wmartin@brl-tgr.ARPA (Will Martin ) (09/18/85)
Re the CD code of "DDD" not guaranteeing freedom from hiss and suchlike analog-derived defects, due to the digital master being made from analog tape that might be "n"th generation: Mayhap we need a new code, like "DDDD" or "Completely Digital" ["CD"!] that means that there were never *any* analog intermediate stages at all between the initial A-to-D conversion after the air-borne sounds created microphone voltages (or electronic devices generated signals that fed into the mixer board) and the D-to-A conversion in your home CD or PCM player device? That is, all recording, editing, and mix-down/processing/sweetening/whatever was done in the digital domain. No analog conversions and redigitizing of any kind ever happened (of course, there would be D-to-A for monitoring; these converted signals would then only be listened to, never re-recorded). Is this possible with current technology? If possible, is it so expensive, or the equipment so rare or hard to use, that it is very seldom done? Are there any commercially-available recordings that would qualify for this designation currently available? Will