How to determine ? Listen I'd say
I am not a professionnal and all I'll say is completely subjective.
Well recorded tracks are usually making good use of stereo and depth, with instruments coming from different locations, hairy sound, wide stage, immersive bass, energic sound.
You can notice on "bad" records that certain instruments have a sizzling, or that the white noise is excessive on their specific track. Instruments can also be not well separated and cover each other, or that an insuficient number of microphones were used (noticeable on classic).
hdtracks has a category "audiophile tracks to die for", I listened to a few and ideed they are to die for http://www.hdtracks.com/critics-album-picks/stereophile
Anything recorded by Chesky is amazing, but they do Jazz.
I have exemples on hard rock :
- yum recorded : "Radiohead - Creep" or "Foo Fighters - Everlong" - you can listen to each electric guitar and their ensemble is really moving, battery and voice are still present and detailled enough."Sublime - Same in the end" despite limited obvious use of stereo outside of the electric guitar the whole thing is super energic and you can picture the depth of the scene with the guitar/bass in front of you with the singer just behind with the battery keeping everyone on track.
- meh recorded : "Green day - Basket case" - limited use of stereo, everything is overlaping in the center, voice is covered, no big flaw - "Pixies - Trompe le monde" despite the use of a bit of stereo, the whole mix is monotonous and without energy, there is no or little bass, the battery is mixed with the guitars and the voice all coliding in the center.
