Why do Classical CDs sound less Alive/Real/Present ?


Of course GIGO always applies but some of my CDs are on decent labels.
When I listen to symphony recordings as an example, the sound loses its presence
and sounds a bit like I am using a much lesser grade of equipment.

My system has all components in excellent shape as well as a good amount
of acoustic treatments. The room is not large at 16 x 14 x 8 + adjacent open kitchen
behind seating of 10 x 13,  so I am wondering if what I hear is just the nature of the
beast-ie. a lot of instruments going on at one time?

I seem to recall this has always been the case in other settings as well.

What say ye? 

gadios
I recommend the classical recordings made by Donald Fine (Mercury Living Presence) using just one mic above the conductor. So the sound captured is what he heard. I like this better than the multi-miked approach - though good recordings (RCA Living Stereo) can result. London/Decca's mike "tree" was used quite successfully with Solti's Ring - a landmark recording!
Get some of the Mercury Living Presence CDs mastered by Wilma Fine! Far more natural sounding than the typical Columbia and Deutsche Grammaphone multi-miked affairs!
Choose ADD or AAD rather than DDD. And tubes over transistors. The Golden Age for recording was circa late 50s to mid 60s.

These all represent small variations or bandaids.

I stand by my original response.

I have long answered that a large symphony orchestra in full hue and cry is the hardest kind of recorded music to get to sound anything like the real thing in a typically sized domestic space with a stereo system, however good/resolving/full-range/whatever it may be.

I agree with the previous post of lowriders. I will add that I like RCA red seal recordings especially.

I disagree with Geoff Kate. I mostly prefer DDD recordings.

Not a fan of MLP old recordings.