What Happened To Dynamic Range?

xo · Post by xo » 17/07/2006 - 13:04

Interesting article
http://www.cdmasteringservices.com/dynamicrange.htm

http://www.cdmasteringservices.com/loudnesgraphic.htm

Makke · Post by **Makke** » 17/07/2006 - 14:29

Hmmm...interesting article, and a good point is in there.

However, blaming bad CD sales on the lack of dynamic range of the music is in my opinion nonsens. Just take a look/listen at the horrible MP3's "the masses" see as CD (or "near" CD) quality. The average consumer really doesn't care about the sound. Or rather, they might care, but they won't hear the difference. They'll play 128 kbps (or lower) quality MP3's on stereo systems worth thousands of dollars!

To quote a guy I went to school with:
"Why do you have the tracks in stereo on your MiniDisc? You'll only be able to fit half as much on there!"

xo · Post by xo » 17/07/2006 - 16:05

Of course the internet, peer to peer networks and mp3 has a lot to do with it. But the reluctance to buy CDs may also have something to with the lack of life in CDs. You can also use peer to peer networks to search for music you really care enough about to listen to multiple times and buy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudness_war

sumppi · Post by **sumppi** » 17/07/2006 - 16:34

Interesting tidbit I read yesterday...

Iron Maiden is releasing a new CD in August and is apparently leaving it totally unmastered because that way "you will get to hear the new album exactly as it sounded in the studio, no added EQ, compression, analog widening, etc." (couldn't find the source for the quote though).

Dawn of a new era in dogma recording or just plain stupidity?

Sumppi

dan gillgrass · Post by **dan gillgrass** » 17/07/2006 - 16:39

sumppi wrote:Interesting tidbit I read yesterday...

Iron Maiden is releasing a new CD in August and is apparently leaving it totally unmastered because that way "you will get to hear the new album exactly as it sounded in the studio, no added EQ, compression, analog widening, etc." (couldn't find the source for the quote though).

Dawn of a new era in dogma recording or just plain stupidity?

Sumppi

Maybe they should release it as a double cd or double sided where one is mastered and the other not....

Bill S Preston ESQ.... "Iron Maiden... EXCELLENT!"

xo · Post by xo » 17/07/2006 - 18:02

Ecological mastering.

That'll be interesting to hear.
I think the idea of releasing several masterings is really good.

http://www.cdmasteringservices.com/dynamicdeath.htm

ifadeo · Post by **ifadeo** » 17/07/2006 - 19:12

sumppi wrote:Dawn of a new era in dogma recording or just plain stupidity?

Sumppi

i hope a new dawn, 'cause i like raw recordings!

cheers ifadeo

Romeo Knight · Post by **Romeo Knight** » 17/07/2006 - 21:20

I think people complaining about less CD sales cos of "lifeless" sound is pure nonsense, too. In fact music production has never sounded better than today. (There are exceptions, I know.) Another fact is: People like it loud. They want the punch, they want the maximum loudness in their music. And today thanks to modern digital technology it is _possible_ get this loudness into the mixes, before it simply wasn't!

The record industry should face the fact that musical quality is about content and not about dynamic range, technical specs or whatever.

Sumppi wrote:Dawn of a new era in dogma recording or just plain stupidity?

None. I predict it won't sound much different to other recent releases except for a little less loudness.

xo · Post by xo » 17/07/2006 - 21:43

It's not that compression can't be interesting as an effect but it's often overused as the article shows. The use of compression has gradually increased over the years so it's something people have gotten used to. Obviously, if you love the status quo of compression use, you're not going to be buying less music because obviously you're happy with how it sounds, and ironically, compression sounds best on poor systems. I have heard how over-compressed CDs sound horrific on truely neutral systems.

The source
http://www.cavemanproductions.com/cavediary.htm

It's unlikely to start a trend, but I would certainly welcome some dogma-like anti-trends.

Infamous · Post by **Infamous** » 18/07/2006 - 8:42

and their complaint about cd sales dropping is a shallow one too, the cd's not been around very long and they base the whole thing on back statistics when people went out and rebought alot of music that was originally only on tape/record .. i read somewere from an industry insider that cd sales are quite healthy its just the company's being their usual greedy selves.

on the subject of "quality" ..bollocks to it frankly, if the tunes good who really gives a rats arse if it's got 10million dollars worth of production attached or 2 quids worth? i certianly dont, if the tunes crap wasnt that just a complete waste of money <looks> ?.

raw is good, distortion is fantastic if used correctly (deftones anyone?), far more personalisation and feeling in something thats been untouched and i tip my hat at the maiden if what sumpi say's is definitely going to happen.

Tonka · Post by **Tonka** » 18/07/2006 - 13:06

Infamous wrote:and their complaint about cd sales dropping is a shallow one too, the cd's not been around very long and they base the whole thing on back statistics when people went out and rebought alot of music that was originally only on tape/record .. i read somewere from an industry insider that cd sales are quite healthy its just the company's being their usual greedy selves.

on the subject of "quality" ..bollocks to it frankly, if the tunes good who really gives a rats arse if it's got 10million dollars worth of production attached or 2 quids worth? i certianly dont, if the tunes crap wasnt that just a complete waste of money <looks> ?.

raw is good, distortion is fantastic if used correctly (deftones anyone?), far more personalisation and feeling in something thats been untouched and i tip my hat at the maiden if what sumpi say's is definitely going to happen.

Some good points raised here.

I have bought 'Speak & Spell' by Depeche Mode 4 times (on tape, vinyl and CD - which I lost, so I bought another one)! All sounded great to me, whatever the format.

First tape I played till I wore it out was 'Louder than bombs' by The Smiths. It was a SHIT pirate copy on to a ferric 'uber-hiss' but that didn't spoil my enjoyment one bit. I then went on to buy the entire Smiths back catalogue and continue to buy every new Morrissey CD that comes out...

Somebody somewhere should be GLAD that I copied 'Louder than bombs' all those years ago

I've downloaded stuff that I have never played more than once and eventually binned it. I've downloaded stuff on the off-chance, become a major fan and bought the CD's. I can't honestly say that production quality has played any part in either scenario, though...

Post by **LMan** » 18/07/2006 - 14:47

Usually, over compression and hissing in radio transmissions can make especially electronic music sound "better" in a way that it appears more analog, alive and dirty to me. Same with vinyl recordings. But that's a matter of preference I guess.

I remember buying stuff on CD and being disappointed by overly clean and transparent sound.

Chris Abbott · Post by **Chris Abbott** » 18/07/2006 - 15:05

I was always quite fond of high frequency tape hiss, actually.

Chris

xo · Post by xo » 18/07/2006 - 15:11

It's a bit like salt; use it with care and it enhances the taste; pour tons over the food and it tastes... But taste is different, even if it is aquired.

Vosla · Post by **Vosla** » 18/07/2006 - 16:14

I'll never understand it.
Even for my ears, 128kbit sounds like sh*t.
And I'm close to being deaf!