I somehow missed this thread. One CD I have that features great sound AND music is:
- A Meeting By The River (on Water Lily Acoustics), an album of instrumental duets by Ry Cooder and Vishwa Mohan Bhatt. Recorded by Kavichandran Alexander on a tube reel-to-reel machine (the electronics of which were custom designed and installed by Tim DeParavicini of EAR-Yoshino fame). Absolutely stunning!