Why is most everything remastered?

don't know how many times Jimmy remastered his compositions but his most recent Zeppelin III sounds outstanding on CD. I just received a copy a few hours ago. The stripped down companion disc sounds like they're in the same room. Does anyone have the vinyl of his last master? I'm curious does it get any better.

@voodoolounge , I own all the LZ 2014, 15 remasters on vinyl. The  sound is very good, much better than I expected. Sound is as good if not better than other modern remasters. Even Bonzo's kick drum has impact, which is lacking in all previous remasters.

I also have all early release CDs pressed in Germany (1984, 85) which have outstanding sonics. Separation of instruments is better than the vinyl remasters and the kick drum has realistic tone and impact. Still, Jimmy's latest work on vinyl is worth owning.

I'm amazed how many 1950-1960's treasures I've found in the thrift stores. Nothing can compare to the sound of these old records. The engineers knew what they were doing back then, a lost art, gone forever....scoop up that old vinyl. 

@audioguy85 

I found a 60's Dave Brubeck at the thrift for $2.50. I didn't have high hopes but it sounds amazing. Save those snails. 

Remastering is a pretty broad term. Some remasters are actually remixes using the multitracks or stems from them. But in any case, it's down to the taste and equipment used by the mastering engineer. Even back in the analogue days there were quite substantial difference in sound between LPs depending on where they were mastered and cut. It was not uncommon for US and European records to be cut from different generations of mastertape. As well as generational issues other factor in remasterings is the fact that the mastertapes (assuming that the original master and not a copy of it is actually available). Tape deterioriation can apply to early digital recordings as well as analogue since the latter were tape based - DASH and VCR based systems like the PCM F1. However, for recordings that were originally mastered to digital from one inch 30ips Studer/Otari etc. analogue machines, there is the potential for remastering on modern ADC's to make a very substantial improvement in SQ.

@tylermunns 

"ideally, communities like like this one can help music fans discern which releases are worth buying"

This is what the Steve Hoffman site is purportedly focused upon. However, what I've encountered over there is that participants fail to disclose their systems and so, discussions are focused entirely upon comparing one mastering to another, as though everyone is listening through the same system, in the same room, which doesn't make sense to me.