Remasters - are they better? What exactly is it?

 The first series of Classic Records RCA reissues cut directly from the master tape with very little EQ or change.  Listeners were unhappy because they did not hear "better" versions of what they were intimately familiar with !  What they received was actually closer to the master tape, but we deemed inferior !   Classic incorporated some of the original EQ in subsequent reissues.

What idTENt decided to leave off mastering EQ?

Back in the day when the distribution media was vinyl, mix engineers backed up from the disc knowing it would add a bit of coloration.

It was sometimes a hassle with new acts because they did not understand that what they heard in the control room or a from a cassette in their car was not the 'finished' product. We called it "Fixing it in the stores"

I know there are many worthy candidates that I'm not thinking of at the moment but I have to agree with those who have mentioned Terry Jacks'"Seasons in the Sun."  That is one special record.

So this is pretty interesting.  I always kinda thought compression always equals "bad".  Why would I want a compressed anything other than space savings?  

But, I can see where compression is used in the studio to make quiet things sound louder and giving an overall "fuller" sound, whether it's actually fuller or not is debatable, but it's perceived that way.  

I would generally say I like all my music as uncompressed as possible.  Let me feel those dynamics, BUT, the it was really more fatness that I was after.  

I don't like a lot of Classical music because it goes from SO quiet, to so loud.. Then stays SO quiet for 5 mins then gets huge..  I want to hear the quiet parts more and not have to breath softly to hear.  

So am I right that in the recording world, compression is often used to make average ears happier?

The danger is always using your current system as the most reliable measuring stick there is...it may not be...and if it isn’t (a Lot more likely than you might think), then when will it ever be, if at all. How ya gonna know if you’re making the right comparisons if the rig you’re comparing them on is lacking something, tangible or otherwise??

Some music reviewers have admitted falling into this trap before, JG Holt among them.

I have lots of originals and remasters of the same title. Me?? I never throw away a disc...today’s preference of remaster to original, or vice versa, might not be tomorrow’s after an upgrade.

This is a Big reason I buy
Lampizator Vacuum tube dacs
for they do a great job designing 
digital to start with then having several tubes that are also Vacuumtube rectified it takes decent recordings and brings a lot of analog - realism bigger soundstage and image depth 
then their Solid state competitors.
even streaming .