What Are Your Reference Discs? or Specific Reference Tracks

I would have to rate this one an amethyst.

Sidsel Endresen & Bugge Wesseltoft  Out Here. In There.

First to admit that this isn't an album for everyone or probably a lot less than that but as much as I liked it previously the new stereo has elevated this to the top of my favorites group.

Sidsel Endresen is recorded without reverb or special effects so her voice sounds like a voice and it's pure and true.  There is a track where she does things with that voice that previously was just a little too weird so I would usually just skip that track. Now nothing but jaw dropping amazing.

This album has bass. Low room shaking bass and chess thumping bass.
Bugge Wesseltoft is into unusual sounding percussion that attacks from everywhere with a piano that just ties it all together,

This album is so unusual because there are great accessible tracks that most people could enjoy but Bugge is into new conceptions' of jazz which takes the soundscape to new places that are so much more enjoyable with quality sound.

Unfortunately I doubt if this album will ever be a white hot stamper but for me I'd probably buy it and have to invest in a turntable just to see what it could do.

In Get Better Sound, Jim Smith lists about 180 CDs (no LPs, he explains why) that he finds useful in one way or another. Of these, one (standard, non-audiophile release) is is favorite and in another chapter he details specific sections and what parameter they are used to optimize.

https://www.getbettersound.com/

I and many others have found many useful suggestions in this book.

Bobo stensons  war orphans/ecm cd
Bobo stensons cantando/ecm cd
Peter erskine as it is ecm/cd
Sound track the mission/cd
These have been go to forever i guess...

Although I have several "go to" test tracks for new equipment, the following are at the top of my list:

Patricia Barber Companion XRCD - "Use Me". Terrific live recording with excellent stand-up bass intro, and some Hammond organ highs that will show smooth top end or screechy.

Pink Floyd  Dark Side of The Moon - Blu-Ray 24/96K

Arne Domnerus - Jazz at the Pawnshop - 30th Anniversary Edition - Limehouse Blues

Shakti - Joy - Just an awesomely recorded live album

Bill Evans - Sunday at the Village Vanguard

+1 for Sting's "Ten Summoners Tales".  A stellar collection of well-written, well-played and well-produced music.
+1 for Lyle Lovett's "Joshua Judges Ruth" (esp. "Church").
+1 for "Jazz at the Pawnshop" (3-SACD 30th Anniversary edition)
"Getz/Gilberto" (2020 Verve SACD)
"Live" Alison Kraus and Union Station