Not sure if this adds anything, but some time ago I was waiting to get into a dealer's large room, and listened to some smaller speakers in the line with one of the dealers demo CD's sitting around. it was a pretty good recording, and I thought the speaker was quite good, especially for the money.
It wasn't until I put on one of my reference cuts (Rickie Lee Jones Pop Pop comes to mind) that I could hear how colored the speakers actually were.
Springsteen's Devils and Dust is a decent recording I often use because it uses acoustic instruments and voice, and is an example of the kind of thing I actually listen to often. ALso at least 1 classical cut is mandatory. A speaker should be able to do many types of music reasonably well, and a well recorded orchestra (and string quartet) will tell you much about a speaker, even if you don't play that kind of music. I can't tell you the number of times I have done an upgrade or tweek, that sounded quite nice on a variey of cuts I used. However it was only on a well recorded orchestral track that I could truly tell what was going on due to the upgrade.
A nice piano cut should be included in your audition as well. I find Bill Evans is great for that, without being a true audiophile recording.
I also Like Patricia Barber, Companion. Lot's of nice details,congas, audience claps, drinks getting knocked over, etc that can clue you into a speakers transparency and dynamics.
It wasn't until I put on one of my reference cuts (Rickie Lee Jones Pop Pop comes to mind) that I could hear how colored the speakers actually were.
Springsteen's Devils and Dust is a decent recording I often use because it uses acoustic instruments and voice, and is an example of the kind of thing I actually listen to often. ALso at least 1 classical cut is mandatory. A speaker should be able to do many types of music reasonably well, and a well recorded orchestra (and string quartet) will tell you much about a speaker, even if you don't play that kind of music. I can't tell you the number of times I have done an upgrade or tweek, that sounded quite nice on a variey of cuts I used. However it was only on a well recorded orchestral track that I could truly tell what was going on due to the upgrade.
A nice piano cut should be included in your audition as well. I find Bill Evans is great for that, without being a true audiophile recording.
I also Like Patricia Barber, Companion. Lot's of nice details,congas, audience claps, drinks getting knocked over, etc that can clue you into a speakers transparency and dynamics.