I think the point cblake makes is a valid one. My brother has been in a band (Kill Creek) since the late 80's. At one point in time, they were signed with Mammoth records and toured the US and Canada.
Anyway, being the brother of a band member has some advantages. Over the years, I got to experience how music is recorded, mixed, mastered, etc. I was always getting copies of raw recordings, and then my brother would throw the first mastered versions my way for some feedback...but mainly because he knew I was dying to hear something. Often, songs were 'touched up' for a certain effect or to smooth out a 'bad spot' in the recording. Sometimes, vocals were touched up or digitally 'smoothed out' at spots in the song where the vocalist was going beyond his abilities (sorry Scott). So many effects and emphasis are used to add an 'edge' and to achieve that 'pop sound' the record executives insisted would drive sales.
Eventually, I would get to hear the final master that the record company was going to use on the album. Almost always, the end result was just as cblake suggested...a sound that is over-trebled and over-emphasized...among other things.
I guess that is why it always kills me when somebody says "I know what a cymbal is supposed to sound like...these speakers suck". If they only knew the transformation that takes place from the original recording to the final master...maybe they would consider the source more....especially on pop/rock music.
