What loudness-war victim depresses you the most?

[trains are bad]

For those that don't understand what I'm on about, Loudness war - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Some albums are effected more or less by the loudness war, but to be honest, a lot of albums that might be smashed don't bother me because I wouldn't be listening to the music anyway. When an album comes out with great music that is ruined by compression, that's when I'm really bummed out.

For me, post-Steve Heritage produced Hot Water Music is a personal worst, because it was my favorite band at the time. They changed directions after that anyway but it didn't have to be a compressed direction.

Also, The New Pornographers. Are the vinyl versions of Twin Cinema and The Electric Version any better?

What's your personal bummer? The formula is (severity of compression)*(how much you like the music).

 

[donunus]

Kings of Leon used to be recorded well but the "only by the night" album is horrible. Very bad sounding. So much clipping and is so low fidelity it hurts!

 

[Uncle Erik]

The Flaming Lips. Their music is so good, but their last few albums have been incredibly hot. I'd give anything for a remastered Yoshimi on SACD. Great album. If only it had dynamics.

 

[salannelson]

Any remaster (ie Led Zeppelin). I'm a teenager and enjoy the classics, and I have no choice but to buy these "infected" re-releases/remasters

 

[tintin47]

Remasters are not always bad. Most of Bowie's albums were remastered in 1999 or 2003, and they are great. My CD/SACD copy of Ziggy Stardust is one that pops into my mind when I think "fantastic rock recording". Bob Dylan's albums have been remastered wonderfully as well. Then you have the coming beatles remasters, which are supposed to be great. At the very least, the mono will be great, as limiting was avoided entirely. Also, the Dire Straits recent remaster of Brothers in Arms is very good.

Now, that isn't to say that there aren't a lot of bad ones, but don't just write off a cd when you see "remaster" on the cover.

 

[AmanGeorge]

The Dark Knight OST is disappointing - love the movie and the soundtrack, but the recording is pretty badly butchered.

 

[thisbenjamin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Flaming Lips. Their music is so good, but their last few albums have been incredibly hot. I'd give anything for a remastered Yoshimi on SACD. Great album. If only it had dynamics.

Have you heard the DVDA? It's not bad.

I'd say nearly every single "remastered" album can be thrown into the brick walled, overly compressed, smiley faced EQ of death pile. There are exceptions, obviously - just not enough to matter. Thankfully used CDs are easy to find, and cheap

 

[acidbasement]

Gamma Ray. Their last two releases (Land of the Free II and Hell Yeah!) are mastered very clipfully and sound terrible. The songwriting, production, and performances are so damn good that I still listen to them, but it's difficult to really enjoy them thanks to the horrible mastering.

 

[DavidMahler]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tintin47 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Remasters are not always bad. Most of Bowie's albums were remastered in 1999 or 2003, and they are great. My CD/SACD copy of Ziggy Stardust is one that pops into my mind when I think "fantastic rock recording". Bob Dylan's albums have been remastered wonderfully as well. Then you have the coming beatles remasters, which are supposed to be great. At the very least, the mono will be great, as limiting was avoided entirely. Also, the Dire Straits recent remaster of Brothers in Arms is very good. Now, that isn't to say that there aren't a lot of bad ones, but don't just write off a cd when you see "remaster" on the cover.

It's funny i Was going to list Bowie's remasters as horrible........the Virgin 1999 series is so bright that I can't listen to it with prefered headphones....I have to get very dark headphones in order to enjoy any of it.

 

[scytheavatar]

The worst offender has got to be Blind Guardian. Their music would have been 100X better if not for the fact that they are all brickwalled garbage. Especially A Night at the Opera.

 

[tintin47]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidMahler /img/forum/go_quote.gif It's funny i Was going to list Bowie's remasters as horrible........the Virgin 1999 series is so bright that I can't listen to it with prefered headphones....I have to get very dark headphones in order to enjoy any of it.

I would disagree, but even if you don't like how bright these specific remasters are, none of them are brickwalled and the dynamics are good, so they have that going for them.

 

[DavidMahler]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tintin47 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I would disagree, but even if you don't like how bright these specific remasters are, none of them are brickwalled and the dynamics are good, so they have that going for them.

Yes I agree with this!

I feel as though, any supreme artist.........Bowie, Dylan, Stones, The Who, Zeppelin......doesn't really get brickwalled in their remaster. I saw someone complain about the Zeppelin remasters back in 94 I assume......I agree they are a little bright, but I never found them to be brickwalled......Whereas.....the new remasters which came out in the Rhino box or the obi Box.....are not as bright, but a bit more compressed creating that brickwalled effect. Overall, I find I prefer something to be brickwalled more than I do for it to have fatiguing treble, they're both something I could do without though.....I tend to think all remasters are too bright...........but it just be my ears and my equipment.

I've always been really impressed with the Elton John series back in 95/96 on the Rocket Label. Take out Honky Chateau or Captain Fantastic and I think that's truly reference sound.....

The best remaster I have ever heard is not really a remaster, but actually a remix AND remaster.....

I have Lennon's Imagine the Mobile Fidelity version....I also have the regular pressing but the Mobile Fidelity is just better so I don't listen to the regular.

Maybe these aren't the original mixes of Imagine, but the mixes are not really that different in integrity, but just better sounding.......if you take a track like Crippled Inside you really a depth in a recording which never really had any depth before.

 

[LFF]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidMahler /img/forum/go_quote.gif The best remaster I have ever heard is not really a remaster, but actually a remix AND remaster..... I have Lennon's Imagine the Mobile Fidelity version....I also have the regular pressing but the Mobile Fidelity is just better so I don't listen to the regular. Maybe these aren't the original mixes of Imagine, but the mixes are not really that different in integrity, but just better sounding.......if you take a track like Crippled Inside you really a depth in a recording which never really had any depth before.

The regular CD pressing of Imagine has it's problems and so does the MFSL (NR overkill). Your really comparing an apple to an orange but I completely understand what you mean. Some people really HATE the hiss on the original CD.

My preference goes to the UK -1U Vinyl Pressing. With a little work, it just sounds marvelous. Kills the MFSL version IMHO.

EDIT: Even a flat transfer of the UK -1U Vinyl Pressing sounds great! Now go get one!

 

[Beyerfan70]

Huge bowie fan here and yes regardless of which remasters you buy,virgin,abbey rd,ryko etc none are brickwalled.
Shame the same cant be said for his latter work,outside,hours,heathen etc.
Not to mention the appalling young americans deluxe edition,way too loud!
I hope the new space oddity 40th anniversary is good as emi have stated they want to go back to the original sound.
Anyway back on topic the new stones remasters are brickwalled.
I bought a couple of them and while being ok for ipod,car etc they sound like trash compred to the 94 versions.

 

[Dublo7]

Mastodon - Crack the Skye.

It sounds better than their other albums (which are unlistenable to me), but still... Crack the Skye is an album that screams for dynamism.

And another vote for The Flaming Lips. I can't believe how loud Yoshimi is. It's painful.