[Trevor]

"Arny Krueger" wrote in message
...
Remember that digital recording was applied to the production of LPs up to
nearly a decade before the release of the first CDs. This was done so that
when the CD format was finalized, it would be possible to exploit its
sonic and practical advantages from the start.

Actually it was mostly done as a pont of difference from other techniques
being used at the time to try to improve the sound quality of vinyl. Half
speed mastering, Direct metal mastering, and Direct to disc recording were
all being tried to improve sound quality, as were those early digital
recorders (and video interfaces). That the digital recordings could be more
easily transferred to CD when it was released was only a minor benefit IMO,
since ANY transfer was still relatively easy compared with the problem of
actually making a CD master disc and pressing consumer discs in the very
early days.

Trevor.