Moryoga: to your point, and as more grist for bitchin,' after all the controversy over the Beatles vinyl set released a couple years ago derived from a digital master, they are now being released as mono pressings, purportedly straight analog, no digital in the chain. http://www.thebeatles.com/news/beatles-get-back-mono
Maybe there is hope after all. I agree with Mike that tapes are supposed to be treated as the Crown Jewels.
My copy of LZIII Deluxe finally arrived today.