What is the One Test Track That Tells You Almost Everything About A System?

Notes With Attachment - Pino Palladino

Wood - David Bromberg

Anything from Balthazar or Warhaus

Ty Segall - Love Rudiments (Really good for test the attack and sustain)

Von Spar/Stephen Malkmus - Can's Ege Bamyasi or just listen to the Can's version

CAN - Future Days and Mag Tago Mago - Both of these albums were recorded in the early 70's, but the sound stage and imaging are amazing!

Bill Frisell - East/West - Two albums in a live setting.

Three that I would go to if I could only try one for the full evaluation would be:

Cincinnati Pops "Danse Macabre" from "Chiller". It has the high octave detail, dynamics, bass weight slam, and everything I would want to test the system and gear.

Kansas "The Pinnacle" from "Masque". Same as above plus speed and energy that some gear won’t make you smile. 

David Benoit "The Key to You". Great acoustic piano with a nice bass line underneath (that should sound musical not plodding), vocals by Davis Pack (with backing vocals that should be deep in the soundstage), excellent drum set recording, including musical cymbal bells. Benoit’s piano should not sound forward in the stage. Has all the elements of a great test song. Incidentally, he recorded these earlier LP/CDs using Threshold electronics with Martin-Logan Electrostat monitors.

I was talking about this discussion with a friend of mine when he was visiting the other night.

We both had a few drinks and went through a few tracks l had that might just qualify. Unable to nail just one, we suggest that everyone should choose an artist they detest. Whichever song sounds the more repulsive and excruciating must surely be the most accurate track in the future to evaluate your sound systems.

😂 As l said….. we had had a few beers by then 👍

Good suggestions for test tracks but: 

You may need several to truly assess your system  

You also need a good recording of a symphony orchestra and not just these studio bound somewhat manipulated recordings. 
If you can cleanly, transparently and dynamically reproduce the second movement of the Shostakovich Symphony #10-Second Movement recorded on DG with the Boston Symphony conducted by Nelsons in a live HiRes recording then you have an excellent system. Even if you don’t like classical music just spend 4+ minutes listening to this track. It’s a true test of the ability of your system to handle everything and also deliver a life-like you are there experience. Warning: It will expose every weakness 

You should hear a wide soundstage with depth. Great imaging, large dynamic swings, deep low end, clean instrument separation and silky airy strings extending beyond the left speakers. 

"From a Standstill" - Bella Sonus (Enamoured LP)

From the start, this well-layered track displays a wide frequency spectrum and well-delineated spatial elements that challenge both soundstage width and depth rendering, as well as expose a system’s ability to reproduce deep sub-bass transients with clarity and control. 

"Nature Boy" - Art Pepper (Essential Standards)

A more "organic" test of timbral accuracy and soundstage layering.

"Ruiner" - Nine Inch Nails (The Downward Spiral)

A test of a sytem’s ability to separate complex layers - plenty of phasing tricks that challenge soundstage width and depth rendering capabilities and room acoustics.