Two digital questions: What is "Original Image Bit Processing", and help me understand compression

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I have a Deutsche Grammophon Redbook CD of Karajan conducting Beethoven's 9th (which sounds excellent btw)and the cover boasts "Original Image Bit Processing" for "Added presence and brilliance, greater spatial definition". What the heck is this process? Is it something to do with the digital conversion from the analog masters? Or some sort of processing performed on the digital master, or what? The only thing I have ever read about it on these forums was in Vinyl Asylum where some guy was complaining how it made pianos sound different or something.
Also, being something of a newbie to audio, i'm having trouble understanding compression, as in the horrible mastering technique that is said to plague nearly every modern CD. From what I understand, it is a "squishing" of the dynamic range so everything plays back at one loud consistent volume with no transition or difference between soft and loud segments of the music.
Is this correct? So, if you were listening to a compressed recording where quiet acoustic or clean electric guitar transitioned into loud, heavy distorted guitar, there would be no perceived difference in volume, i.e the acoustic guitar would sound just as loud as the distorted electric? Or, when listening to a compressed recording of a symphony, there would be no crescendos, everything would stay the same volume regardless of how loudly or quietly the orchestra was "really" playing?
Could I tell if a recording was compressed (other than by listening to it) by playing it and monitoring it with an SPL meter, and if the meter stayed at a constant dB measurement, it would be safe to say that it is compressed? And finally, what are the chances these days that any given new release CD will be compressed? I recently ordered "Hot Fuss" by the Killers on CD because the LP that I bought of it sounded absoultely awful, like bad reception on an AM radio awful.
I guess that was more than two questions. Sorry for all the words :)

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Topic - Two digital questions: What is "Original Image Bit Processing", and help me understand compression - wengler 19:43:04 08/12/05 (7)

You wouldnt WANT an uncomressed recording. - Rodney Gold 00:54:49 08/13/05 (4)

Wow! Best argument yet for high-res....[nt] - Kenn 07:25:13 08/13/05 (3)

Its not - Rodney Gold 09:24:08 08/13/05 (2)

It's the dynamic range. - Kenn 17:51:15 08/13/05 (1)

Re: It's the dynamic range. - mitsumoto 09:00:49 08/14/05 (0)

Re: Two digital questions: What is "Original Image Bit Processing", and help me understand compression - Todd Krieger 22:18:25 08/12/05 (1)

Re: Two digital questions: What is "Original Image Bit Processing", and help me understand compression - wengler 22:41:53 08/12/05 (0)

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