I've just purchased my first real pair of pro-headphones and I’m putting together a proper lossless test disc for their arrival on Monday.
I’ve thus far picked a few albums with the highest Dynamic Range scores in recorded music history. The all-time #1 album for DR is John Cage: Concert For Piano & Orchestra. Other DR chart-toppers include Sun Ra’s Pleiades and the #001-100 Mo-Fi pressings of Sgt. Pepper’s. Of course, I’ll have to try out a 24-96 lossless rip of the 2012 Japanese press of The Dark Side of the Moon and the indispensable Kind of Blue as well.
I’ll likely add some first-century choral works from the Harmonia Mundi label, and favorite selections from Terry Riley, Brian Eno, Harmonia, Can, and other legends.
What am I missing? What are your go-to tracks to really test the limits of a new piece of gear?
EDIT:
Jean-Claude Risset - Sud (1985) and
Bernard Parmegiani's De Natura Sonorum (1975) are ASTOUNDING for headphone tests!