Best Rock Vinyl to test system

[Tony1954]

You might try:
"I Robot" or "Tales of Mystery and Imagination" by the Alan Parsons Project
"The Six Wives of Henry VII" by Rick Wakeman (Great for testing the low end)
"Bop 'Til You Drop" by Ry Cooder
"The Pretender" by Jackson Browne
"There Goes Rhymin' Simon" by Paul Simon
"Year of the Cat" by Al Stewart
"Aja", "Gaucho", "Pretzel Logic" or just about anything by Steely Dan

[jemist101]

On the 'heavy' side of contemporary rock, I like testing out systems with Metallica's S/T. I'm far from being a Metallica fan, but this album is particularly well produced, and the original pressing does deliver quite well. Great separation and distancing on instruments, plenty of tonal low end, and crisp drum sounds.

Only half a decade later there's Soundgarden's Superunknown. Beautifully mixed album, plenty of tonal variations on the sound palette.

Radiohead's OK Computer ... just fantastic.

I do have plenty of mid-60s to late 70s LPs making the majority of my collection, but all in all, these three records do stand out as well produced recordings, with plenty of guitar grunt.

You might try:
"I Robot"

Hearing 'Nucleus' into 'Day After Day (The Show Must Go On)' is one of the first things I like to do when checking out a system

[smee4]

I often put on Stevie Nicks - Hot Tango in the Night. Also Dire Straits and Police albums are well recorded.

[soulmerchant]

My copy of AC/DC back in black sounds increadibly clear!

But I probably can't use it for a test record... too distracting!

I would suggest getting some records that have specific known traits, and listen to how those traits are handled by the system.

for example:

bob marley - great for checking Bass levels, tightness, etc.
Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - great for checking vocal symbalance, percussion, etc..
and get some orchestral music too. Even if it is some mantovani.. find something (preferably cheap) with really good stereo imagery. That will tell you a LOT.

Ian

[youngdand]

I use dire straits s/t halfspeed master,

Six Blade knife is excellent for higlighting details like finger noise on the strings and has great dynamic range.

[hetfieldsmullet]

When testing new stuff I have my own Holy Trinity of albums.
Ramones' Road To Ruin. Flawless production and an incredible drum sound, oft copied.
AC/DC's Powerage. Faultless from beginning to end.
Motorhead's Overkill. Really gives the top end a hard workout.

But that's just me. Other albums are available.

[Whssy]

The Cult - "Electric" is what I use as benchmark.

[JollyJeweller]

If I've been noodling around with the system, first on afterwards is :

Frank Zappa & The Mothers : One Size Fits all.
Then opening track, Inca Roads, half studio , half live, as you go into the live section where FZ starts his guitar solo, the cymbals on Chester Thompsons drums should sound just right, not splashy or tizzy.
Towards the end of the 2nd live section, Tom Fowlers Bass should be tuneful, but deep and really growling.
2nd up is:
Peter Garbiel : SO
This could sound very bright if it's wrong.
Red rain and Sledgehammer can be dreadful, and Don't Give Up, when right, there should be so much detail, little tabla drums at the end, Kate's voice, it's a great LP for just sounding *right* when it's right.
3rd Paul Simon : Rhythm of the Saints.
Detail, detail, detail....so much in the mix , still sounds great when it's right.