"Transferred from original analogue master tapes"

@onhwy61 Thanks for sharing that link. Very cool. For something more extended but similar, have you seen the Muscle Shoals film? It's really good.

@millercarbon Good point! Maybe that VMP TSOP box set would be worth the high price after all. That or find a few good used OGs and just stream the compilations. 

@tomic601 Lucky dog, never got to see her live.

Cheers,

Spencer

My take on it is, most important thing to know about buying records is yourself. Are you a sound quality buyer? If so then marketing schtick like original analog master tape is just that, marketing schtick. The luck of the draw in terms of the quality of the individual pressing you happen to get has far more to do with the sound quality you will hear than anything else. Are you a record collector? If so then you will be happy to have what no one else does, the rare original test pressing of, well whatever. The one with the accidentally printed upside down cover, I guess. Are you a fan? Impulse? Buy the hits follow the crowd? 

Whatever it is the more you are honest with yourself the better luck you will have. 

If you are a sound quality buyer there really is only one source for records of guaranteed extreme high sound quality- Better Records. Not cheap, but they are the only records I know with a 100% money back guarantee if you don't like the sound. Which they are able to do because unlike all the others they actually do have the sound quality, original master or no original master. They don't care. Only thing Tom cares about is how good it sounds. 

It’s preferred to use the original source. I have cd’s that were remastered from wax cylinder’s. They sound great, given they were recorded in 1918 without electrical equipment. Sometimes an old 78 rpm shellac record is the best you’re gonna get. I personally, was disappointed with the all analog mono Beatles vinyl from years back. My thought was that it might have sounded better if digital were used somewhere in the chain. The Donald Fagen recording ’The Nightfly’ was an all digital recording and to my ears it sounds great. So this debate between all analogue or digital, I believe has substance however ’all analogue’ shouldn’t be an absolute rule.