I'm talking about the music which really puts your entire system to the test. This is the kind of music most hotel room listening audiofools think is crappy. I totally disagree. This music is true reference quality. You gotta have a system ready for it.
I'll begin with some new Royksopp:
I could not agree more! (except for the Royksopp, don't think it's reference quality)
I'll go even further. The very highest reference quality records are only to be found in far field microphone recordings and in electronic music!
The thing is, the "audiophile" listening rooms have reverb (still very much affecting the sound even in large well damped rooms with acoustic treatment). For the highest reference quality one should have an anechoic room!
There are some electronic music producers who go very far in that direction. Their music often doesn't sound like it is reference quality in an audiophiles room but this is because of the colour imparted by the audiophile room not because of the music.
Take for instance Noisia. They have a reference quality studio (google 'noisia studio', and no those are not side walls and ceilings that's fabric in front of meters thick absorption material). Nearly semi-anechoic and with a big soffit ATC system.
And this track (or the whole EP) which doesn't sound all that impressive in the average audiophile room. They'll think it lacks dynamic range and high treble and has too much distortion and is too "flat" sounding etc etc.
But play this track on reference quality speakers in an anechoic / semi-anechoic room and there's nothing really nothing the guy in an audiophile room can play that comes close to the soundquality of this track played in an anechoic / semi-anechoic room!
The incredible punch and tightness, trebble quality, dynamic range, detail, depth, timbre, being inside the music and the play of the music between sounds that are as close as your skin to sounds that are a mile in distance. It's impressive to such a degree it has no equal in the regular audiophile world!
And for natural music far field classical recordings played in an anechoic / semi-anechoic room are truly as if you're there (and no, there is no headphone that comes remotely close for various reasons).