Albums for Demonstration

Posted by: Bone Machine on 16 December 2011

After a passing comment made by Richard Dane in a recent post, I was curious about your preferred choice of demonstration album (and why you would choose it - favourite music, recording quality etc...). 

Those of you in the trade may have albums you keep going back to 'to show off' the best qualities of the system being demonstrated or you may only play what's current or recently released?  The question also applies to those of us not in the trade as sometimes we also like 'to show off' the system.

 

Thanks in anticipation...

Colin

Posted on: 16 December 2011 by Bruce Woodhouse

Lots and lots in the archives on this if you Search.

 

Personally I just choose albums to demo that I like; a few old favourites and some new albums floating my boat at the time. I definitely do not choose demo albums on recording quality, after all I will not just be listening to well recorded music when I get the system home. Lots of albums for a good demo too, certainly not just one.

 

If somebody ever came to my house and wanted to be 'shown' the system then I'd let them play whatever they wanted or liked. I have never felt any desire to impress anyone with my HiFi. If they like it all well and good, if not it surely will not stop my wife and I enjoying the music.

 

I don't personally buy into the idea that specific albums 'display' my system at its best. It either flies or it does not!

 

...and never tell them how much it cost.

 

Bruce

Posted on: 16 December 2011 by Bone Machine

Thanks Bruce.

 

I was thinking more from the perspective of those demonstrating their system (to others) rather than those wishing to audition new equipment.  A slightly different twist on the topic and perhaps not covered by previous posts as I'm aware of those topics which cover the albums you'd take to auditions. 

 

I appreciate that not all of us like to impress people and I take your point about offering to play their choice of music too.

 

Colin

Posted on: 16 December 2011 by Harry

Actually it's the same thing (for me at least). Like Bruce I would ask them to shout some favourites out until they hit one that was in our collection. I remember when a dealer was trying to sell me an Audio Innovations 500 (that ages me) by playing me some banal lounge music. I had to get very insistent before he accepted a Rush CD, which was all I was interested in. And he got the sale.