Good recording reveals a lot of detail
and puts you in touch with the music.
It's realistic.
Bad recording sounds muddled,
lacking in presence.
You couldn't possibly compare it with a live sound.
The correct use of stereo,
involving two channels of recording and reproduction,
opens out the sound,
placing the performance on a stage.
Separation's a key word in the audio engineer's dictionary.
Strands of sound are separated,
given their proper value,
in the interests of clarity.
It's often assumed that stereo makes
its effect only in large-scale music.
Not so.
Well-judged separation of performers
is vital in recordings of small groups.
Realistic projection of instruments is always an advantage,
even when there's
only one.
Here's some flamenco music.