[SoupRKnowva]

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I downloaded the Pre-Mastered version of Californication. It helps a lil' bit, but still.

The reissue of Californication is supposed to sound alot better than the CD. Its never going to sound as good as Stadium Arcadium does on vinyl, but thats just the sound of the record. The reissue is supposed to have significantly less compression. Ive got my copy, but havent been able to listen to it yet.

Then I'll buy the Remastered CD.

Im not sure that there is any cd with the newer master on it...
 
Edit: The only re release i see for californication are from 2011 and it was a european release. The vinyl is the way to go

 

[Kiont]

Bought Death Magnetic

"Cool it finally came out!"

1 or so hour later

"Man, it kinda sounds like $@#"

....that's my experience :frown:

 

[JuanseAmador]

I downloaded the Pre-Mastered version of Californication. It helps a lil' bit, but still.

The reissue of Californication is supposed to sound alot better than the CD. Its never going to sound as good as Stadium Arcadium does on vinyl, but thats just the sound of the record. The reissue is supposed to have significantly less compression. Ive got my copy, but havent been able to listen to it yet.

Then I'll buy the Remastered CD.

Im not sure that there is any cd with the newer master on it...

Edit: The only re release i see for californication are from 2011 and it was a european release. The vinyl is the way to go

 

[Danno81]

Personally I consider the original Brothers in Arms CD by Dire Straits to be one of the best sounding masters I own. It's not surprising as it was one of the first albums specifically mastered to the new CD format, rather than vinyl first CD second. Fast forward 20 years and they remaster it, I thought it sounded a bit glaring and rough compared to the original. The subtlety in a lot of the instrumentation moved from being subtle and complimentary, to all seeming to be at a similar 'in your face' volume.
 
Below is the comparative wave form for both the original release (top) and the redbook CD layer of the 20th anniversary SACD (bottom). This is the first album track "So Far Away" Notice a difference? The same can be seen across the whole album.
 

 
And here's "Money for Nothing". Same order as above:
 

 
This is what music looks like if you take a hacksaw to it.

 

[Seifer01]

Them Crooked Vultures is a loud album, in fact it's by far the loudest CD I own. It's a good album with some great dynamics and interesting sounds, but just far too loud. 

 

[AngryRaccoon]

I was thinking I knew what an album ruined by "Loudness War" sounds like......Until I heard latest Sebastian Bach album(Give Em" Hell).....
It's soooooooooooooo god damn badly mastered. It's hands down the worst case of "LW" ever. What the hell is wrong with people who were working on it?!!! I do not know.
And the fact that the songs are quite good makes it even worse.

 

[Spyro]

I have some Marcus Miller cd's.  As a whole, every damn one of them is awful.  His bass is turned up to loud and it is SO much in the forefront and dominating that it basically ruins the whole presentation.  Distortion is almost obvious.
 
It is shockingly scary that even a flunky sound engineer could listen to a "final product" like this and release for mass production.  And then to do it again....and again with another release.    

 

[icesenshi]

Norah Jones is often mentioned as having good recordings. Or maybe just being a good performer?
 
This is Stuck, from 'The Fall'.

 
This is the same track from the SACD

 
And here's a track from Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, Otona na Kododomo

 

[EinZweiDrei]

loud and ugly. like my mother and sister when they argue.

 

[TheSonicTruth]

You can replay gain it lower, but that does not restore dynamic peaks chopped off by brick-wall limiting.
 
 
Help!! How do I delete this post?  

 

[TheSonicTruth]

If it's too loud, you can just replay gain it.

 
Replay-gaining it down does not restore dynamic peaks lost to brick-wall limiting and DRC.

 

[TheSonicTruth]

I read in "The Absolute Sound","HI-FI+" and "Tape Op" magazines earlier this year that this "LOUDNESS ISSUE" with recordings is all the rage with most recording studios! They are just Mastering the finale mix with excessive DB boost in many records. They said, Quote, "The majority of people will really think it sounds like it's been mixed BETTER", if it's LOUDER.....Most of us would perfer, at least I do, The recording mastered as close to what the musicians laid down in the studio! Right...I don't need some engineer adding anything to the "TRUTH" just because HE thinks it will sell better...or captivate a radio listeners attention....Garbage in......Garbage out...just M.O.

 
 
The engineers often are only complying with requests their clients(the artists, producers, record labels, etc) are paying them for.  Some engineers have gained a reputation as "squashers" of music as a result of it, but again, they are providing a service.  I'm sure if they had their way they wouldn't be performing such aggressive processing on these masters(and remasters).