About the new LSC reissues by Analogue Productions

It's a pretty good bet that one of the reasons Sterling Sound is doing the mastering is that they're the only studio RCA trusts with the original 3 track tapes. The Chesky releases were variable. Some LPs were cut from the original three track masters and others off a safety eg.those mastered by Tim de Paravini.

I can tell you personally having been there for many of the Chesky remastering sessions that the LPs aren't digital. Now the genius's at RCA did at one time suggest to David that he just release a digital copy on vinyl since the buyers wouldn't know the difference. Right! Brilliant!

David's reissues BTW were remastered using an Ampex 350 IIRC (it was covered in my TAS piece many years ago) that was highly modified by Larry Smith of Perfectionist Audio Components. Everything in the deck was selected/replaced down to the Tektronix 576 Curvetracer NOS Telefunken matched tubes (and back then the Teles were real NOS).

If I had to criticize one thing about the Chesky reissues, it was that David could have done a better job mixing the middle channel into the two track mix. (not to mention he only cut one lacquer from the tape and assumed that was the best.)

And even taking into account some tape degradation over the years and having heard these tapes in the studio, (depending a lot upon how the tape was stored), I really think that having heard these tapes that Chesky and CR just didn't do the recordings justice. Hopefully Chad will take even more care and get us closer to the wonderful music and sound still on those original tapes!