Aus: de.rec.musik.hifi "Immer mehr Wind gegen Over compression"
Schaut man bei Google nach "loudness race" oder "over compression" dann tauchen immer mehr Berichte zu diesem Thema auf.
Sonically, the problem with _VT_ is that it is mastered too loud.
(Mastering is the process wherein the finished stereo mixes: receive
final equalization, as well as, relative and overall level adjustment,
are ordered, track gaps and crossfades set, etcetera.) Recent years have
seen breakthrough technology emerge in the world of digital audio,
which, among other things has revolutionized digital compression and
"brickwall limiting" (the two most common techniques for increasing the
average level of audio program material, and therefore, perceived volume
of a CD). This, in turn, has made albums louder and louder each year in
contest that began about a decade ago.
For better or for worse, this album was not mastered by any of the gurus
of the trade (like Bob Ludwig or Bernie Grundman to name a couple) and I
think it suffers for it. There are plenty of albums that are as loud as
_VT_, and a few that are even louder, but many of them sound a lot
better. The compression artifacts from the signal level processing, not
to mention some poor final EQ choices (the exact problems) are absurdly
evident to the trained ear, and sound bad to most people, whether or not
they have the audio engineering experience to identify them with
precision. I think it is really fair to say that the mastering job on
this album is the easily one of the worst I've heard on a significant
major label release...ever!
- und -
But the sound is crappy. No matter what level you play it at it sounds
like you're maxing the volume on a system that just can't handle it. I'm
playing it quite low and it still sounds like cheap speakers trying
desparately not to blow a magnet.
Schaut man bei Google nach "loudness race" oder "over compression" dann tauchen immer mehr Berichte zu diesem Thema auf.
Es gab hier mal den Thread "Überlaute CDs, oder warum vermisst niemand dieZ.B. die Rush - Vapor Trails Rezensionen auf Amazon:
Dynamik". Es stören sich aber leider nur wenige an dem Lautheitswahn.
> Nachdem die Musikindustrie es geschafft hat loudnessrace.net zu plätten
> (lief bis Nov2004 etwa) verbreitet sich das Wissen dennoch weiter. Bei
> Amazon.com tauchen auch schon Rezensionen auf und dokumentieren den
> miesen Klang der Silberscheiben.
Das wäre schön. Hast Du Beispiele?
Sonically, the problem with _VT_ is that it is mastered too loud.
(Mastering is the process wherein the finished stereo mixes: receive
final equalization, as well as, relative and overall level adjustment,
are ordered, track gaps and crossfades set, etcetera.) Recent years have
seen breakthrough technology emerge in the world of digital audio,
which, among other things has revolutionized digital compression and
"brickwall limiting" (the two most common techniques for increasing the
average level of audio program material, and therefore, perceived volume
of a CD). This, in turn, has made albums louder and louder each year in
contest that began about a decade ago.
For better or for worse, this album was not mastered by any of the gurus
of the trade (like Bob Ludwig or Bernie Grundman to name a couple) and I
think it suffers for it. There are plenty of albums that are as loud as
_VT_, and a few that are even louder, but many of them sound a lot
better. The compression artifacts from the signal level processing, not
to mention some poor final EQ choices (the exact problems) are absurdly
evident to the trained ear, and sound bad to most people, whether or not
they have the audio engineering experience to identify them with
precision. I think it is really fair to say that the mastering job on
this album is the easily one of the worst I've heard on a significant
major label release...ever!
- und -
But the sound is crappy. No matter what level you play it at it sounds
like you're maxing the volume on a system that just can't handle it. I'm
playing it quite low and it still sounds like cheap speakers trying
desparately not to blow a magnet.
