Curly,
Agree, some older releases sound horrid.
Lately, I've been replacing older versions with digitally remastered CDs...huge improvement in sound. I get them from CD Now or Tower Records off the web (normally for the same cost as a regular CD). So far have bought digital remasters of:
Tears for Fears Songs From the Big Chair
Supertramp (greatest Hits--good selection of their best)
Elton John Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (incredible improvement)
Dire Straits First Album
The Who Who's Next (stunning--you can hear Pete's pick hitting the strings on Behind Blue Eyes)
Genesis Duke
Genesis And Then There Were Three (Follow You Follow Me sounds like a different song)
I suspect the reason the digital remastered copies of older releases have so much improvement is the technology that was used when they were originally converted from the analogue to CD was pretty rudimentary compared to today's technology.
So, in addition to aching to upgrade every piece of my system, I am now repurchasing CDs I already own...but, the improvement in sound is worth it...
mitch