As frequently as the distinctions for good or bad come up in modern years, I think this tends to go under the rug. The literal mother of all retcons played out across a few years unacknowledged in most senses but when said and done we ended up with a completely different character. Or did we? "Kal-L" and "Kal-el" can seem about as different as the stories they occupy, but pre-crisis is just called pre crisis as though they're not. To what extent do you like, dislike, or even notice the changes?

Where do we even see it?

It's probably the only division still up for debate in some ways. I personally would say that like Waid and some others the inclusion of Superboy is the biggest thing to look at. Waid sided with the Futuremen story from Superman #128 which does line up with the late 50s consensus of the change and how deep into the classic Silver Age conventions the stories were. I mean Titano was in the prior issue. The important thing was apparently the omission of Superboy.

But Action Comics #158 is another retelling that incorporates Superboy, from 1951. That sounds early, but that was about the same time as Lois meeting Annie Oakley in Superman #70 if the records hold up. Arguably as important IMO was Lois getting the short bob and her relationship changing with Clark and Superman to make her a little sillier. That was right before Superman's first team up with Batman in #76 and meeting his "big brother" in #80, which I think is pretty typical of some of the more fantastic stuff from Ellsworth and Weisinger. Then to catch up what was becoming the DCU, World's Finest #71 is noted not only for being the beginning of the WF team but a clearly Earth One interpretation of Batman along with Superman.