Comments on: Blog Discussion Topic - October 21, 2008 - John E. Johnson, Jr. - Where is the dynamic range in modern recordings? http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/blog/2008/10/21/blog-discussion-topic-october-21-2008-john-e-johnson-jr-where-is-the-dynamic-range-in-recordings/ Secrets of Home Theater and Hi Fi Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:07:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Jim Clements http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/blog/2008/10/21/blog-discussion-topic-october-21-2008-john-e-johnson-jr-where-is-the-dynamic-range-in-recordings/#comment-927 Jim Clements Mon, 10 Nov 2008 18:53:07 +0000 http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/blog/?p=867#comment-927 I will never forget when my high school music director told us, "music is about silence". We, of course, found this assertion to be incredibly hilarious for the first 24 hours or so until we figured out exactly what he meant. What could be more true? The best video displays produce the blackest black levels and the widest gamut of varying white levels. Not many home theater enthusiasts would tell you otherwise. It's the way of life: you need evil to define good, the yin for the yang. That's why I'm very enthused about my theater right now. When it produces silence, then that's about all you hear. No ground loops, no buzzes, rattles or any other deleteroius noise, just silence. (OK, so there is a little fan noise from the HVAC system and projector. But that's it.) I do believe that I have found one modern SACD that is short in the dynamics department. It's the Wallflowers "Red Letter Days". The reason I say that the I "believe" it's short on the dynamics front is that I've never listened past the second track. I really liked the Wallflowers and I still do. But this effort on SACD is very flat an lifeless. Flat and lifeless? A multi-channel disc? You betcha ;-) I'll try listening to some of the other songs tonight and wil post later if I feel that I need to retract this assessment. Remember, "music is about silence and the blues are about being happy"! I will never forget when my high school music director told us, “music is about silence”. We, of course, found this assertion to be incredibly hilarious for the first 24 hours or so until we figured out exactly what he meant. What could be more true? The best video displays produce the blackest black levels and the widest gamut of varying white levels. Not many home theater enthusiasts would tell you otherwise. It’s the way of life: you need evil to define good, the yin for the yang. That’s why I’m very enthused about my theater right now. When it produces silence, then that’s about all you hear. No ground loops, no buzzes, rattles or any other deleteroius noise, just silence. (OK, so there is a little fan noise from the HVAC system and projector. But that’s it.)

I do believe that I have found one modern SACD that is short in the dynamics department. It’s the Wallflowers “Red Letter Days”. The reason I say that the I “believe” it’s short on the dynamics front is that I’ve never listened past the second track. I really liked the Wallflowers and I still do. But this effort on SACD is very flat an lifeless. Flat and lifeless? A multi-channel disc? You betcha ;-) I’ll try listening to some of the other songs tonight and wil post later if I feel that I need to retract this assessment.

Remember, “music is about silence and the blues are about being happy”!

]]> By: Greg Mahoney http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/blog/2008/10/21/blog-discussion-topic-october-21-2008-john-e-johnson-jr-where-is-the-dynamic-range-in-recordings/#comment-918 Greg Mahoney Wed, 05 Nov 2008 03:35:54 +0000 http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/blog/?p=867#comment-918 Lately, I have become very careful when it comes to purchasing new CDs because of this insane situation caused by the marketing people at many record labels to make their product sound louder. I too, do not experience this problem with SACDs. I really looked forward to the new Journey release "Revelation" because the band's new lead singer does a great job of emulating Steve Perry. Imagine my disappointment when I first played the discs and found that the dynamic range had been so comprimised. This disc is just LOUD LOUD LOUD. It's really too bad because the lead singer sounds great and the band has never played better. I will read the reviews first, before I purchase next time. On the the other hand some remasters can sound so fantastic compared to their earlier releases on CD if they are done right: anything remasterd by Steve Hoffman, all The ABBA Remasters, Billy Joel's "An Innocent Man" and Madonna's Remasters are just a few where the engineers and the record label did it right. Let's hope that spreading the word on the evils of compression will someday reverse this trend. It's your duty as a "Secrets" reader to educate those around you. Lately, I have become very careful when it comes to purchasing new CDs because of this insane situation caused by the marketing people at many record labels to make their product sound louder. I too, do not experience this problem with SACDs.

I really looked forward to the new Journey release “Revelation” because the band’s new lead singer does a great job of emulating Steve Perry. Imagine my disappointment when I first played the discs and found that the dynamic range had been so comprimised. This disc is just LOUD LOUD LOUD. It’s really too bad because the lead singer sounds great and the band has never played better. I will read the reviews first, before I purchase next time.

On the the other hand some remasters can sound so fantastic compared to their earlier releases on CD if they are done right: anything remasterd by Steve Hoffman, all The ABBA Remasters, Billy Joel’s “An Innocent Man” and Madonna’s Remasters are just a few where the engineers and the record label did it right.

Let’s hope that spreading the word on the evils of compression will someday reverse this trend.

It’s your duty as a “Secrets” reader to educate those around you.

