I have quite a few DVD-As and multichannel SACDs. There's a huge variation in mix quality. Some sound flat with relatively little surround. Sometimes this is an intentional artistic decision by the mixing engineer and artist. E.g. Neil Young - Harvest (DVD-A) has relatively little surround. On other albums the surround can be gimicky and artificial sounding.
Some music styles just don't lend themselves to lots of surround. For example Norah Jones is great music, but the arrangements are relatively simple. The limited surround usage on Come Away with Me is probably appropriate for that music style.
Other music styles benefit more from increased surround, if properly done. The most impressive surround is judiciously done such that it contributes to the overall presentation, without being distracting or artificial. When it's done well, and for material where it's appropriate, it's an entirely different experience from stereo, and I'd submit it's much better.
The most impressive surround albums I've heard are: Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon (SACD), Elton John -- Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (SACD), David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust (SACD), Roxy Music - Avalon (SACD), Eagles - Hotel California (DVD-A), and Fleetwood Mac - Rumours (DVD-A). In terms of the audio experience, they are vastly superior to the stereo counterparts. It's like the difference between black and white vs color.
You can play multichannel DVD-As on most any DVD player, if your receiver has Dolby Digital 5.1 decoding.
