Can Rock-N-Roll have great sound quality?

What does your system consist of. I spent nearly 2 years trying to make this work. I listen to everything from AC/DC to Zeppelin. I have got it real darn close. Some recordings just plain suck and you will never get them to sound good. But I would say I have got about 90% of them down. Everything needs to be forgiving. I am running tubes and analog, so I don't know what you have.

.....this all reminds me of my ultimate system back in the late seventies........the BEST of the BEST analogue.
Dirty, filthy grungy gonzo rock n roll sounded like a cruel joke on my purist system. The Frederic Fennel (sp?) demo albums just didn't cut it when I needed a "Raw Power" fix.
Marakanetz is so right re: classic rock.......tone controls and be one with the music......to hell with the "sound".

I have to jump in here as I mainly listen to rock and am a recovering Audiophile. I still enjoy the hobby but I am not an extremist as I used to be. I once built this system for absolute accuracy and it would absolutely sound amazing with good recordings. (YBA Integrated amp, JM Lab Speakers, Silver Interconnects, Spkr Wire etc) The problem I found was most of what I wanted to listen to was not recorded perfect.

I then found myself searching the world over for "good recordings" and not for "good Music" that I really wanted to pursue. Well, I finally came to my senses and sold my complete system here on Audiogon and put together what I have now. It still sounds fantastic on great recordings yet is forgiving enough to enjoy 99% of my collection. Do some discs sound better than others, absolutely! However, I can through in most anything and enjoy it. For me that is what this hobby is really about! Enjoying Music!

Chris

Yep, a lot of rock is fairly "ill-recorded" indeed.
Now to your 802's, which I've sold for years....this typical audiphile speaker won't be super impressive for rock and heavy dynamics, run the way people typically run them. Running them fulll range in a passive setup, even with big amps won't yield you anywhere near "full dynamic transparancy" and inpact! Basically, hard rock and heavy dynamic stuff will be a little lack luster, soft, and restrained sounding. (many have probably notice this if they ever popped on some Metalica on some audiophile speakers).
Really, speakers with powered sub's, bass mangagment to a powerd sub, highly efficient (like horns and such), and even active speakers are going to beat up on your stock 802's running passively, full range! That's the way it is.
Most of these passive offerings can't deliver the control, slamm, impact, and full dynamic delivery needed to "rock!", if need be. That's another challenge for you.