The absolute best and worst-sounding CD you own ?

Best; Ricki Lee Jones's first album. Better than the LP IMHO.
Worst: A live recording of Joan Sutherland that i bought at Border's Books. It apparently is some sort of bootleg type CD that was obviously recorded by someone in the audience with a stereo tape recorder in their lap and sounds like you would expect for someone in the rear of the hall. You can hear people next to the recorder moving in their seats and the sound kind of warbles and drifts. It is copyrighted and sold commercially however so not sure what gives.

Here are some more great recordings --

Lyle Lovette -- Joshua Judges Ruth

Alison Kraus and Union Station -- Live

Bela Fleck -- Live Art

The Cure -- Galore

Best sounding - Alan Parsons Project: The Definitive Collection. Superb remastering of some great songs.

Worst Sounding - Concrete Blond: Bloodletting. One of my favorites, musically, but recording wise, have never heard a more abysmal sound.

Thank you Viridian. Why anyone would use this recording as a "reference" is beyond me.

Quick Story: The first time I heard Cafe Blue was while purchasing a preamp from a fellow AudiogoN'r. He wanted to demo his system for me. As shrill as this cd can sound, you ain't heard nothing 'til you you've heard it through Audio Physic Virgo IIIs driven by a Krell KST-100...NEARFIELD! Whew! That was brutal.

Priz - In reference to Counting Crows August and Everything After" - I just listened to it a few nights ago (for the first time on my new system) and noticed a few things. First, as a whole, it's not a bad recording. Up until Hard Candy was released, it was their best sounding album. Hard Candy, while highly "produced" is a better recording, but still not great. Anyway, August and Everything After varies greatly from track to track. I haven't looked at the liner notes, but I'd guess that some tracks were recorded in different studios. "Omaha" is the best track, sonically by a long shot. "Anna Begins" is a close second. The hiss that you refer to is primarily found on the opening track and is quite noticable. Either it gets better as the album progresses, or the neurons stop firing and I don't hear it anymore :)