[FrederikS|TPU]

Hi Headfiers,
Last night I was listening to some radio which normally isn't my thing. And I heard some great songs by Muse which I hadn't heard before and it was really good. The song was titled Supermassive Black Hole and it was really good and intense.

I think I am going to buy some Muse, but I am not sure of the recording quality (I didn't really listen hard when the song was on and I can only find crap quality versions on YouTube).

If the recording quality is good I am definitely going to get some of their CDs currently I am thinking about buying their "Black Holes & Revalations" album, not sure if I should get the others while I am at it. I hope someone with the records can shed some light on the recording quality.

Recommendations and comments are more than welcome!

Best,
Frederik

 

[Scottyyy]

I can't really comment on their recording quality, but it shouldn't stop you listening to them. All of their albums are good.

 

[SiriuslyCold]

Black Holes is kinda loud, but there's lots of dynamics and there's no clipping. overall reasonably good sounding album

the samples on Amazon.com are fairly accurate

agree w/ Scottyyy though - buy them all ;D

 

[Milner]

Another "Buy It" vote. I am a huge Muse fan!! I am not highly critical, but I enjoy the recordings....

 

[virometal]

I hate to break the bad news because I love Black Holes and Revelations. However it's one of the worst total brickwall masters I've heard. Don't believe me:

Absolution isn't better:

I don't have the older two ripped so maybe someone could jump in with that. Anyway, it's a darn shame. I like Muse, and their music would lend itself to good recording/mastering.

I'll add for comparison the MoFi Tom Sawyer by Rush:

That's how a waveform should look, well to an audiophile at least. What's sad is that after listening to compressed music for an extended period, a master like this will sound dull before my ears and brain acclimate. Hence, worst case scenario, one may foresee a whole generation, god forbid more, that will not accept well mastered music.

 

[FrederikS|TPU]

Well at least their records don't sound like they are recorded through a pillow as some do. But they are not perfect either. I think I am going to get the Black Holes & Revalations and see if the mastering bothers me. Good that you all think their albums are great definitely going to buy one now

And thanks for taking the time to do a snap shots of the compression virometal!! Much appreciated!

 

[FrederikS|TPU]

I was down at the record store and I thought why not get the live version as well now that I was down there. It is still loud, but it ain't anywhere a total brickwall mastering

I also got the original Black Holes & Revalations since it was on sale. The Audacity screen shots speaks for themselves. You can actually hear a remarkable difference. The H.A.A.R.P is still loud, but not nearly as horrible as the Black Holes & Revelations record. With the H.A.A.R.P you also get their live DVD which is awesome

 

[Mbeeching]

I found H.A.A.R.P really difficult to listen to compared to Hullaballo.

 

[SiriuslyCold]

virometal, zoom in to the waveform - there's no clipping. It does look like a plank zoomed out like that but its loud without any flat-tops

 

[nanoblaze01]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrederikS|TPU /img/forum/go_quote.gif With the H.A.A.R.P you also get their live DVD which is awesome

x2 !

 

[virometal]

That's great news about Harp! Thank you.

--

Quote:

Originally Posted by SiriuslyCold /img/forum/go_quote.gif virometal, zoom in to the waveform - there's no clipping.

You do have a point, so let's zoom in and look for clips! Perhaps, I was mistaken? It's just loud and squashed as all get out:

Afraid not, it doesn't get much more obvious than the second img. Notice the time. Both img's are within the same second, tenth of a second even and from different parts of the song. I wouldn't even begin to guess the amount of clips on that song - perhaps hundreds...more?

 

[SiriuslyCold]

hmm... I must have converted my MP3s at a lower level. could that happen? my waves aren't clipping

 

[nylan8301]

Sorry to chime in, but my favorite Muse album would have to be Absolution. That, or their first album, which the name escapes me at this time. Fairly different sounds, though. It's like listening to a child grow up.

Enjoy,

Nylan

 

[rhythmicmoose]

Yeah, just buy everything they've ever done and then go to a concert. It will be money well spent.

 

[craiglester]

I concur, I heard Black Holes and Revelations, and went out and got all the studio albums on CD - OK well I put them on my Amazon wish list.. and they're pretty good live, saw them last summer @ Red Rocks - great show, well worth it. Yeah the albums could be mastered better, but this is a modern pop band - none of them sound that good (mastering wise) any more