it's title isn't far from the truth either.
this is an incredible tool for tuning your system, if you can find one (i imported mine from the UK) get your hands on it!

it breaks down into a bunch of categories like depth and transparecny
gives a detailed explanation of what each term means and what to lok for in teh track, then plays a track focussed on testing this area.

it's not the sorta music you cruise round town to, but it really brings life to your system

it's highlighted an area or 2 of my system that i need to work on, that the first encounter CD didn't show up!

Really!!!!!!!!!!! I brought mine from JB hifi in melbourne.

one of the area is micro dynamic responce right?

Its also available from Rockian Trading -http://www.rockian.biz/

They also carry Sheffiled Labs CDs.

Bye,
Mo

yeah JB in Camberwell had a section to them and Sheffield labs

been a while since i been there, so i dont know what they have left

Yawwnnn...(in a jokingly kind of manner ) I've had this disc for ages.

But you're right, it's a superb disc, and the best thing is, it tells you what to look for and helps you understand the limitations of your system.

Since this is a home audio disc, there are several things that you can notice from some of the tracks. For example, in Spanish Harlem at the beginning of the song when Ms. Pidgeon is accompanied only with a bass guitar you can hear background noises made by other members of the band either adjusting their seating position or mucking around with their instruments.

And if I'm not mistaken, in Granda's Hands you should be able to hear (or most likely feel) the foot stomps that Livingston Taylor is doing. Hang on a minute, did I confuse that track with another that he has done, "Isn't It Lovely?"

Anyway, the tracks there are definitely high resolution indeed!! And my system always fail on the Depth track, that opening trumpet doesn't sound like it's 10 feet away from me..

There are several good discs that have comparable resolution:

1. Audiophile Jazz Prologue (part one) - Fung Hang Records Ltd (very hard to find in Oz).
2. The Super Extended Resolution Sound of TBM, XRCD disc by FIM (First Impression Music). The resolution is so high, there are lots and lots of things you can discover while playing this disc. But since it is a transfer from LP (most of the music tracks were made in the 70s) there is that typical LP noise there in the background.
3. Jazz at the Pawnshop, by Prophone Records AB, Sweden. Great audiophile live recording from the 70s as well. A benchmark in the high end home audio circles.
4. And just like Alpine with their First Encounter CD, so does Manger release its own sampler (Manger Reference Demonstration CD). Particularly interesting and revealing of the system's deficiencies is the last track.
5. And if you're into Guitars, ALR Jordan (a speaker company) produces a sampler called ALR Jordan: Guitar, the Collection 2 (with Voices being the Collection 1).
6. And many others that I have somewhere yet unable to find...

Have a look at the titles mentioned above, and if you're super serious about SQ, you should have them already...

Cheers,

Bon

The Reference Recordings XLO Test and Burn in CD is also very good.

If you are in Sydney try Topten record in george street.