[TheSonicTruth]

Pictures paint a thousand words...

 

[ADUHF]

This isn't really a given though. I'm not an expert on the subject. But according to Wikipedia, DRC (dynamic range compression) and the loudness wars began before CDs and digital DLs. And is likely still in use in current analog formats, some of which are probably transfers of compressed digital masters. So a vinyl LP doesn't necessarily guarantee you no or less DRC.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudness_war

Glad to see people keeping the discussion going though, because most of the music I listen to (which is all digital) is compressed for greater loudness. And this trend really needs to stop!

Here's a recent extreme example I ran across. I couldn't believe my ears when I first listened to this. Watch your volume level on this.



This is not a bootleg. It is the official video put out by the group's label. And the SQ is just atrocious.

 

[TheSonicTruth]

This isn't really a given though. I'm not an expert on the subject. But according to Wikipedia, DRC and the loudness wars began before CDs and digital DLs. And is likely still in use in current analog formats, some of which are probably transfers of compressed digital masters. So a vinyl LP doesn't necessarily guarantee you no or less DRC.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudness_war

Glad to see people keeping the discussion going though, because most of the music I listen to (which is all digital) is compressed for greater loudness. And this trend really needs to stop!

Here's a recent extreme example I ran across. I couldn't believe my ears when I first listened to this. Watch your volume level on this.



This is not a bootleg. It is the official video put out by the group's label. And the SQ is just atrocious.

There has always been a quest for 'louder' in recorded formats.

But two things spurred the loudness war into nuclear mode:

(1)Digital audio itself, and (2)the way it was metered during recording and post - peak-based instead of tried-and-true VU/rms. Digital audio does not 'bend' or distort slowly until clipping. Digital is fully linear, spectrally flat, and above 8bits, is practically bottomless with regards to background noise.

With peak-based metering there is no way to judge average levels, let alone loudness, compared to VU meters, where Zero was 1/3way down the scale, and you knew you were in the ballpark around that point on the meters.


Unfortunately, money - and the demands of artists, producers, and even record labels - results in the scenario I visualized above: When an album is simultaneously issued on multiple formats, typically the digital gets the short shaft, fidelity wise: Over compressed, brickwall limited, LOUD as feck! Sadly it has led to many folks believing that vinyl is 'better than digital', as they lack the knowledge of what is actually being done to both deliverables during mastering.

In reality, the digital release of that recording could register even more dynamic value on one of those DR meter snapshot thingies - it all depends on the mastering and client needs.


RE: That YouTube clip - And I thought Imagine Dragons were bad!

 

[wuwhere]

I think vinyl spinners are just neat. Well you also need a nice cartridge and a phono preamp.

 

[ADUHF]

Quote from the above Wiki article: "When there is no quiet, there can be no loud."

I see very little "quiet" in the 2nd of those two graphs.

 

[TheSonicTruth]

Quote from the above Wiki article: "When there is no quiet, there can be no loud."



I see very little "quiet" in the 2nd of those two graphs.

That's my point!!

 

[desmoface]

Vinyl just sounds better...

 

[TheSonicTruth]

Vinyl just sounds better...

Look at the visual in my original post and try to figure out why you think that.

 

[desmoface]

I don’t understand why, but the trend is for loud/volume when it comes to digital, and that is reflected in the Audacity comparison in the first post. This tends to add distortion and clipping of the signal. I’m no audio engineer, but you asked

Here is another example, this one isn’t mine, but you’ll be hard pressed to find a digital alternative that sounds this good.

 

[TheSonicTruth]

I don’t understand why, but the trend is for loud/volume when it comes to digital, and that is reflected in the Audacity comparison in the first post. This tends to add distortion and clipping of the signal. I’m no audio engineer, but you asked

Here is another example, this one isn’t mine, but you’ll be hard pressed to find a digital alternative that sounds this good.

And how do you think the digital version in my visualization got that way? Do you believe it's 'just the way' digital is?

 

[desmoface]

It's probably the way it was mastered..maybe the engineers doing the mastering don't know what they are doing, or maybe they think they are giving the masses what they want? Maybe they are?

And how do you think the digital version in my visualization got that way? Do you believe it's 'just the way' digital is?

 

[PointyFox]

Yeah that's how it was mastered, not a result of making it digital. I don't like vinyl. It sounds worse unless you invest a ton of money and labor into it. I hate the record popping noises.

 

[desmoface]

That's the beautiful thing, we each have a different idea of what sounds good. I happen to have both digital and analogue on hand, and I prefer analogue in every case, as long as the mastering is done well.

 

[TheSonicTruth]

It's probably the way it was mastered..maybe the engineers doing the mastering don't know what they are doing, or maybe they think they are giving the masses what they want? Maybe they are?

NOW you have your thinking cap on, bravo!

 

[TheSonicTruth]

That's the beautiful thing, we each have a different idea of what sounds good. I happen to have both digital and analogue on hand, and I prefer analogue in every case, as long as the mastering is done well.

That may be your opinion, but just remember which provides the better 'canvas' to showcase music or spoken word on: The one with wider & flatter frequency range, higher potential dynamic range, and far lower noise floor.