Mahler became a quick favorite for me during speaker auditions because of the amount of space in the soundstage -- not sure if that captures what you're hearing, but I can glimpse what makes Mahler's orchestration more demonstrative of a deep or wide soundstage. I've not done more than skim this, but possibly of interest
Mahler vs. Strauss
I find that the sound picture of Mahler’s orchestration is more effectively produced in stereo recording than that of Richard Strauss. I think both are superlative orchestrators, but somehow Mahler’s symphonies image better than Strauss’s tone poems on my system. They seem to be fuller, fill the sound stage more effectively, and are easier to reproduce. Not that in any way they sound “bad.” They sound fine, but Mahler’s orchestration seems more effective.
Does anyone else have that impression?
Does anyone else have that impression?