How much is about the recording

I have a mixture of new, used and vintage equipment in my entry-level system. My listening space is the exact opposite of what an acoustically appropriate listening room should be. I am also approaching 70 with some hearing loss in my right ear. And despite all of these audio limitations, a well engineered and produced recording will stand out and be a joy to listen to. I find this slightly more obvious on analog recordings, but good digital recordings are obvious even streaming via Blue Tooth. 

I doubt anyone on this thread, or site, has a shite system, so yes, it all about the recording.  Why do some recording have a soundstage that goes out way past the speakers, and other are compressed to the point of almost sounding like mono recordings? Or ones that have everything coming directly from the speakers and the center is empty?  Great recordings are fantastic, and it's a slippery slope from that point on down.  As the adage goes, you can't polish a turd.  

@bigtwin  +1

I’m pretty happy with my kit, so it’s all about the music.  Now, for example,  I can  listen to Mozart, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and notice the difference’s between various recordings. 

@skyscraper Class A- Dire Straits, Steely Dan, Chris Isaak, Norah Jones, Supertramp, Moody Blues, Jeff Beck, Pink Floyd, Andreas Vollenweider, Cat Stevens, almost any jazz or classical album

Class B- Genesis, Heart, Eric Clapton, Roxette, Talking Heads, David Bowie, Queen, Led Zeppelin, ACDC, Rolling Stones, Alanis Morissette, REM, The Cult, The Black Crowes, Billy Joel, INXS, Aerosmith, U2, Brooks & Dunn, Donnie Iris, Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, The Who, Klaatu

Class C- Jefferson Airplane, Ted Nugent, Procol Harum, The Mamas and the Papas, Little Feat, Roy Orbison, Lynard Skynard, Ramones, Uriah Heap,  Faces

Class  D- Robert Johnson, Chicago Blues, Leslie West

This list is a guideline. There are some songs that sound better (or worse) than the overall grade for the album.