When i first got the hifi bug aged 16, and for the first decade or so, including when i was in the trade i had specialist ’find out’ tracks, foremost was Another Brick in the Wall pt1, that moody sound followed by the helicopter, if it landed on the roof of the listening space then all was good. These days however I’ll play whatever i am listening to most at the time, because that’s what matters to me, not some ancient yardstick.

That being said, when I’m deep in the zone my ultimate album is Oto by Fluke. For sound quality nothing comes close to the subterranean bass, the stupendous soundstage and irresistible flow contained in this album. The only other record i could mention in the same breath is the William Orbit masterpiece Ray of Light by Madonna.  Seriously i kid  you not the production on that album is superlative. 

I have no one ultimate choice; it’s always in a state of flux, but if I had to choose two recordings, both of which I have owned for decades and recently been playing, it would be Leinsdorf, conducting the LA Symphony in Prokofiev’s Excerpts from the Ballet, Romeo and Juliet, particularly side two.  To those not familiar with the music, as I recently played for a couple that lives in the building, scared the crap  out of them.  The dynamics, from a whisper to an all out orchestral assault is simply stunning.  I have unopened copies of this never-to-be-repressed recording.  The other recording,  from a soundtrack from the film, "The Diva", Wilhelmina Fernandez sings the aria from Catalani’s opera, La Wally, just makes me emotional.  Wilhelmina sings as beautifully, if not as stunningly, as she looks.  A great system amplifies this.  I have Maria Callas singing this aria, but I don’t know if it’s the age of the recording, or the recording quality, just doesn’t do it for me like Fernandez.

I quoted an opera as my test prefered album among choral music ...

First spatial cues detection in these recorded event is sometimes spectacularly recorded...

Second, we are wired to recognise human timbre voices not synthetiser...

 Third read this very seriously : 

@acresverde I heard one track from Enamoured by chance that caught my attention and immediately flagged the entire LP as an exemplary reference recording.

Additional tracks that highlight system strengths and expose weaknesses:

"St. Thomas" - Peter Bernstein & Guido Di Leone Quartet (Tribute to Jim Hall)

Nicely recorded instrumental jazz piece with ample percussive elements and well-delineated layers of depth that challenge imaging ability.

"Celestial Echo" - Malia (Convergence)

Expansive electronic work with female vocals, delicate transients, and strong, meandering spatial cues that challenge soundstage depth rendering. In a good system, the soundscape should expand beyond the walls of the room without sounding diffuse.

"Dirty Little Secret" - Sarah McLachlan (Bloom - Remix Album)

Sounds almost broken in the beginning, but be patient, and distinct layers at various depths emerge as the track progresses.

"Istanbul" - Various Artists (Divan)

Ambient instrumental electronic track of Middle Eastern flavor with wall-to-wall percussive elements that pop out nicely.

"Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" - Muddy Waters (Folk Singer)

An exemplary stereo recording in this genre from 1964, and far superior to that of notable big acts from the same period.

"Perimeter" - Gidge (New Light)

Powerful, immersive, a showcase track for a large, high-end system and room.

"Fireland" - Andrea Schroeder (Where the Wild Oceans End)

For anyone who doesn't know this one, a live performance brought into one's listening space.

@pinwa I enjoyed your abbreviated playlist. I wonder if you would share your main playlist list?