Elizabeth, do you know if the Pearl label has closed shop? They are no longer listed on the arkivmusic website and I can't find a home website for them. Yes, EMI, DG, Phillips, etc..., all of the larger labels have reissued a vast catalogue of historical recordings however I don't believe all of their previous releases come from the original source. I know that Music and Arts will reveal that part of a particular recording did not derive from the original source tapes where and when it applies. And Orfeo has proudly stated that the source tapes for a particular recording were pristine and of the chest quality.
However, as remaster reissues are becoming good for business, some larger labels are beginning to invest in them by using original sources and by hiring the best people for remixing and remastering. In the DECCA Sound; The Mono Years description it states, 'and for the most part transferred from the best possible sources. ' So, this follows good logic in that if a label goes through the trouble of sourcing and remastering at the highest level, they'll make claim to it.
However, as remaster reissues are becoming good for business, some larger labels are beginning to invest in them by using original sources and by hiring the best people for remixing and remastering. In the DECCA Sound; The Mono Years description it states, 'and for the most part transferred from the best possible sources. ' So, this follows good logic in that if a label goes through the trouble of sourcing and remastering at the highest level, they'll make claim to it.