Recommendations for a few high SQ classical CDs

thanks guys for all the great suggestions.  i have a reasonably large (500 or so) of classical cds and there are many above that i need to look into.  my suggestion for an outstanding recording both performance wise and SQ wise is this cd:  https://www.amazon.com/Stravinsky-Rite-Spring-Petrushka-Igor/dp/B004QI1556/ref=sr_1_20?s=music&i...

Decca issued a big box with a nicely varied selection of music from their catalog, The Decca Sound:

https://www.amazon.com/Decca-Sound-50-Box-Set/dp/B018FCVK8U

IMO only one real clunker here: I cannot abide Ute Lemper's mannerisms in her Kurt Weill disc.  YMMV.  But that's a really good batting average for a box like this.

@ ronkent: For the Rite of Spring I'm gonna say Ivan Fischer, Budapest Festival Orchestra, Channel Classics once more! :)

lowrider57,

You got the part about 1987 New Year's Concert right. It is far from the best sound quality that ever was. I, don't ask why, happened to have had a plain any-store copy Made in West Germany, one more like that Made in U.S.A. and now I have this Japanese K2. I bought K2 simply because it existed and those regular copies were getting on my nerves. Not that I listened to them more than once a year, or every two years. K2 is definitely better than ordinary CD, surely not four times better like the price might suggest but I think it is decent. Still, I suggested it as a decent-sounding material for some easy-classical listening. Kind of when we get tired of Mahler's attacks and need a break.

As far as actual Deutsche Gramophone recordings go, would it make a difference that this particular CD/concert was recorded live with whatever constraints the venue might have brought? I have no idea, but I do have some of the Deutsche Gramophone recordings you are implying and I think you are spot on about the imperfections of sound. It may be my ears, but I think that this particular New Year's Concert is a bit better to start with. To repeat, not great.

@glupson, First of all, I'll try to control my anger and disappointment at DG for screwing up the sound on such a vast catalogue of wonderful performances from many of the greatest artists, orchestras, and conductors who ever graced the stage.

I usually watch the Vienna New Year's Concerts on PBS. I haven't heard the Karajan performance in its entirety, but there are several positives. It takes place in the Musikverein with its unique and unsurpassed sonics, and it has Karajan (albeit near the end of his life) leading the VPO in which they shared an amazing chemistry. IMO, live recordings from the Vienna "Great Hall" seem to sound a bit better than many of the other venues recorded by DG engineers. The ambience of that concert hall adds so much to the recording.
   The audio mix on the live TV broadcast usually sounds pretty good. Live TV broadcasting takes priority over music recording companies, so maybe the DG engineers are not allowed to use their standard over-mic'd recording techniques. Even so, they record and mix their own audio feed for a later release.

I've never heard K2HD, but I own some Japanese SHM-CD's and Blu-spec and since they are simply remasters made from the original digital masters, to my ears they just sound like a cleaner CD with tipped-up highs.