One of the saddest things...

Posted by mlsstl (A) on September 5, 2024 at 08:31:19

In Reply to: A cruel irony, the earliest CDs are oft the best-sounding. posted by Geoffkait on September 4, 2024 at 11:55:25:

...with many modern digital recordings is that they absolutely waste the incredible dynamic range available.

LPs, open reels and cassette recordings were lucky to get 60 or 70 dB of dynamic range. CDs have 96 dB available and hi-rez recordings are well beyond that.

So what do we get with many modern digital recordings? Everything is compressed and crammed to the top. This is obviously true of many rock/pop recordings, but I also see it in some classical, jazz and other genres where you'd think they'd be thrilled to take advantage of the available dynamic range.

For example, years ago I transferred much of my LP collection to digital using Adobe Audition. For something like repetitive drum strikes, you'd see quite a bit of variance in the peak level of each strike. Fast forward to many new digital releases, and you'll find there is now incredible uniformity in the max level of drum hits. It's just not quite as lifelike.

Some of this is not surprising as most recordings are mixed for the masses who listen in cars or inexpensive stereos. Dynamic range is a negative under those conditions as the pianissimo portions get lost in the background noise.

While I find many of the earliest CDs rather shrill and hard sounding, there was a period in the early 1990s where some brilliant CDs were released that made full use of the available dynamic range and the "loudness wars" were still a few years off. As an example, one of my favorites was The Great American Main Street Band's "Silks and Rags" from 1991. Just a wonderful recording to listen to on a good system.

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - A cruel irony, the earliest CDs are oft the best-sounding. - Geoffkait 11:55:25 09/04/24 (19)

I'd Be Inclined to Agree......... - Todd Krieger 20:34:48 09/18/24 (0)

No. Can't buy it. - Freo-1 13:27:11 09/11/24 (0)

RE: A cruel irony, the earliest CDs are oft the best-sounding. - Zombie 13:32:47 09/10/24 (0)

RE: A cruel irony, the earliest CDs are oft the best-sounding. - hahax@verizon.net 19:50:55 09/05/24 (1)

RE: A cruel irony, the earliest CDs are oft the best-sounding. - Geoffkait 05:23:17 09/06/24 (0)

One of the saddest things... - mlsstl 08:31:19 09/05/24 (0)

Golden Age of digital audio is now IME - Jon L 08:31:16 09/05/24 (3)

Yep - G Squared 17:35:35 09/05/24 (0)

Agree! - Goober58 13:59:33 09/05/24 (0)

+100 - E-Stat 10:12:58 09/05/24 (0)

Not always. - Land Shark 07:03:57 09/05/24 (1)

RE: Not always. - Jim Treanor 16:47:39 09/05/24 (0)

I don't find that true at all, but then ... - Feanor 04:11:35 09/05/24 (1)

RE: I don't find that true at all, but then ... - pbarach 05:46:57 09/05/24 (0)

A few examples? nt - Inmate51 13:11:43 09/04/24 (0)

Some am, some ain't - Brian H P 12:37:01 09/04/24 (3)

Dire Straits - Craiger56 13:00:17 09/04/24 (2)

My HDCD light came on with that one too - Des 21:46:13 09/04/24 (0)

Most of Knopfler's solo recordings sound pretty darn good - Brian H P 15:23:18 09/04/24 (0)

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One of the saddest things... - mlsstl 08:31:19 09/05/24 (0)

One of the saddest things...

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