I have used the same basic auditioning tracks since 1980 and have a high quality vinyl record and CD with them on.
Graham Parker & The Rumour - You Can’t Be Too Strong
Sandy Denny & Fairport Convention - Autopsy
Clifford T. Ward - Someone I Know
Peter Skellern - Love is the Sweetest Thing
Elton John - Shooting Star
10cc - Don’t Hang Up
Vivaldi - Concerto for Oboe, Strings & Continuo In A Minor RV463 (1st Movement Allegro)
Beethoven - Bagatelle Op. 126 No.4 (Presto)
Debussy - Trois Images Pour Orchestre - Iberia
Each song carries specific sounds and I have concise instructions for what to listen for so I can judge how faithfully a system reproduces the original. Using these recordings lets me focus entirely on judging the system. Thankfully, I don’t do it often.
I throw in some less well recorded music such as Wimple Winch’s brilliant single “Save My Soul” and ask myself if I enjoyed listening to it.
If we are judging digital replay then the closet source I have heard to the original sound, the one that makes me think I am listening to real musicians playing great music was Chord’s Blu2 DAVE through Audeze headphones so if available this provides a great benchmark, systems from Naim and Linn pass with flying colours.
What you may notice is most boutique tweaks show promise in some areas, but fall short in others.
When you start to sing along with the music. Pom diddy dee pon pom 21st Century Schizoid Man then you know you are doing fine.
If it sounds better than it is better.