Generally speaking, I've found the newer releases sound better if they've been re-mastered. It seems to me cd started sounding better somewhere around the late 90's, early 2000's.
The best example of how cd sound has improved is Fleetwood Mac's, "25 Years, The Chain" box set, a remastered anthology, 1992 release date. For years I thought this was amongst the best sounding cds in my collection. Now it sounds rather flat and uninvolving compared to more recent re-masters by various artists. Most of my older cds have either been sold or relegated to storage.
The best example of how cd sound has improved is Fleetwood Mac's, "25 Years, The Chain" box set, a remastered anthology, 1992 release date. For years I thought this was amongst the best sounding cds in my collection. Now it sounds rather flat and uninvolving compared to more recent re-masters by various artists. Most of my older cds have either been sold or relegated to storage.