Early CDs were labeled as to the processes used, a 3 letter code As and Ds, so:<p>AAD == Analog recording, Analog mastering, Digital media<p>ADD == Analog recording, Digitally re-mastered, Digital Media<p>DDD == Digital recording, Digitally re-mastered, Digital Media<p>This is known as a SPARS Code: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SPARS_code" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SPARS_code</a><p>Your dad's friends should have imported from Japan --- they were big on Jazz, and a lot of my Jazz CDs have spines labeled in Japanese on one side and English on the other.