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Very good popular band with a poor recorded album: RHCP - Californication

post #1 of 52
11/27/09 at 9:49pm
Thread Starter 

Unless I have a bad cd-rip, I find this album was badly recorded.
What do you guys think?
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post #2 of 52
11/27/09 at 10:09pm
That album is a poster child for the Loudness War. Very badly mastered by audiophile standards. Unlistenably bad.

Scroll down to the bottom of the Wikipedia article and Californication is listed as an example of a "loud" album.
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post #3 of 52
11/27/09 at 10:09pm
Listen to the first few Oasis albums. All awful production.
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post #4 of 52
11/27/09 at 10:24pm
RHCP is actually my main drive to get a vinyl rig, since ive heard they sound better that way, though i like Stadium Arcadium alot more, it suffers from the same problems
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post #5 of 52
11/27/09 at 11:49pm
The Stadium Arcadium album has a vinyl release that is done with much better sound. I have both and never listen to the CD version. IIRC Steve Hoffman did the mix for the vinyl release.

RE: Californification, I can only listen to that one in the car with the top open. The first time I tried it through my headphones I thought that something was broken in my system. Just horrible.
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post #6 of 52
11/28/09 at 12:00am
There's a supposedly "unmastered" version of Californication floating around. I can't confirm the authenticity however...
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post #7 of 52
11/28/09 at 12:13am
Another big group with a very badly produced album:
Metallica - Death Magnetica

They must have used some type of compression or something, because eveything sounds like it's mixed with static. They finally come out with a decent album but it's now unlistenable because it just sounds so bad!
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post #8 of 52
11/28/09 at 1:32am
Thread Starter 
I don't understand why they do very bad recording/mastering or choose non-audiophiles to do this kind of work. This is a major band and the money is definetely there to invest in a great poduction. Unfortunately bad decisions are made.
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post #9 of 52
11/28/09 at 1:40am
it is absolutely atrocious sounding, but i don't judge music by how it was recorded and it is among my favorite albums.
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post #10 of 52
11/28/09 at 3:32am
Quote:
Originally Posted by wantmyf1 View Post
Another big group with a very badly produced album:
Metallica - Death Magnetica

They must have used some type of compression or something, because eveything sounds like it's mixed with static. They finally come out with a decent album but it's now unlistenable because it just sounds so bad!
yeah same guy did slayer's new album... you can tell just by looking at it
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post #11 of 52
11/28/09 at 3:39am
^ That is disgusting!
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post #12 of 52
11/28/09 at 3:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by necropimp View Post
yeah same guy did slayer's new album... you can tell just by looking at it
ARGHHHHAFDF!!!! TAKE IT AWAY! I CAN'T LOOK AT IT!! : (

People who do that to music should be taken out back and shot!
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post #13 of 52
11/28/09 at 4:29am
The Metallica was much better as a Guitar Hero (or was that Rock Band?) add-on I've heard.

Ether Song by Turin Brakes is a different genre of music. A decent album marred by malignant volumetric sameness throughout.

Almost Here by Unbelievable Truth is mastered the way I wish all my music was mastered. It's like they don't even know what compression is and want to preserve every peak.
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post #14 of 52
11/28/09 at 5:09am
If you're looking for a great pop album with dynamics, check out Emiliana Torrini's last album, Me and Armini. Almost an audiophile geared record.
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post #15 of 52
11/28/09 at 2:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by necropimp View Post
yeah same guy did slayer's new album... you can tell just by looking at it
I think a part of me dies a little every time I see something like that.
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