Just a thought about remasters. Do the advantages of using more modern equipment outweigh the wear and tear on the tapes from going over the capstans, tape head, etc. more times? Even in storage, the tape probably decays to some degree, if nothing else from the continuing presence of the Earth’s magnetic field (though the former concern is probably less OCD). Then of course there’s the question of diminished dynamic range being the taste of the day (though this seems to be moderating a little as awareness of the loudness wars grows).
I wonder if it’s always best to choose the latest remaster. The original CD issues are usually crap, so perhaps the first “digital remaster” should be used instead, assuming it’s not a victim of the loudness wars?
Here’s someone’s analysis of the Kraftwerk remasters.
Here’s someone’s analysis of the Abbey Road remaster. He has other Beatles remaster reviews on there too if you click around. This is why I now have four versions of each Beatles album on my HD, ugh. Someone call in the definitive police!
