Many Rock albums in the 80s were still being recorded on analogue tape. Look at their corresponding CD and see how many say ADD or AAD (AAD...using an analogue mixing board and tape).
I don't know how U2 with their budget would record back then, but my point is when a CD from that time period is remastered, using the analogue sources can provide a very good digital master.
Usually the record label will just remix the digital sources and we get a crappy sounding new CD and LP. Jimmy Page used the original sources in the recent LZ remasters and IMO, the vinyl sounds terrific. Another outstanding remaster is Pink Floyd's DSOTM.
In a case like the "Joshua Tree" LP, the "tell-tale" sign of a questionably sounding product is the term "Digitally Remastered"
which is so vague that it usually means they did some tweaking to the digital files and the end result is a record that you'll never play again. "Digitally Remastered from the Original Sources" is the one to look for.
I don't know how U2 with their budget would record back then, but my point is when a CD from that time period is remastered, using the analogue sources can provide a very good digital master.
Usually the record label will just remix the digital sources and we get a crappy sounding new CD and LP. Jimmy Page used the original sources in the recent LZ remasters and IMO, the vinyl sounds terrific. Another outstanding remaster is Pink Floyd's DSOTM.
In a case like the "Joshua Tree" LP, the "tell-tale" sign of a questionably sounding product is the term "Digitally Remastered"
which is so vague that it usually means they did some tweaking to the digital files and the end result is a record that you'll never play again. "Digitally Remastered from the Original Sources" is the one to look for.