^^^ as far as I know the masters aren't necessarily compressed. The butchering happens afterward, and vinyl remains less compressed because the physical medium imposes rectrictions on how far one can go. As an example, here's Foo Fighters' Arlandria - the first is the CD track, the 2nd is a needledrop. If the master was compressed there'd be no way to arrive at the waveform on the vinyl. No doubting which one I'd rather listen to.
No two ways about which one I would rather be listening to,
Just much more pleasing on the ear
I see this daily
