I know this has probably been discussed...

A lot of the current audiophile reissues from labels like Music Matters, Analogue Productions, Mofi, and even mass market labels like Warner Bros are puttting out jazz, rock and pop reissues that are sourced from the original master analog tapes. These are typically expensive and involve a select few mastering engineers like Kevin Gray and Steven Hoffman or Stan Ricker and a few others who are viewed as the go to guys. You are probably right that for the majority of the mass market new issues, labels are recording in the digital domain to begin with. That's why the mass market new issue stuff goes for $10-$20 per Lp whereas the audiophile reissues sourced from the analog mastertapes and done by one of the big mastering engineers go for $25-$50 per Lp. The audiophile reissues also use higher quality vinyl pressing plants like RTI and Pallas in Germany.

I am sure more knowledgeable folks than I will chime in with a lot more detail and substance to answer your question. Hope this helps.

That definitely helped. The main reason for the question is to see if I really should be buying any new indie records, or stick to albums pressed pre-digital. I've been A-Bing a lot of my new records (Arcade Fire, Iron and Wine, for example) and comparing it with their CD counterparts. Obviously, the gear I have will change the sound, but overall I "think" that records sound more "natural." I'm wondering if it's in my head, and if it isn't, what happens during the pressing of a record that changes a digitally recorded work in to something that sounds less "digital," than the CD counterpart.

Cmalak: Do the labels list anywhere on the album if it is sourced from analog masters?

I'm in the group that finds that I like more of my old all analog albums.When you don't have a choice,being that is was only mastered in digital,vinyl still gives one less D/A in the process.