Do newer releases of CD's sound any better?

The newer Rio CD release is extremely good (sounds like I remember the Vinyl did). The Aerosmith Gold three CD box of their first three albums mastered by Doug Sax is awesome (it was originally done for SACD and is now available on CD). The Bob Ludwig remasters of the early Stones stuff is also very good. Some of the new releases of very old stuff is actaully tremendous - like how they fixed Ray Charles vocals and overdubbed with the current Count Basie band - the sound is awesome. Count Basie's Breakfast and BBQ Dance for example. Or Louis Prima's 2 disc Lounge swing album (I forget the name) is a nice addition to the collection.

Whilst rock and pop heads towards loudness and noise - there may be light at the end of the tunnel.

Generally speaking, I've found the newer releases sound better if they've been re-mastered. It seems to me cd started sounding better somewhere around the late 90's, early 2000's.

The best example of how cd sound has improved is Fleetwood Mac's, "25 Years, The Chain" box set, a remastered anthology, 1992 release date. For years I thought this was amongst the best sounding cds in my collection. Now it sounds rather flat and uninvolving compared to more recent re-masters by various artists. Most of my older cds have either been sold or relegated to storage.

I don't buy any CDs made before early 90s, unless it is something rare and unavailable otherwise.

1995 was the year the Apogee D/A processer was first used in CD mastering I believe. It was a great improvement.

Ntang,

Notwithstanding what has already been posted here in response to your question, have you checked the forums at www.stevehoffman.tv? ALL the various releases of DSOTM from 1973 to today are compared in detail. Happy hunting!

Mike