1. This should be interesting if it takes off...



    It's occurred to me and many others that many new albums and remasters from the last few years seem to be mastered in such a way they don't need to be. They're just too bloody loud, lack dynamics, true sound, fidelity and just being generally painful to listen to. And after seeing a few music videos, it's there as well!!!

    A couple I'm referring to are Bruce Springsteen's Working On A Dream and Metallica's Death Magnetic. So I'd like to start a discussion about this so-called 'practice'. Things like audio dynamics and loss of, compression, the loudness wars, hot-mastering, distortion, digital remastering, Auto Tune, clipping and things that can ruin a potentially good recording.

    There was discussion over in a topic ''Pop 2009 Release'', and what made me start this discussion.



    Originally posted by Bob"You listen to these modern records, they're atrocious, they have sound all over them. There's no definition of nothing, no vocal, no nothing, just like—static." - Bob Dylan

  2. Bob Dylan posted on U2start? Wow. Put that in the diary

    On a serious note, I have to say that nowadays, what with the advent of advances in sonic technology, music is starting to suffer in some respect. Some parts of NLOTH do strike me as overdone, even though I do still love the album - Magnificent would have to be the main offender in this respect, although I would throw Fez into that too (just Fez, not Being Born). Both feel like opportunities to smatter the thing with as much different stuff as possible, whereas for the former, I'd have been much more appreciative of a Streets/COBL style synth intro. or sometihng like that. Too many cooks spoiling the broth perhaps? I guess I'm more focusing on the actual production of a track than the way it's mixed and polished up, but I still think it's actually related to the topic lol - if others think differently, my bad.

  3. I agree that newer albums are shocking dynamically.

    and most "remastered" albums aren't so much remastered as just made louder. it's ironic how most albums that get remastered actually wind up worse than the original copies.
  4. If you want a good sounding version of Metallica's Death Magnetic, look for the "Guitar Hero" videogame version. The videogame version has got a much better master sound than the CD. It's rotating on the web via filesharing.

    Alex
  5. Originally posted by Alex:If you want a good sounding version of Metallica's Death Magnetic, look for the "Guitar Hero" videogame version. The videogame version has got a much better master sound than the CD. It's rotating on the web via filesharing.

    Alex


    To think a retail version (the proper version) is utter crap compared to a video game version.

  6. Even the mastering engineers made public disclaimers about not being responsible for the brick- walled sound.

    I'm by no means a fan of Guns'n'Roses, but the Chinese Democracy album is said to be mastered dynamically perfect without unneccessary loudness. Probably that's a turning point, together with Dylan's Modern Times of course.

    What I find interesting is that the notorious master of over- compressed production (Rick Rubin of course) has done two perfectly mastered tracks with U2. They are even noticeably less loud than the HTDAAB album (which might be just pushed slightly over the top).

    Alex
  7. Originally posted by Alex:[..]
    Even the mastering engineers made public disclaimers about not being responsible for the brick- walled sound.

    I'm by no means a fan of Guns'n'Roses, but the Chinese Democracy album is said to be mastered dynamically perfect without unneccessary loudness. Probably that's a turning point, together with Dylan's Modern Times of course.

    What I find interesting is that the notorious master of over- compressed production (Rick Rubin of course) has done two perfectly mastered tracks with U2. They are even noticeably less loud than the HTDAAB album (which might be just pushed slightly over the top).

    Alex


    Bob Dylans new album seems really loud to my ears compared with Modern Times.
  8. Originally posted by Alex:[..]
    Even the mastering engineers made public disclaimers about not being responsible for the brick- walled sound.

    I'm by no means a fan of Guns'n'Roses, but the Chinese Democracy album is said to be mastered dynamically perfect without unneccessary loudness. Probably that's a turning point, together with Dylan's Modern Times of course.

    What I find interesting is that the notorious master of over- compressed production (Rick Rubin of course) has done two perfectly mastered tracks with U2. They are even noticeably less loud than the HTDAAB album (which might be just pushed slightly over the top).

    Alex


    Chinese Democracy is mastered in such a way you wouldn't believe it. Every sound you can pick up. It was Axl who was given three versions: a dynamically-perfect version, one that was overly loud and a non-dynamics version. He made the smart decision of taking the first. He'd be a real wank if for the time spent on it, to choose a horrible-sounding recording.

    I think the guy who mastered Death Magnetic said the tapes came to him like that already, and he isn't too proud of being associated with it.

    Working On A Dream by Springsteen is another question altogether.
  9. Not really related, but anyone notice that the sound/mixing quality on Linear (even the digital download) is way better than on the NLOTH CD?

    Seems to be far more dynamic, which makes songs like Unknown Caller, Being Born and even MoS really stand out.
  10. Originally posted by drewhiggins:Chinese Democracy is mastered in such a way you wouldn't believe it. Every sound you can pick up. It was Axl who was given three versions: a dynamically-perfect version, one that was overly loud and a non-dynamics version. He made the smart decision of taking the first. He'd be a real wank if for the time spent on it, to choose a horrible-sounding recording.

    I read that article, too. I think the first version was perfectly compressed, the second one was compressed / limited harder and the third one hardest / loudest. Then the first version was chosen - much to surprise of the mastering engineer who hadn't hoped to get his favourite version to final production.
    I think the guy who mastered Death Magnetic said the tapes came to him like that already, and he isn't too proud of being associated with it.

    I guess we read the same articles... that's what I heard, too.
    Working On A Dream by Springsteen is another question altogether.

    Haven't heard it yet. Please explain.

    Alex
  11. About Working On A Dream...the songs are great. Outlaw Pete and The Wrestler one are quite good.

    If you thought the mixing on Magic was bad - it actually wasn't overly bad, but it wasn't too great either - this is worse. It sounds like it's all muddy and some reviewers have called the mixing job ''uncompromising'' - meaning it is so loud, overdone and unclear.

    No surprise, considering Brendan O'Brien mixed it. His recent efforts have been nothing short of shit.
  12. Originally posted by vanquish:Not really related, but anyone notice that the sound/mixing quality on Linear (even the digital download) is way better than on the NLOTH CD?

    Seems to be far more dynamic, which makes songs like Unknown Caller, Being Born and even MoS really stand out.


    Nope, but that is interesting. I wonder if the limitations of CDDA is a reason as opposed to the supposedly higher DVDA quality. But still No Line is not too bad and in places better than HTDAAB.