Tidal - why only remastered versions?


I am frustrated that when I listen via Tidal that only the remastered version of a cd can be found. Am I doing something wrong? Is this a copyright issue?  I often find the remaster to be worse than the original - particularly as digital gets better. 

Thanks. 
marklindemann

Showing 2 responses by marklindemann

To answer the above post - I haven’t any experience with classical remasters. I would guess that they are the best of the class of remasters given their discriminating audience. What I have heard is that the rock albums I listen to from the 70s and 80s are not as good that have been remastered. I have many of these on cd and the remaster is a different take on the original. Often as others have quipped in - less open, less real, more compressed. 

To me, what I would wish for is that all versions of an album are available. And I think it is a travesty that a remastered version takes the place of the original. 

Storage is cheap. Why does Tidal not offer all versions? I guess not too many people care, but I do. 


Thank you for the responses. Duckworp’s response was eye opening. Tidal, it seems, is subject to the recording industry and their presently constructed libraries. So maybe I am laying the blame in the wrong place.

I guess I will continue to construct my hard drive library.

The take home message is - don’t rely on tidal as an archival source. The same with the record labels. Maybe you guys should hold on to those old cds and records.