New LP's made from analog or digital masters

I'm guessing mostly digital for cost effectiveness and profitability but do not know for certain.

" I have several digitally-mastered albums that are almost inextinguishable from the redbook version played on a very good DAC."

Those must be the ones that are not warped and do not have a lot of surface noise that many new record buyers these days seem to complain about.

So what % of new issue LPs clearly sound BETTER than good CD re-masterings I wonder?

Before one gets too crazy about revisiting past vinyl glories with new record purchases you must realize that things behind the scenes during production have changed, for better or for worse, even if the resulting end format (33 1/3 LP) is the same.

"As I have said in other forums:perhaps since vinyl is the only format in the music business that is showing GROWTH,the big labels will jump into the fray.

Not only do I doubt it, but I seriously hope it does not happen because the result will only be higher prices and more profit for the vendors for a product that is not reliably better sounding and also less user friendly in many ways.

I'd rather see the industry continue to move forward with digital as it undoubtedly will but deliver the media in a larger, more user friendly package, similar to 33/3 LP covers and packaging. That would truly be the best of both worlds for me in most cases.

"Many new LP releases are made entirely in the analog domain, and clearly state so."

What % ballpark? 50%? 10%? More or less?

"Sounds like the vinyl would still have higher fidelity over the cd's in most cases."

I have not drawn that conclusion yet in regards to new vinyl. The vinyl format is capable of higher fidelity perhaps, but the question is how often it is actually accomplished, especially when digital is involved in the mastering process anyhow.

Agreed that higher res digital mastering can be very good and could be preserved to the vinyl better than redbook CD format allows, but is it and how often?

I've heard too many stories on this sight about bad quality of new records to feel inclined to test the waters in general unless I know up front that the product I am purchasing at a premium is superior to the alternatives.

Also, I find the overall quality of CD recordings these days to be much better than many vinyl enthusiasts tend to give credit for. CDs are not perfect either though, so I know that the format alone does not always determine overall sound quality or value in any specific case.

"I know for a fact that the Four Men with Beards reissues (Dusty in Memphis, Scott [Walker] 4) were made from CD-Rs (yep, 44.1/16), not from the original masters. I believe this is because it's too expensive or impossible to license use of the tapes."

Hmm, so does the vinyl still sound better than CD? Maybe there is a placebo effect!