I've not heard the XRCDs, but I've read on audioasylum that they are far superior. I can't believe these recordings are almost 50 years old. One of the great advantages of SACD remasterings of analog is no PCM anywhere. I hope. The only Living Presence I was a little disappointed with, both sound-wise and performance-wise, was the Cliburn Rachmaninoff/Tchaikovsky, though it was still 'good.' It's great to hear most of these in three channel, as the engineers hoped that they would be heard.