Some classical recordings are really bad -- shrill violins, and not very natural in general. However, some can be quite good. Try a few recordings on the BIS label, especially those with Ingo Petry as the recording engineer or producer. (He is a genius.) I’ll be surprised if they sound like you’re using a lesser grade of equipment.
The BIS recordings don’t always sound like an orchestra in a hall -- there is some spotlighting -- but to my ears they sound clean, clear, and well balanced, with natural timbres. There are also good recordings from the 1950s and 1960s but the modern BIS versions, being all digital, have better pitch stability, among other things.
The BIS recordings don’t always sound like an orchestra in a hall -- there is some spotlighting -- but to my ears they sound clean, clear, and well balanced, with natural timbres. There are also good recordings from the 1950s and 1960s but the modern BIS versions, being all digital, have better pitch stability, among other things.