[LAU] Mastering the meaning of mastering and "original master recording" in the digital age

[Ralf Mardorf]

On Sun, 2013-04-07 at 13:59 -0400, Joe Hartley wrote:
> On Sun, 7 Apr 2013 11:30:52 -0600
> Bearcat M. Şándor <hometheater at feline-soul.com> wrote:
> > Most recent CDs were mastered digitally, therefore is the original
> > master equivalent (at least in quality) to the CD i own?
> 
> Yes.  As long as the file's not gone through any transformations, but 
> simply copied, it's the same as if you were listening to the originally
> rendered final mix from the studio.

No production I know does sound on LP and/or CD as the original master
tape.

> > Is there any way to tell/reasonably guess  if a CD has been digitally
> > mastered without those codes?
> 
> Unless noted otherwise, I always assume a full digital chain, though that
> can easily be incorrect.

It is, many studios only for esoteric or at least as a principle even
without esoteric reasons do produce analog. Believing the claims of a
friend, who is music reviewer, a lot of doom and psychedelic bands have
the policy to produce analog only, that doesn't prevent against loudness
war and other issues done by talent free engineers and they sell the
recordings usually as CDs.