[Esidarap]

That was fast.

I'll do whatever I can to help.

 

[toastmaster]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Esidarap /img/forum/go_quote.gif That was fast. I'll do whatever I can to help.

Fast, yes. But also the easiest part.

Thanks for the offer. I'll be sure to let you know.

 

[ILikeMusic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeagramSeven /img/forum/go_quote.gif Post-listening, feel free to share your experience of the "tonality, warmth, transparency, depth, detail, and dimensions"

One thing that struck me right away was with the minimal/lack of compression the dynamic range was almost too much... if volume is set at a level to make the quieter passages sound realistic then the horn section just blows you away!

I know some people prefer analog but the s/n and dynamic range capabities of digital are truly impressive when fully utilized.

 

[toastmaster]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ILikeMusic /img/forum/go_quote.gif I know some people prefer analog but the s/n and dynamic range capabities of digital are truly impressive when fully utilized.

If you could hot master vinyl I think they'd probably sound just as bad too.

Digital really is impressive when it's used well.

 

[SeagramSeven]

(track he is referring to: http://www.sendspace.com/file/093msf )
Quote:

Originally Posted by ILikeMusic /img/forum/go_quote.gif One thing that struck me right away was with the minimal/lack of compression the dynamic range was almost too much... if volume is set at a level to make the quieter passages sound realistic then the horn section just blows you away!

Good music should always blow you away

The album that track is from can be had here:
http://www.chesky.com/core/details.c...ctcategoryid=1

If you bought it for the sole purpose of testing your equipment, it would be money well spent.

 

[supermoo]

Nice stuff toastmaster! I look forward to seeing where this project will go from here. Maybe it'll get pretty big, no?

 

[varsitypride3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeagramSeven /img/forum/go_quote.gif Post-listening, feel free to share your experience of the "tonality, warmth, transparency, depth, detail, and dimensions"

Very impressive. Any chance you own the original and are willing to upload it in FLAC format? I really really enjoyed it. Made my grados sing.

 

[warMen]

Someone find a really good article on music compression and stuff and post it here. I'm going to post it on Digg so it could gain a lot of awareness and then there might actually be something done about it.

 

[supermoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by warMen /img/forum/go_quote.gif Someone find a really good article on music compression and stuff and post it here. I'm going to post it on Digg so it could gain a lot of awareness and then there might actually be something done about it.

I think SickMouthy's article was pretty well written though may be a bit too long for most people (general public) to read. The YouTube video would work well too.

SickMouthy's article: http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articl...nd-forever.htm

 

[toastmaster]

Quote:

Originally Posted by warMen /img/forum/go_quote.gif Someone find a really good article on music compression and stuff and post it here. I'm going to post it on Digg so it could gain a lot of awareness and then there might actually be something done about it.

The wikipedia article Loudness War has lots of good info and links to other articles about it.

 

[SeagramSeven]

I've received numerous PM's from people asking for some insight onto the whole "looks good/bad" vs "sounds good/bad" concept.

This post will cover finding things that "sound bad" inside a waveform that otherwise "looks good".

First, here is the track I have used for this example. Download and listen, paying as close attention as possible.(Play it loud)
http://www.sendspace.com/file/gfd4td
A personal favorite, it is particularly well suited for this demonstration. The recording contains no compression, equalization or any other "mastering tweaks" that would have hurt the quality of the original recording. It was recorded with the best gear that 1988 had to offer. All of the "defects" I will be going over, would be easily prevented with modern equipment.

And now to the meat of the matter:
Here is the overall waveform. It looks great from this perspective. It makes full usage of the dynamic range CDs offer.

So, having viewed the overall waveform, you say, "It looks great!" and happily listen. But hey---wait a minute---whats that? I just heard a strange distortion-type sound. (Checks for time). Looks like its between 0:44 and 0:45. And I only heard it in 1 ear. Odd, let me check it out.

This doesn't help me at all... it looks fine? This whole waveform view is nonsense.

Listening continues. At around 3:30, that same type of distortion is heard again. As before, it is only present in one ear. You analyze the waveform at that exact time duration.

What gives? I KNOW I heard distortion there! But the waveform looks fine... sigh.

Just a few seconds later, some really strange tone-like-odd-sound crops up. Sounds weird, can't really describe it. Man I'm sick of hearing defects. Where was this one? (rewinds a few seconds to find it). There it is. 3:38. Let me check this blasted waveform one more time...

That's it. I give up. I heard "bad" stuff and it was nowhere to be found in those waveforms. I did read something earlier about "spectral analysis" though...so let me give that a try before I uninstall these blasted applications.

There it is! That strange tone-thing! And it's almost entirely in the left channel, just like I heard. Let me go back and spectral-analyze those other 2 distortion parts. I'm already at 3:38 so I guess I'll go to the 3:30 one first.

I see them! And in the right channel only...just as I heard. I wish they weren't there, I really like this song

But I see them never the less. Oh well, let me try with the 1st one I heard... at around 0:44.

There it is again! And true to what I heard, only in the right channel. Oh well... I guess my dreams for a cable upgrade wont fix this one!

 

[toastmaster]

Quote:

Originally Posted by supermoo /img/forum/go_quote.gif Nice stuff toastmaster! I look forward to seeing where this project will go from here. Maybe it'll get pretty big, no?

I'm going to wait and see, but I'll do my best in the meantime.

 

[Sordel]

I've created my account at Songview.org. This thread has already taught me so much! I was amongst the majority of listeners who liked remasters because they had greater "presence" and "immediacy" (read volume) but I am determined to go back to the original CD masters henceforward. Never again will I sneer at the lacklustre mastering of Peter Gabriel 4 (coincidentally the first CD that I can ever remember seeing "in the flesh").

 

[Esidarap]

Anyone wish to help out by contributing a logo for Songview?

The current one is kind of... non existant.

 

[audiofan]

Yeah,too bad they could sound better if recording short cuts were eliminated.