to the OP (and anyone else): some recommended cds
I’m listening to two boxed sets of Mercury Living Presence classical (recorded by Robert Fine onto 35mm film between 1955-70) and all the RCA Living Stereo classical titles recorded by John Pfeiffer, Richard Mohr and Lewis Layton in the same period.
When I need something poppier, any 3-track stereo recordings by Frank Sinatra, Julie London, or Nat Cole on Capitol hit the spot.
I have as yet to find a crappy sounding Tony Bennett release on Columbia (mono OR stereo) from 1950-2000. Then there’s the 19 album Dave Brubeck Quartet box on Columbia, which is mostly in stereo.
Have you heard the Modern Jazz Quartet? They mostly recorded for Atlantic but they have some stray releases on Prestige, Apple and Pablo. And speaking of the Pablo label, I don’t think I’ve heard a crappy sounding album from their catalog, but I admit owning less than 50 titles.