What are your go to LP's for evaluating new gear or new tubes?

@dogberry 

Not sure if I've ever had a CBS CX LP but it doesn't sound familiar. I do have a fair amount of LP's that just sit in the collection though so you never know.

When CD sounds better than LP, something went wrong. I have a few that way myself but it's very rare. One that comes to mind is Alice In Chains, Jar of Flies. It's on clear colored vinyl, double album and is completely washed out compared to the CD. I don't know why. It wasn't cheap  either. 

Umbrella - D2D albums - esp Rob McConnell big band

Sheffield Labs - D2D - Harry James, Tower of Power, Thelma Houston

Original Source - new label from DG - classical music re-issues; re-masters from the 1950's, 60's, 70's - incredible sound and performances

BS&T #2 - 45 rpm from Analogue Productions

Steely Dan Aja - 45 rpm from AP

SRV - 45 rpm from AP - any of these - box set - all of them are great

Miles Davis - 45 rpm from AP - from the original Prestige tapes - this is a box set, and all are great

enjoy!

@richardbrand 

I'll have to look to see if I have any Hyperion. Sounds familiar but not sure. Are they D2D or just very well done? Who are the pianists? I have quite a few old recordings of Van Cliburn and V Horowitz.

@dmk_calgary 

Umbrella was a surprise to me. All thrift store finds. Really good recordings and pressings. Have one that I won't really listen to, not my kind of music but I had to admire that it was well recorded "crap". 

Sheffields are really good, have a few. 

Didn't know Original Source but have quite a few DG's. Always good.

Going to have to look for AP stuff. It keeps coming up and I can't think of any that I have.

Pat Metheny From This Place.