What music do you use to assess your system?

I am very much a treble nut. So usually i have along a lot of music with great treble stuff in it. Without a perfect treble, I walk..
Mozart: Extante Jubilante on L'oiseau Lyre with Emma Kirkby
Her amazing voice is heavenly.
(available on LP and CD I have both)
sinead oconnor "I do not want what I Haven't Got for her voice. The 'sheen' surrounding her voice can be phenomenal.
Telarc Robert Shaw Atlanta Symphony Carl Orff "Carmina Burana for massed voices And the childrens choir.

Then for lows I like Madonna "Music" (the Madonna album with her cowboy look) Some good bass on that.
Then nearly any Techno compilation. My favorite is Best of Techno Vol 5: FLUID.

Sometimes it is good to have BAD sounding music. to see if it's flaws shine as brightly as they should.
PJ Harvy "$ Track Demos' Her voice is astounding at times..
Then the violins in Dutiot Falla Three cornered Hat(London) .an early 'all digital' CD. Sometimes the violins sound like cardboard cutouts. Or like a ripsaw on a metal washtub... Baaaad. Worst violins I have EVER heard.
A good system will show them for what they sound like. A not so clear one will gloss overthem.

This is my secret go-to audiophile demo acid test.

Jmcgrogan2, that's hysterical! Thanks for the link.

Michael

Oh boy, and we've officially digressed, 4 posts into the thread.
WARNING: do not watch that video unless you have 4 minutes to burn. You will never get that time back, and you will not be able to stop the video once you've started watching it. Thanks for the laugh!

Geez, I watched the video too, I'm speechless. Words fail me.

Now, back to the original OP's question. Some of my tracks I use to maintain a baseline of familiarity when auditioning new equipment might be Rautavaara's "Cantus Articus Opus 61" for its extraordinary sense of atmosphere and orchestral treble nuances, Bela Flecks old standby "Flight of the Cosmic Hippo," Keith Richards "Rockawhile" for its sense of timing, groove, and kick bass drum, Bill Frisell's "Blues for Los Angeles," again for groove, swing, and propulsive bass guitar, and Hovhaness' programatic "Mount St. Helen's symphony 50" for the entire palette of orchestral instrumentation, dynamics, and tone color.