Free Pony Theory ~ Bad recording trend. Lost of dynamic range

Joined: 23 Sep 2006 Posts: 1078

newer recording specially iTune are recorded with louder and louder average volume at the cost of losing dynamic range.

- everything is just idiotically "loud" there is no interesting peak and valley.

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Don't Fall For The Loud CD Trap
Below is a chart that traces the increase in CD levels. It clearly shows how the average level of CDs has changed over the years due to the "Level Wars" engaged in by the music industry. CDs produced in 1985 had an average (RMS) level of -18dB. This left plenty of room for musical peaks, or to put it another way, punch. It's the average level, not the peak level, that gives music it's perceived loudness. As we move into the 90's we can see the slow change taking place as the music industry enters into the "Level Wars" and begins to destroy our music. The average level of CDs in 1990 was -12dB. Then, as our chart shows, the level was raised to -6dB in 1995. In 2000, CDs reached an average level of -3dB. Since 2000, many CDs have been produced at an average level that's between digital zero and -3db. As the average level of CDs was raised, dynamic range was reduced. By 2002, this raise in average level was so severe, it caused a big loss in clarity and reduced the overall quality of commercial CDs. By 2005, it became even worse.

http://www.cdmasteringservices.com/dynamicrange.htm

(see the chart" it's specially telling.)

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Joined: 23 Sep 2006 Posts: 1078

http://www.cdmasteringservices.com/dynamicdeath.htm

1983 - Bryan Adams - Cuts Like a Knife (A&M CD-3288)

1999 - Ricky Martin (C2/Columbia CK 69891)

Joined: 30 Apr 2007 Posts: 152

This is quite puzzling. Like, WTF? Shocked

Joined: 23 Sep 2006 Posts: 1078

what do you mean?

It's been noted by a lot of people that recording labels are putting "louder, and louder" tracks. By changing the dynamics, essentially hijacking listeners "volume control"

It's a bit like television, when the commercial come in in the middle of a show, slightly louder and talking slightly faster to attract attention. It has nothing to do with if actual music is loud or not.

Think of it like your monitor or digital camera, you tweak the "intensity" button to make things brighter one way or another, but it ruins the saturation balance.

Joined: 30 Apr 2007 Posts: 152

Yeah I understood what you were saying but I meant puzzling and WTF in a way of: why would you mutilate music by making it louder if the person who's listening to the music has a remote control to adjust the volume anyway? You can make it as loud or as soft as you want to, the listener will always adjust his volume to a normal level anyway.

With TV commercials I can understand (and luckily is now prohibited by law, or at least so in the Netherlands) because the viewer has his volume adjusted to the particular program he's watching and the commercials will suddenly jump out. But this is not the case when listening to records. Unless you're using the shuffle function or your iPod or something.

Or are some people just lazy and don’t adjust their amp’s volume at all?

The increase in volume is very noticeable though, just compare The Smiths’ “The Queen is Dead” with any modern cd. I’ve always noticed the difference but still don’t see the benefit of increasing volume on the carrier if the actual listening volume is controlled by the amplifier and the volume level on the carrier itself remains somewhat stable.

I think it's even contra-productive because by making the sound uglier the listener automatically tends to turn his actual volume down to a lower level than what would have been the case with normal dynamics.

Joined: 23 Sep 2006 Posts: 1078

my theory:

iPod.
-bad lossy compression makes people want to turn it up looking for more detail. The background detail that is lost (because the lossy think it's too soft to be listened, is actually noticeably lost) And people think they can get it back by turning it slightly louder...

- bad earphone. same effect as above. except having a louder music actually does bring out detail out.

- walking around listening to iPod. softer music has to compete with background noise, and the louder one is more noticeable while not paying attention.

... or maybe everybody is turning deaf. lol.