Speakers and system for compressed recordings?

interesting topic. my experience has been it should not be a problem with the right setup and realistic expectations. without the second, you may be doomed to dissapointment.

It is part of a second system, the Marantz. The other stereo is full blown audiophile.

Forgive me if I don't understand the issue at hand.

I just listened to Dark Side the other night (24/96 version) and it was stellar! This is not a remixed version, just a new transfer to digital. (Some of the other Floyd LP's have recently been remixed from the multi tracks.) I also have the UHQR LP. Other than compression limiting how much dynamic peaks there are, why does it not sound good? Is it possible you are listening to LP's that are beaten up or mistracking, or on a phono cart combo that needs updating or isn't set up right?

Remember playing a Van Halen disc and frantically checking if something was broken. Solution was keeping that disc in the car.

FWIW, I find that I enjoy music from a certain period more when reproduced on a system relevant to that period,when possible. Aerosmith and Black Sabbath never sound better to me than when cranked through Altecs' ,JBL, or large Advents. Motown sounds incredible on an AM transistor radio. Same thing for 78's- just better to my ears thru a Victrola or mono tube set-up. For my money more resolution is not always better. The original engineer on Pink Floyd's Dark side stated that he and Alan Parsons argued vociferously about how much compression was to be used. Parsons won. IMO FM radio is the worst offender these days-adding compression to already over-compressed recordings. The power meters on my receiver barely even move on most broadcast music.