Another ruined one (MartinLogan demo)

unc2701

21 on vinyl:
http://www.dr.loudness-war.info/details.php?id=7953

21 on CD:
http://www.dr.loudness-war.info/details.php?id=22612

You can debate the merits of vinyl for as long as you like, but these days the best reason for it is that the master tapes for the vinyl are often less compressed DESPITE CD's having better dynamic range.

Serendipity

treitz3 wrote: »

This is why I'm a little perturbed at the "convenience" crowd and the recording industry.

Convenience crowd? Then why do public performances have increasing levels of compression? For example Broadway shows, Cruise ship performances, Magic / Circus shows (like the Cirque du Soleil) - their last show in Quebec was ridiculous in both SPL and levels of compression... what's going on here?

When I go to a public performance I'm not listening in a car, or using an iPod. What gives?

decal

The logic is simple, most recordings are mastered to sound decent (notice I didn't say great) on mass produced reproduction equipment ,not "audiophile" type gear. They have to please the masses not the few. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it !!!!

treitz3

Please allow me to clarify a bit, Serendipity. The "convenience" crowd is what I call the generation of folks growing up that want things to be "convenient" with regards to their music. These are not the type of people that have 3,000 LP's, not the type of people that care to take the time to clean, maintain, store or even get up off their couch to flip an LP over or even get up to swap out a CD. No, the convenience crowd wants their entire music library in the palm of their hand or stored within their hard drive for instant access and they have no interest whatsoever in getting up off the couch to change an album or a song.

The recording industry [in general, there are exceptions] is catering to this convenience crowd. They are recording the music to sound good on these "convenience" devices and not a high fidelity playback system. The problem is that when this is done, the music is ruined....unless one listens to it on a convenience format/playback system. As for why public performances have increasing levels of compression mixed in with improper SPL levels? The only reason I can think of is simply stupidity or a complete lack of interest in achieving good sound. Back when David Grohl and I were in High school and I was running the sound board, we had zero compression and the SPL levels were set to where his music [along with others] sounded the best. Not the loudest. Perhaps that was why one particular concert had to be stopped mid performance by the Fire Marshall. We had way too many people out of their seats, dancing in the isles. That's the power of good sound.

Tom

Serendipity

treitz3,

What I meant to say is that live sound is not the same as listening on an iPod or in the car, it's supposed to sound good. Why most recent live performances I've heard (including magic shows, Las Vegas shows, circuses) over-use dynamic range compression is beyond me. For example, I like the Cirque du Soleil - they are an amazing circus, but their recent shows have been way too loud with extreme amounts of compression. They could have backed down the volume 45% and it would have sounded better.