That's all very nostalgic, and I would love to browse those stacks. But reality sets in:

I played a 50-year-old copy of Yes' *Close to the Edge* album last week. It sounded snap-crackle-poppy, muddy, thin, and hissy compared to the "remastered for digital" versions. The 1974 Yes *Relayer* album I played after that was even worse. It was a first pressing, that I remembered sucked when I bought it as a college student. That's too bad, because it is one of Yes' best albums! Both of these albums are incredibly complex and important pieces of progressive rock that show off the band's original composition skills and musicianship, and transport listeners to amazing places.

Most people aren't very familiar with how the old vinyl was made. I toured a Nashville studio and a pressing plant in 1978 when I worked in radio.

First, a multi-track tape deck or two were used to record original performances. This could include 2, 4, 8, 16, 24, or (with two tracks used for time code synchronization) up to 46 tracks synchronized by connecting two 24-track decks.

Next, an engineer/producer worked with the band to mix the multiple tracks down to a stereo master. That involved a LOT of dynamic range compression, dynamic range limiting, equalization (tonal adjustments to certain sound frequencies), noise reduction (to reduce tape hiss), level matching, and more. Most of that audio post-processing is necessary to fit the dynamic range of the source material into the dynamic range of a vinyl recording, which is usually about 50 to 60db! Some of it was to make it sound louder on the radio in a noisy car.

As part of this, that master was processed through a special RIAA (record industry association of america) "pre-emphasis" circuit to apply an equalization curve to the sound. That curve is neutralized by a "de-emphasis" processor during playback. This helps avoid some of the ticks, pops, and surface noise inherent in dragging a needle through tiny grooves in a circular vinyl disc.

Finally, the master tape is played to cut the grooves into a physical mold that will be used to make the stampers for the record presses. This involves a lot of experience and care and compromises, based upon the kind of music, its complexity and dynamic range, and the limitations of the equipment and medium.

By the time the "sound" has gone through all that, it has been altered dramatically from the stereo master.

For digital (CD, SA-CD, etc.) releases, the original analog multi-track tape is copied through an analog-to-digital converter, track for track, to digital media at a very high sample rate at 32-bits. This is akin to using raw capture in photography! The sound that is played back in the studio from the digital copy of the multi-track tape is indistinguishable from the tape, if the process is done correctly. It can be remixed

Next, the digital copy of the multi-track tape is RE-MIXED, meaning each individual track is processed individually to optimize its sonic character. This can include compression, equalization, limiting, reverb, delay, echo, phasing, flanging, distortion, "exciter" treatment... using both analog gear and digital processors that emulate or replace analog gear.

Finally, the multiple tracks of the DIGITAL recording are mixed down to stereo. This may include additional compression, equalization, etc. The result is a set of files that can be output as final media at the maximum quality capability of that output medium, whether AIFF files on CD, or .mp3 files or .aac files for downloads.

The result is that remastered digital recordings often sound vastly better than the original vinyl releases. Parts of performances that were buried in the original mix may be audible for the first time. Vocal performances can be clearer, and often you can hear and understand the lyrics for the first time. There is also less noise, due to many factors, including better dynamic range of the digital processes.

The net result of this knowledge is that I prefer listening to CDs and other high end digital recordings. Play 'em through a tube amp if you have one. But personally, I prefer to skip the turntable.