It reminded me of how much I've enjoyed listening to the latest Ratatat album, LP3. As I say in my response, LP3 is not the typical audiophile reference disc—it's not exactly faithful to the real thing—but it is a ton of fun to listen to on the hi-fi. In fact, it's so much fun I think every hi-fi dealer should have the album cued up in their demo room. Sounds explode from the grooves, shoot out in every direction, paralyze and hypnotize with their beauty and power.
On LP3, Ratatat combine classic synth sounds with acoustic and electric guitars and all sorts of percussion; Latin rhythms meld with Baroque melodies, punk rock recklessness, victory metal, and house party fun. I get the feeling it's the kind of album Stereophile founder J. Gordon Holt would hate.
So, I know a lot of us are tired of hearing the same old reference discs played over and over again in hi-fi shops and at audio shows. What are your favorite albums for showcasing the abilities of a good hi-fi? If there were no restrictions regarding demo material—if you weren't worried about driving people from the room or inspiring angry looks, and if you weren't necessarily concerned with "fidelity," but were mostly concerned with fun—what albums would you bring to a demo?
In the Stereophile forum, "ncdrawl" asked:
