I'll just toss in one other thing here I have recently found out in the last few weeks. In the recording world today, most of the analog "purists" are still missing the point because "most" of them are using tape machines only for tracking and not mix down. They are tracking on a tape machine, but then dumping those tracks into a computer software program such as "Pro Tools" and then continue to hack up and edit the mixes to death.
A "true purist" would mix onto another tape machine.. preferably a high quality two track (half track) open reel, then use that tape to make any cuts or splices with the good old fashion razor blade on the splicing block. That tape would act as a master and a couple clones would be made from that such as one for a safely backup and one to be sent off to the vinyl cutting lathe. The bigger pro studios would use 2" tape usually Studer machines and smaller studios could still release excellent quality product mixing down onto 1/2 tape or even 1/4 inch tape stereo masters.
I don't know how many artists are doing it the right way anymore, I would guesstimate very very few.
People seem to think that they are saving their music by safely dumping it into a computer.. and that their will be no generation loss..
However..
What people forget is that the initial analog to digital conversion is very destructive and remember, it must be converted AGAIN back out of digital format to be understood by our very human ANALOG ears. So it gets hit twice.
I would not fear two generations of analog tape conversions to get something pressed on vinyl which is now "ironically" being hailed actually as the best possible format for archiving music (about 100 years)
CD life span is suggested at about 30 years max.
