Recommend me something to show off my system!

[delbz]

What about the band shown on the squeezebox web site?
Pink Martini (Hang on Little Tomato - 2004) has some great tracks to show off your Squeezebox.

[nathanroberts1]

Brilliant - we seem to have also inadvertently created the most insane playlist ever: Norah Jones --> Nine Inch Nails --> Eva Cassidy --> Frank Zappa...!

I notice that people have tagged some tracks in last.fm with 'audiophile', but there aren't enough yet to create a radio station. Although there's obviously a 128kps cap, you can still hear a quality recording. Maybe time to get tagging.

Many thanks for the suggestions - much to explore.

[mrfantasy]

Peter Gabriel albums have some really good bass, and with the recent remasters they all sound good, but So and Up are probably the best from a recording standpoint. You need a system that goes down to at least 25Hz to hear everything he's doing down there.

[Pale Blue Ego]

I think the recent remasters of Fleetwood Mac's classic albums are just stunning. Fantastic bass, clarity, imaging, and great vocals. They make excellent demo material because everyone is familiar with the songs, but few have heard them on a good system with the new remasters. It's a whole different experience.

[zooropa320]

My vocal reference tracks:
Radiohead - Exit Music (For A Film) - from OK Computer
Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You - from The Bodyguard soundtrack

My bass reference track:
New Order - Confusion (Pump Panel Reconstruction Mix) - from the Blade soundtrack

[agentsmith]

Ray Brown - Soular Energy. Even without the SACD layer on the SB2, it is good music that sounds absolutely amazing. With Ray accompany by Gene Harris, unbeatable.

Gene Garris - Listen here. This time Gene is accompaned by Ray Brown. Similarly amazing sound with more emphasis Gene's amazing piano playing.

Jacintha - Autumn Leaves. Amazing voice with an amazing Jazz band. I heard it on a Mark Levinson system in Tokyo and boy she was in the room. Brought her home and she still sounds good, but my system isnt quite in that leagur.

There are many more, I just picked a couple from my Slim Server

[Chris OH]

Definitively

Leftfield - Leftism

The ultimate twiddly nobs classic.

Chris

[GregF]

The sound may be a little hyped but in a good way. "Big Noise, New York" has a great doubled bass/synth line to show off a subwoofer. For the highs, the title track has a very nice string quartet. Beautifully recorded vocals throughout.

[mrfantasy]

Speaking of Fleetwood Mac, Lindsay Buckingham's "Out of the Cradle" from 1992 is an amazing sounding recording. Just incredibly full and sumptuous sounding, with lots of stereo effects.

Loreena McKennitt's "The Mask and the Mirror" is also a beautiful recording.

[Mike Anderson]

You absolutely MUST get some Diana Krall, a jazz vocalist with a good backup band, to say the least. Check out "Girl in the Other Room" for starters.

This is what I use when I want to test how good my setup can sound. The music is recorded with truly beautiful clarity, and produced/mastered at a very high level. On a good setup, it sounds as close to live as you can possibly get.

The vocals are RIGHT THERE in front of you. You can hear every little breath she takes in between lines. The piano and guitar sound is exquisite. And the acoustic bass will really show what your speakers can do with the low end.

Many of her songs are also great from a purely musical standpoint. I often put on a song to check out some adjustment in my rig, and end up listening to the whole album just to enjoy it. Sends chills up my spine.