[Byronb]

  That would explain my 6 versions of I Robot....

 
Love I Robot!

 

[longbowbbs]

 

  That would explain my 6 versions of I Robot....

 
Love I Robot!

 

[DLeeWebb]

"The Shepherd's Dog" - Iron & Wine

 

[DarkWinter]

Come Away With Me  -- Norah Jones
 

 

[palmfish]

  That would explain my 6 versions of I Robot....

 
Ha!
 
Now I need to go count mine...

 

[NA Blur]

Never Let Me Go by Sean Jones on Kaleidoscope.
 
HD800

 

[longbowbbs]

24/96 AIFF from HDTracks

 

[markm1]

   
I think that a lot of albums that were re-released on CD in the 80's were transferred to digital without properly compensating for RIAA equalization that was applied to the original master. This resulted in many CDs sounding overly bright and lacking in bass (I have always thought Donald Fagen's "The Nightfly" was a victim of this). Remastering these "old" CD's is pretty much mandatory to make them listenable IMO.
 
And then, I think, there are other recordings that get remastered to "breathe new life" into sales. For example, "25th Anniversary" editions, or when a new label obtains the rights (Rhino, for example). I also think recordings made during the early days of digital were "tweaked" by the studios to sound crisp and dynamic so as to differentiate them from LP's. We all fell for the "digital sound" back then but now we hear it for what it is - a screechy mess.
 
I also think that tastes change over the years. Kind of like fads, I believe we as consumers tend to shift our preferences in sound, just like we do with fashion and music in general. Just look at how cinematography has evolved over the years, or how old classical performances tended to be faster than new ones.
 
Finally, I think sometimes the artists themselves took a page from George Lucas' playbook and want to go back and do it "how they always wanted to." Alan Parsons and Mike Oldfield are two examples that come to mind - not only remastering old albums but removing old tracks and dubbing in new performances/instruments.
 
Those are my opinions anyways...

Really informative post. It sounds like it really varies artist to artist, release to release.
 
The Beatles remasters are an interesting example. My understanding is the original CDs distributed to the U.S. were by distributed by Capitol records rather than EMI and they reportedly didn't sound so hot-the original 80's CDs. Whereas the EMI versions in the UK had better SQ.
 
It sounds like EMI went to great time and expense remastering in'09. I found this article helpful.
 
 
Long story short-the blog article recommendation is that if you are listening to a decent home system with above average speakers or HP's the remastered Beatles are probably worth the purchase, but you may not notice the improvements on an Ipod or listening in the car....
 
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13645_3-10351798-47.html

 

[bbophead]

  Never Let Me Go by Sean Jones on Kaleidoscope.
 
HD800

A great tune.  
 
I love Bill Evans on solo piano, the 12 or so minute version

 

[RUMAY408]

 
24/96 AIFF from HDTracks

I really hope he puts the new album out 24/96 AIFF, my first high res was RAM, the crew that works these masters know what they are doing.

 

[TwinQY]

 

 

[longbowbbs]

 

 
24/96 AIFF from HDTracks

I really hope he puts the new album out 24/96 AIFF, my first high res was RAM, the crew that works these masters know what they are doing.

This one is a joy. The sense of space is wonderful.

 

[In Over My Head]

 

[StratocasterMan]

 
Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse - Dark Night Of The Soul (2010)

 

[miceblue]

I was watching this and upon hearing the background music, I exclaimed: "ohmahgawd.....I MUST have this track!"

 

[Legally] free downloads too under a Creative Commons license: http://www.joshwoodward.com/
 
Ironically, I had a jasmine milk tea earlier today....though from a restaurant instead of being home-made.