I see some posts recommending a certain performer, without specifying the album.
In my experience specific albums can sound good (from an audio engineering standpoint, not artistically), and others by the same performer sound bad.
One of the most dramatic differences is the two classic Elton John albums "Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player", and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road."
Both albums were by the same performer, recorded at the same studio, using the same producer, within 1 year of each other. "Don't Shoot Me" has great songs but they're flat, muddy and lifeless from an audio engineering and mixing standpoint -- even the latest digitally remastered CD. By contrast "Yellow Brick Road" is vibrant, clear, almost three dimensional (both stereo and SACD).
They had different engineers, maybe that's why the difference. Beware buying based on artist alone.
My favorite "demo" albums are (not all rock, but these are all superbly-engineered albums):
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon (SACD)
Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (SACD)
Roxy Music - Avalon (SACD)
David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust (SACD)
Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells (SACD)
Fleetwood Mac - Rumours (DVD-A)
Eagles - Hotel California (DVD-A)
