i dont think its aimed at young people really, if a radio station can only broadcast at a certain volume then a compressed version would sound louder than one with a large dynamic range. Radio is how most people here new tracks and then go and buy them. Stations are in competition to be heard and chosen over others so i would imagine that they would be all for this compression. Commercial radio stations like Radio 1 and such are mainly listened to in the work place with a lot of background noise too so the quieter bits of the track would be lost anyway. Just my thoughts on why they seem to be doing this really
later CDs more compressed?
- Thread starter linnaudio
- Start date
i dont think its aimed at young people really, if a radio station can only broadcast at a certain volume then a compressed version would sound louder than one with a large dynamic range. Radio is how most people here new tracks and then go and buy them. Stations are in competition to be heard and chosen over others so i would imagine that they would be all for this compression. Commercial radio stations like Radio 1 and such are mainly listened to in the work place with a lot of background noise too so the quieter bits of the track would be lost anyway. Just my thoughts on why they seem to be doing this really
darkmatter
pfm Member
Fortunately, many classical recordings seem to have been mastered quite well and have avoided excess loudness.
Alas, the loudness excess has spoilt many modern Rock & Pop recordings on CD.
Many remasters suffer the same fate, so I am glad that I kept all my original releases, only getting remasters that offer difficult to find tracks etc.
Alas, the loudness excess has spoilt many modern Rock & Pop recordings on CD.
Many remasters suffer the same fate, so I am glad that I kept all my original releases, only getting remasters that offer difficult to find tracks etc.
John Phillips
pfm Member
There is indeed a lot of classical music released these days with really good production quality, with little or perhaps no level compression. That magic combination of good performance with good production quality seems (to me) to have increased noticeably over the last twenty years or so.
Classical music gets re-performed and re-recorded more often than re-mastered. Nevertheless, I can listen to re-mastered recordings of well-regarded performances of pieces I like and it's noticeable how original production quality has developed in various ways since the 1950s. Modern re-mastering often does improve the original. Largely I perceive little modern application of level compression as per the thread title, but perhaps there are issues that remain around high-level magnetic tape performance in early original recordings.
I spent a few hours at the Bristol show this weekend. Perhaps this is heresy but ISTM that what I heard was (waves hands) maybe 80% due to the production quality of the music used for the demonstrations and 20% due to the equipment. When I heard the quite rare use of classical music, where I have a real-life reference from concert-going, IMHO that levelled the comparison of equipment quite a lot over quite a large range of cost.
darkmatter
pfm Member
Indeed, we are very lucky and 'classical' grade remastering would be lovely if it were used on rock & pop remastering.
Fortunately, many classical remastering of old recordings are done very well, and can focus my attentions on finding the performance I like.
I am focused on looking for new recordings of favourite symphonies and organ works, and indeed having a great time finding those.
I collect early CD pressings as well, but that's another story.
Fortunately, many classical remastering of old recordings are done very well, and can focus my attentions on finding the performance I like.
I am focused on looking for new recordings of favourite symphonies and organ works, and indeed having a great time finding those.
I collect early CD pressings as well, but that's another story.
John Phillips
pfm Member
One classical re-mastering where I have seen online suspicion of level compression is the 2022-23 release of Solti's Der Ring des Nibelungen.
I have listened to it all and it certainly is mastered at a higher level than previous CD releases. But level compression? I am not sure.
However, perhaps my uncertainty indicates that if it is present it's subtle enough to enjoy the result in the way I have enjoyed BBC Radio 3's evening concert broadcasts on FM with their mild level compression.
tuga
Legal Alien
I have bough quite a few Classical music remasters of '60s and '70s recordings, some of them in large box sets from DG, Philips and Decca.
I made listening comparisons and technical evaluations of originals and remasters and in most cases I preferred the latter. A lot of remasters benefit from a more 'neutral' tonal balance, some times increased 'clarity' and sense of space which I think is the result of improved S/N but can't say for sure.
Jim Audiomisc
pfm Member
FWIW Quite a lot of the early (in CD/digital audio terms) recordings and processing of the samples was done using flawed kit, and often starting with a sample rate that wasn't high and NOT 44k1. Hence early CDs often had digital flaws.
As kit has improved the ability to make and process well has developed. But, alas, in 'popular' music so has the tendency to 'improve' the results by fiddling about with it!
i.e. early or late - depends on what the nuts behind the recording desk have done with it.
tuga
Legal Alien
And apparently Dolby de-emphasis wasn't used when digitalising many master tapes, which resulted in a tonal balance that was tilting upwards from bass to treble (e.g. Suzanne Vega’s “Solitude Standing” in CD):
The original 'harsh' digital sound...
This a separate thread because this doesn't apply only to the DHNRDS, but the general state of the old recordings originally created/mixed down in the 1960s through early 1990's... First, the original 'Harsh digital sound' complaints didn't come from only one cause, as there were at least three r...
audiophilestyle.com
Flybynight
Member
The loudness wars have got a lot worse since the OP where popular music is concerned. A lot to do with listening taking place in noisy environments on far less than audiophile equipment. There are exceptions such as the recent Steve Hackett album, but brickwalling seems to be the rule.
Jim Audiomisc
pfm Member
FWIW my webpages examine a number of examples that show the 'business' mucking about with loudness/compression, clipping, etc. It's a bungle out there!
In the beginning some of the ADCs used had poor linearity and monotoncy of the timing as well. And used sample rates and bits-per-sample that weren't a good match for CD. So may have had to be transferred vis another ADC -> DAC process to get to CD format. Often with poorer kit than a *home* user can give it nowdays.
In the beginning some of the ADCs used had poor linearity and monotoncy of the timing as well. And used sample rates and bits-per-sample that weren't a good match for CD. So may have had to be transferred vis another ADC -> DAC process to get to CD format. Often with poorer kit than a *home* user can give it nowdays.