[zilch0md]

I had pre-ordered Hans Zimmer's The Dark Knight Rises from Amazon, eagerly awaiting its arrival.
 
Dark Knight FAIL - once again we have a CD that was mastered with excessive gain!  
 
9 out 15 tracks have heavy clipping.
 
Now I get to wait (how long?) for a remastered version (if such a thing is ever released, at all.)
 
I love Hans Zimmer, but this music is literally inaccessible.  Ruined by "loudness," I can't stand to listen to it.
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
I uploaded the first image (for Track 3) to Amazon's page for this CD.
 
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008645YEE/
 
Mike

 

[LFF]

Wow....that sucks!

 

[El_Doug]

Indeed, that really stinks. 
 
I understand the dynamic compression, even though I hate it... people seem to want every note to be loud regardless of composition or emotion.  But boosting the levels to the point of clipping, seriously!?  Even the cheapest home-audio software pops up a warning when your levels clip in the final mix... surely these "professionals" don't think this is a good thing, to have those annoying popping artifacts galore? 

 

[zilch0md]

Read this article, especially the section titled Criticism:   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudness_war
 
Then, check out this video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Gmex_4hreQ
 
Here's another quick comparison:  http://youtu.be/-v6ML2DsBfA
 
And this:  http://youtu.be/gSwLeLdkYjs

 

[SoupRKnowva]

does the OST for The Dark Knight not have this problem?

 

[LFF]

Quote:

Indeed, that really stinks. 
 
I understand the dynamic compression, even though I hate it... people seem to want every note to be loud regardless of composition or emotion.  But boosting the levels to the point of clipping, seriously!?  Even the cheapest home-audio software pops up a warning when your levels clip in the final mix... surely these "professionals" don't think this is a good thing, to have those annoying popping artifacts galore? 

Gain is just raising the volume. This looks like over-compression. I hate compression as it is but when it's classical music....it really pisses me off.

 

[MorbidToaster]

I'll have to listen to my HD Tracks copy tonight for the first time (DLed but no time lately). I'll be pretty disappointed if it's that bad.

 

[sridhar3]

This is some bu11$h!t.  Great music being ruined by crap mastering.

 

[zilch0md]

Quote:

I'll have to listen to my HD Tracks copy tonight for the first time (DLed but no time lately). I'll be pretty disappointed if it's that bad.

 
Hey MorbidToaster.
 
If you could post a screen shot taken from Audacity (freeware) or Sound Forge, of the tail end of Tracks 7 or 13, I would love to compare the HDTracks mastering to the audio CD that I bought at Amazon.  (And it would make a great comparison for anyone else following this thread.)
 
Even if you don't want to go to the trouble of taking and posting a screenshot, it would be nice if you could at least look at one of these tracks in Audacity or Sound Forge, to make a visual comparison, yourself - beyond just listening for any evidence of clipping.
 
I could go out and download the whole album from HDTracks for $17.98, but I'd really like to know what I'm buying before I spend any more money on this music.
 
Thanks!
 
Mike

 

[LFF]

Quote:

 
Hey MorbidToaster.
 
If you could post a screen shot taken from Audacity (freeware) or Sound Forge, of the tail end of Tracks 7 or 13, I would love to compare the HDTracks mastering to the audio CD that I bought at Amazon.  (And it would make a great comparison for anyone else following this thread.)
 
Even if you don't want to go to the trouble of taking and posting a screenshot, it would be nice if you could at least look at one of these tracks in Audacity or Sound Forge, to make a visual comparison, yourself - beyond just listening for any evidence of clipping.
 
I could go out and download the whole album from HDTracks for $17.98, but I'd really like to know what I'm buying before I spend any more money on this music.
 
Thanks!
 
Mike

I'll do that as well.....stay tuned....

 

[MorbidToaster]

You'll probably be better off than me judging it (though clipping is usually obvious). I do have Audacity installed. I'll give it a shot.
 
Quote:

I'll do that as well.....stay tuned....

 

[MorbidToaster]

This just in, my HD Tracks...tracks have clipping. Just as obvious as your CD. Unfortunate...
 
Wonder if I can get a refund...

 

[sridhar3]

Quote:

This just in, my HD Tracks...tracks have clipping. Just as obvious as your CD. Unfortunate...

 
What a huge disappointment.
 
Did the Dark Knight OST have clipping as well?

 

[MorbidToaster]

Not sure...I don't have the other 2. Against, unfortunate.
 
Quote:

 
What a huge disappointment.
 
Did the Dark Knight OST have clipping as well?

 

[Rath1on]

I don't understand this at all.. Sure, I could see some mainstream pop music being gained to hell and back, but Hans Zimmer????????? waaaatttttt whyyyyyy??????
 
EDIT - Here's a FLAC of Time off the Inception OST. I always thought it had noticeable clipping.