I agree that few get it right. I listen exclusively to classical and jazz and like you love live orchestra concerts. And I feel the same way as you regarding lack of imaging.
For that very reason I veered into multi channel audio—some recordings really do it well. Others are just gimmicks.
The Living Stereo 3-channel SACD reissues come quite close. They were originally recorded with a center mic which got mixed into the left and right channels for the LPs. But Analogue Productions has been rereleasing them in multi channel SACD.
Also Pentatone has released many of the Phillips quadraphonic recordings from the 70s in SACD form. (The Pentatone founders came from Phillips.)
And of course, there are very well imaged modern recordings, but again multi channel.
Sorry, no real LP suggestions here.
For that very reason I veered into multi channel audio—some recordings really do it well. Others are just gimmicks.
The Living Stereo 3-channel SACD reissues come quite close. They were originally recorded with a center mic which got mixed into the left and right channels for the LPs. But Analogue Productions has been rereleasing them in multi channel SACD.
Also Pentatone has released many of the Phillips quadraphonic recordings from the 70s in SACD form. (The Pentatone founders came from Phillips.)
And of course, there are very well imaged modern recordings, but again multi channel.
Sorry, no real LP suggestions here.