I always start off with recordings that I made of bands I was in in the second half of the 'eighties that I made in my then garage-apartment where we rehearsed and/or made demo recordings. I know the players, the instruments, the room, the mikes, the deck and the way these sound tell me more about any changes than anything else I might play.

I also use recordings that I have been playing ever since I first set up my own stereo such as Miles Davis "Bitches Brew," John Coltrane "Crescent," Jimi Hendrix "Band of Gypsies" or Miles Davis "Sketches of Spain." And I'll often now listen to the cd and LP or even SACD version of some of these.

Usually from these two different types of recordings and listening sessions I can get a good handle on any changes.

Maybe. I don't listen to things on the computer. . .youtube, etc. For the most part I don't associate the computer with music, just not interested in music on a computer. I really don't feel that computer/laptop (in my case) speakers are really resolving or accurate enough for me to listen properly. I don't enjoy listening to headphones at all, and I don't have a way to really connect my laptop to my system, nor want to make the effort.

I'm an old stick in the mud when it comes to this sort of thing. (And a few other things!)

Yes. And that I flat refuse to do.

I have hi-res now, just not from a computer, and it sounds great. I just think playing around with music in computers is silly, seems to me like something for kids. I have enough discs to build a fort, I'm going to use them and I enjoy all the physical aspects of my collection and its use.

We're all different. Music files are the silliest thing of this century in my opinion. Don't want to play with them.

I just don't want to play around with files on a computer, I use computers enough for other things, I want to keep them divorced from music.

I know it seems odd to people all accustomed or addicted to music files and computer audio, but computer audio and music files seem odd and silly to me.

I'm a grown man who has been through tons of shit, I know my time is precious, and I now don't allow myself to be pressured to do things I don't want to and as much as possible I don't do what I don't want to. I don't want to have anything to do with computer audio, and I won't.

Get off my lawn!

:D

That's just what I was thinking!

Okay, enough playing around from me, I have to finish up my duties and chores here and get my parents ready for bed soon. Sigh. This is a tough life I lead. Wish it were Thursday, the first of my two evenings off a week, I could be with my new gf.

Back on topic...

I listen to live recordings to hear how the change impacts the sense of the hall.  If I feel I get more "real" hall reverberations, its a success.  Neil Young, Live at Massey Hall comes to mind.

For bass, I have an older 70s recording that slips my mind right now.  If its tighter, and has more detail its a move in the right direction.

For imaging, I use a track with Duende by Bozzio Leven Stevens.  It has great percussion that moves in a circle motion during the first third of the song.  If I get a better sense for the circular motion, its a move in the right direction.

I also have a Gold Dust Woman inner detail acid test that I do to see how well you can pick out Christine McVie's voice on the first chorus (easy to hear in the second chorus).  If I can't hear her voice stand out, I know its not a move in the right direction.

Those are all I can think of right now.  Suffice it to say I have my usual tracks, but different tracks for testing improvements in different areas.

@ Palomino - +1 to what LR said, it seems as if you have a nice planned listening session when checking for changes!  I will try and incorporate a few of your ideas into my own listening evaluations.  Thanks for the tips!