Ojgalli, your point is well taken, but many of us like rock and roll, and they just don't make rock and roll by putting four guys in a room with two mikes. Some records do make for a convincing approximation of soundstage, however - including almost every record I mentioned above - I think only the Telarc Satie disc is recorded in purist stereo. The Mellencamp disk (Whenever We Wanted) sure sounds like it was recorded with a live band and two mikes, and with a minimum of effects, even if that is not the case.
I, for one, don't care whether a sound stage is real or simulated. The sense of space and impact is the same.
I have more of a problem with the tendency (including my own) to overlook second rate music/performance just because the disc was recorded well. Ideally, we buy nice equipment to make good music sound even better, and don't buy second rate music just because it shows off the gear. Having said that, there are plenty of reco's in this thread for good music recorded well.
