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I can perfectly understand why John Doe would not connect with the production on Steely Dan records; they represent the kind of refined, professional artistry that punk rock and its progeny were rebelling against. Looser production is a part of punk rock's aesthetic for authenticity and realism.
Some punk rock is actually well produced, such as those first X albums mentioned here. I just listened to my original Slash pressing of Wild Gift the other day and absolutely love the sound of Billy Zoom's guitar.
Strangely enough, some poorly-produced punk somehow benefits from shoddy production. The Sid Vicious live album and Metallic K.O. come to mind; the poor production has an audio vérité quality that oddly adds to the listening experience.
Another example that comes to mind are the records by Dead Moon, which, as far as I'm concerned, is the greatest garage punk band that ever lived. Fred Cole recorded, produced, and mastered the band's records on his own (and in mono), which means that you'll never listen to a Dead Moon record and marvel at realism of a cymbal's decay or the delicate finger-picking of an acoustic guitar. What you will do, however, is respond emotionally and viscerally to energy of the performance and the songcraft.
That where I'm at anyway. Sound quality is extremely important for creating an engaging, emotional listening experience, but it always takes a back seat to the song and its performance.