[White Noise]

This makes you thinking

I will say I have heard some bad remasters. I've been importing CDs from Japan lately for some artists that never had releases stateside, and one of the things that I appreciate about these albums is the dynamics. I have so far gotten 1/6 that I prefer the youtube upload of because the dynamics are just killed on the remaster CD I'm getting. But, at the same time, that low dynamic range has it's advantages - namely a more consistent signal to noise ratio when you get in a loud environment like most cars or having headphones on while exercising, etc. I've checked all the albums that sound best to me while driving and not one of them has more than 10db of dynamic range. I'm not saying that that is good or that's what you want all the time, just that it does solve a problem and it has it's place for music that needs to cut through a lot of noise like EDM at a club or something. I definitely don't want my classical or jazz to sound like that (though at one time Jazz probably did sound like that since it was the dance music of the day).

 

[jfoxvol]

The anniversary remaster of Michael Jackson’s BAD was so terrible that Quincy Jones took the record label to court.

edit: correction. Not the record label. The Michael Jackson estate.

 

[ev666il]

But, at the same time, that low dynamic range has it's advantages - namely a more consistent signal to noise ratio when you get in a loud environment like most cars or having headphones on while exercising, etc. I've checked all the albums that sound best to me while driving and not one of them has more than 10db of dynamic range. I'm not saying that that is good or that's what you want all the time, just that it does solve a problem

The thing is, that kind of dynamic compression can easily be done on the fly on the playback side. It doesn't need to be embedded into the song's mastering, adding unnecessary distortion and preventing people from ever experiencing the music with its natural dynamic range.

Remember how DVD and BD players had a "night mode" option in their audio menu? That's what it did: dynamic range compression to avoid loud spikes.

 

[jfoxvol]

One thing I will add is that most music put out today is mixed and mastered for how most people listen, on cheap gear that benefits from lots of compression. It's really unfortunate. I find joy in breaking the brains of friends when they hear music done and played back better. One cool thing I saw a few years back was NIN put out the Hesitation Marks album and released an audiophile (less compressed) and "normal" (more compressed) versions for download.

 

[darkarn]

Indeed, I rather change the dynamic range on the device to suit the situation and not be forced to a compressed range for every device/situation with a bad recording

 

[ev666il]

One cool thing I saw a few years back was NIN put out the Hesitation Marks album and released an audiophile (less compressed) and "normal" (more compressed) versions for download.

Unfortunately that turned out to be a huge missed opportunity:

 

[433521]

Indeed, I rather change the dynamic range on the device to suit the situation and not be forced to a compressed range for every device/situation with a bad recording

They don't care what you want. They want their artist's music to be louder than the other guy's music. That means no soft parts.

 

[ev666il]

They don't care what you want. They want their artist's music to be louder than the other guy's music. That means no soft parts.

Certainly. But that's under the mistaken assumption that people buy music based on how loud it sounds, which was never true to begin with. The Loudness War literally stands on no ground at all.

 

[jfoxvol]

Unfortunately that turned out to be a huge missed opportunity:

Interesting. I'll take a look. I'm curious how his newly remastered versions of the back catalog fare. I mean, it's industrial metal (or whatever you'd like to call it) so it's never going to be an orchestra but I did find the remastered files (and the vinyl) to sound great. Now I need to see if there's a metric for their DR.

 

[Rensek]

Certainly. But that's under the mistaken assumption that people buy music based on how loud it sounds, which was never true to begin with. The Loudness War literally stands on no ground at all.

Whenever I talk to people in person about music, and home theater, concerts, etc..... The MAIN thing they talk about is loudness. "Man my stereo gets so loud"...... "Man Def Lepperd was so loud, I loved it, they were so much better then their opening acts"

A majority of people consuming popular music want it loud, screaming loud.

 

[ev666il]

A majority of people consuming popular music want it loud, screaming loud.

That's why God invented volume knobs

 

[ev666il]

Now I need to see if there's a metric for their DR.

This might scratch that itch.

 

[yonson]

Whenever I talk to people in person about music, and home theater, concerts, etc..... The MAIN thing they talk about is loudness. "Man my stereo gets so loud"...... "Man Def Lepperd was so loud, I loved it, they were so much better then their opening acts"

A majority of people consuming popular music want it loud, screaming loud.

I'm not big on "popular music" however I do like it LOUD, but it has to be clean/clear and LOUD!

 

[jfoxvol]

This might scratch that itch.

Outstanding! Thanks.

 

[jfoxvol]

Origin story