[aphexii]

I want to say i read something about this a little while ago, but as I sit here and compare headphones, i'm really starting to hear how crappy some of these cd recordings are. I am getting noticeable clipping on an Andrea Bocelli track, Jordin Sparks, and a few others... All released in the past year.

I tried the cd's in another player, same issue. Tried all the headphones I own, I can hear it with all of them.

Are the studios overblasting the recordings?

 

[vagarach]

You know, this has been going on for very long now. Increasing the levels makes everything sound in-your-face, bright, nice, and so on. The problem is you get clipping, which the majority of people with their mp3 player and cheapline buds don't notice.

I'm listening to some 'brand new' music (Thievery Corporation's Radio Retaliation, out on 23/9) and I'm not hearing any clipping on my HD555's! It sounds richly detailed and crystal clear to me, but I'm thinking I just can't hear the clipping.

 

[Nocturnal310]

Lol Jordin Sparks...u dont need hifi stuff to listen to that kinda music anyway.

no offense to Fans

 

[Lazarus Short]

I'm guessing here that too many people have the mindset that everything comes out perfect every time with digital recording, no matter what you do. It might be a bit like typing on this forum, or other forums too - spelling? not a problem! Grammar? not a problem! It's digital, and therefore perfect, no matter what I do. Not.

 

[apatN]

Turn Me Up! | Bringing Dynamics Back To Music -Check it out. It's sad this loudness war (lmao) is there. Heard Mettalica's Death Magnetic? There's like constant clipping. I also noticed some on Disturbed recordings.

 

[SiriuslyCold]

You're telling me!

I've been reading on ProSoundWeb - engineers have been complaining about this trend for ages, but these guys are in the industry and cannot risk turning down big name acts or potential clients, so they end up doing what the paymaster (band, producers or record companies) tells them to do.

Consumers on the other hand can tell these people that we won;t stand for it. Hence the Petition to remix/remaster Death Magnetic (how bad is it?). Even if you aren't particularly a fan of Metallica I urge you to sign the petition.

Hopefully we - the consumers - can send a message to bands in the future that we are concerned about the sound quality of recordings.

Even if Metallica do not remix, flat out deny the clipping, or refuse to react at all, etc, perhaps other bands / producers will take note of the petition and tone down the next album.

Also take note that Elbow's Seldom Seen Kid is the first (afaik) album to be approved by TurnMeUp.org for having the best dynamics.

Quote:

CD copies of the album carry a sticker which addresses the loudness wars with the message: "To preserve the excitement, emotion and dynamics of the original performance this record is intentionally quieter than some. For full enjoyment simply turn me up!" and includes a link to Turn Me Up.

It's also won the Mercury Prize for best British album. Is there a relationship?

also peek into Justice For Audio

and if you have the Metallica CD, you might want to participate in "send it back day".

 

[MCC]

This is exactly why I stay away from new music and remasters like the plague. Good modern recordings are rare if not impossible to find, most lack not only in quality but also in content. I've found that some newer movie soundtracks are even being hit.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Get a turntable and buy used vinyl. Problem solved and you'll stick it to the man.

Used vinyl is cheap, 100% legal and the RIAA gets nothing.

Great sound and no compression, either.

 

[White Mike]

That has to be the most simplistic head-in-the-sand solution I've heard!

Not all remasters are bad either... not by a longshot.

 

[QQQ]

Good morning OP, it's 2008.

 

[vapman]

this is why I don't buy anything from major labels

 

[d.phens]

...Among hundreds of other reasons! We must contribute to the collapse of the current big 4's hegemony. Music should be art, not industry! CDs have been made to allow a broader dynamic range, not to avoid fearing that the turntable's needle would pop out of the groove when you play your music!

 

[d.phens]

Loudness / overcompression / clipping is the main reason why vinyl sounds better. Not that the medium allows for more resolution, it's just that it doesn't let you press an overly loud recording (increased wear, worse sound reproduction etc).

 

[krmathis]

Yeah, its been like this for ages.
Its a battle against the record studios, which certainly is not lost of won yet.

Search Google for "Loudness war"
loudness war - Google Search

 

[Jahn]

graveyard bump for a new development - they actually had a panel about this at an industry powow, which bodes well for the music industry actually paying attention:

SXSW: Metallica and the Loudness Wars - Premier Guitar