]]> By: Charles http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/blog/2008/10/21/blog-discussion-topic-october-21-2008-john-e-johnson-jr-where-is-the-dynamic-range-in-recordings/#comment-908 Charles Sat, 25 Oct 2008 00:52:44 +0000 http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/blog/?p=867#comment-908 Once upon a time one of the clear advantages of CDs over vinyl was dynamic range. Vinyl always seemed to have a warmer sound, but CDs were far quieter and had the potential for greater dynamic range. Today it's the execption when you find a well recorded CD outside of SACD. Boosting volume might sell more CDs but it's really frustrating to listen to. Once upon a time one of the clear advantages of CDs over vinyl was dynamic range. Vinyl always seemed to have a warmer sound, but CDs were far quieter and had the potential for greater dynamic range. Today it’s the execption when you find a well recorded CD outside of SACD. Boosting volume might sell more CDs but it’s really frustrating to listen to.

]]> By: Ross Jones http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/blog/2008/10/21/blog-discussion-topic-october-21-2008-john-e-johnson-jr-where-is-the-dynamic-range-in-recordings/#comment-906 Ross Jones Thu, 23 Oct 2008 21:29:05 +0000 http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/blog/?p=867#comment-906 The trend towards maximum compression comes from the industry's attempt to have recordings jump out at the listener. It's the same reason why TV commercials seem so much louder than normal programming. It's kind of like an arm's race. Everyone is trying to make their record "louder" than the last one. Musicians tend to hate it from an aesthetic perspective, but are overriden by the commercial implications. I blogged back in April about the mixdown of a recording project I participated in, with similar results. These days, the common playback system for rock music tends towards compact systems such as portable MP3 players and iPods; car stereos or computer speakers (regular SECRETS readers excepted, of course)! Generally, those systems do a poor job reproducing full dynamic range recordings; the quiet parts are lost. Jazz and classical labels cater to a more discerning audience, so the problem is not as acute as in the pop music field. The sound degradation is more acute now that most everything is recorded digitally. In the analog days, running the input trim to redline was a necessity because of the limited available dynamic range. Plus, a little analog distortion added "warmth" to a recording. On the other hand, digital distortion is nasty, and chopping off the offending clipped signal with brick wall limiters makes for a brittle, harsh sound. My hope is that as the younger generation graduates from portable to high fidelity playback systems, that part of the market will demand better quality recordings. The trend towards maximum compression comes from the industry’s attempt to have recordings jump out at the listener. It’s the same reason why TV commercials seem so much louder than normal programming. It’s kind of like an arm’s race. Everyone is trying to make their record “louder” than the last one. Musicians tend to hate it from an aesthetic perspective, but are overriden by the commercial implications. I blogged back in April about the mixdown of a recording project I participated in, with similar results. These days, the common playback system for rock music tends towards compact systems such as portable MP3 players and iPods; car stereos or computer speakers (regular SECRETS readers excepted, of course)! Generally, those systems do a poor job reproducing full dynamic range recordings; the quiet parts are lost. Jazz and classical labels cater to a more discerning audience, so the problem is not as acute as in the pop music field.

The sound degradation is more acute now that most everything is recorded digitally. In the analog days, running the input trim to redline was a necessity because of the limited available dynamic range. Plus, a little analog distortion added “warmth” to a recording. On the other hand, digital distortion is nasty, and chopping off the offending clipped signal with brick wall limiters makes for a brittle, harsh sound. My hope is that as the younger generation graduates from portable to high fidelity playback systems, that part of the market will demand better quality recordings.

]]> By: VirusKiller http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/blog/2008/10/21/blog-discussion-topic-october-21-2008-john-e-johnson-jr-where-is-the-dynamic-range-in-recordings/#comment-905 VirusKiller Thu, 23 Oct 2008 17:45:35 +0000 http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/blog/?p=867#comment-905 These guys are trying to do something about it: http://www.turnmeup.org/about_us.shtml These guys are trying to do something about it: http://www.turnmeup.org/about_us.shtml

]]> By: Barok http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/blog/2008/10/21/blog-discussion-topic-october-21-2008-john-e-johnson-jr-where-is-the-dynamic-range-in-recordings/#comment-900 Barok Wed, 22 Oct 2008 07:48:31 +0000 http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/blog/?p=867#comment-900 I tend to read a review about a certain recording in CD or other media before buying it. I am also particular about the mastering engineer i.e. Doug Sax. Even, going as far as a particular mastering studio. I preferred recordings with wide dynamic range. I have some popular recordings with sound up near 0 dbFS, I used for demos or educating my friends on recordings dynamic range. So, my choices now a days are very few. Good recordings can still be found out there. I tend to read a review about a certain recording in CD or other media before buying it. I am also particular about the mastering engineer i.e. Doug Sax. Even, going as far as a particular mastering studio. I preferred recordings with wide dynamic range. I have some popular recordings with sound up near 0 dbFS, I used for demos or educating my friends on recordings dynamic range. So, my choices now a days are very few. Good recordings can still be found out there.

]]> By: Randy B http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/blog/2008/10/21/blog-discussion-topic-october-21-2008-john-e-johnson-jr-where-is-the-dynamic-range-in-recordings/#comment-898 Randy B Tue, 21 Oct 2008 20:54:20 +0000 http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/blog/?p=867#comment-898 In a word, it sucks. I think that dynamic range is what gives emotion to music. There are no emotions to music if it is just "yelling" at you the entire time. What a shame. In a word, it sucks. I think that dynamic range is what gives emotion to music. There are no emotions to music if it is just “yelling” at you the entire time. What a shame.

]]>