CD mastering a lost art?

IME, there is little to none respect for physical media these days.

I think its more pining for days gone by than anything based in reality.

The fact is everything about digital has only improved over time and continues to in general.

Often, economics dictate that cheap products be made. Other times, not. Nothing new here. It's always been this way.

If you really beleive this, stick with your original master CDs and save a lot of money on remasters when they come out. I find most to be a big improvement though there are always a few clunkers now just the same as always.

The best sounding CDs made in the last 10 years sound better than ever. Crap still sounds like crap, same as always, though I'll go so far as to say that I think even the worst crap made today still sounds better tnan in years past.

I think new digital music releases are engineered for iPod like devices and lack the dynamics needed for good system playback. The market has adapted to the needs of the mass consumer.

Cannot beat a poor recording. No format can erase poor production. This is why SACD of a poor sonic recording will not really show just how good the medium is.

Same for 24/96 or vinyl. Today with the heavy use of compression and electronics during the recording process you will be hard to find well recorded music, and now with MP3 and mass downloading of just tracks the issue will only become worse.

Want good recorded music then go back to the golden era when they still cared and quality. 1945-1960 and into the early 80's, starting in the 90's they issue started.

Look for remastered CD's from the 90;s onward of the classic albums. Digital really got good in the mid to late 90's and the remasters even up to the Elvis & the Beatles stuff is just superb, the Stones still sound like crap on their 60's stuff. They could do much better for this group even my SACD sound fair at best.

I'd argue that there's nothing at all lost in terms of capability or artistry in
mixing / mastering. Nothing. That said, a great deal of software these
days is mixed for very different priorities than absolute fidelity on an
exacting system. In fact, quite the opposite. There's quite a bit of skill and
artistry behind being able to mix a track so that the vocals pop and it
sounds compelling played from a lossey mp3 over the car stereo with all
the windows down going 75mph. Said same track is going to be damn
near unlistenable on a reasonably accurate system with someone looking
for fidelity in the listening chair, however. It's about choices. Can't say I
like many of the choices behind the mass-market stuff these days -- but I
think it would be a mistake to ignore that they are deliberate choices
grounded in perfectly legitimate economic goals. The lowest common
denominator is a bitch if your preferences trend towards the top of the
curve, but it doesn't change the fact that there are various economic
realities (e.g. most common format(s) and installed equipment platforms
among the consuming public) that are driving this bus, not some arcane
lost art. Agreed, the direction the bus is headed stinks, think we're just
quibbling over who is driving....