from Orff's "Camina Burana", also with the volume cranked up good. Same reason as above.

Volga Boatmen's Song as performed by the Red Army Choir (make sure it's the Naxos CD). This pretty much covers it all, it has a ridiculous dynamic range from the opening to the crescendo as it goes from a solo voice to a full choir & orchestra. Most systems will crap out at around the 2 minute mark, but it keeps getting louder for another 30 seconds or so. Wait for the trumpets a bit before the 2:25 mark, if they can't cut through the sound and blast you the system is crap. The choir & orchestra will also expose any colourations in the midrange, and quite a few in the bass & treble as well. If the voices start breaking up, getting "honky" or don't sound natural, I know there's something wonky going on. It also works soundstaging & imaging and pretty much everything else except the ability to play female vocals.

Sweet Ones by Sarah Slean. Cause I like it and it sounds good.

Harry Chapin's "Taxi" because I'm familiar with it and it has a bit of everything. And "In My Room" by the Beach Boys. If I like the definition in the harmonies, I like the gear.

First, I play Apoptygma Berzerk - Kathy's Song. Just to hear if they play the disco.

Then, The Bug & Ricky Ranking - Judgment. To hear if there is bass, and if so, where it ends. Then, to be more sure, I also pick George Benson - C-smooth, and then also Radiohead - House of Cards.

After the bass experience, there is time for the guitar. Then I pick Daft Punk - Robot Rock.

Voices, then. The Hidden Cameras - Death of a Tune.

Overall balance: Ludwig van Beethoven by Osmo V