Quote:
Originally Posted by Xcacel
That’s quite interesting (at least for me). We are going a bit off topic here, but since you seem to know much, let me ask you a couple of questions:
• which program did you use to estimate DR from DMB albums?
• if I understood right, it doesn’t make too much sense to compare DR from different albums, but instead you can compare the different versions (vinyl vs digital) of the same album. Is that correct?
• what is the purpose to apply dynamic compression, for example on the case that you mentioned? Why they do that, and what happened that forced you to complain?
• can you explain better what you mean with aggressive mastering?
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1) I now exclusively use foobar2000 but way back in the old days it was early incarnations of the TT meter. I don't believe any old albums need to be redone as it is functionality/GUI that has changed, not methodology.
2) It doesn't make much sense other than to see whether an artist is getting better (DMB Live Trax) or worse (DMB studio) over time. You can compare different versions of the same album for sure. Taking a look at the Rage Against the Machine debut:
Original release mastered by Bob Ludwig - DR9
20th anniversary (XX) disgrace by Vlado Meller - DR6
Audio Fidelity SACD remaster by Steve Hoffman - DR11
Either the original mastering or the SACD both sound great, the original US vinyl is praised universally and was cut AAA by Bob as the original mix is 1/2" 30 ips tape. The SACD was mastered direct to DSD from said tape. The XX remaster sounds like someone is jamming knifes into your ears. I believe the vinyl could sound better cut over four sides vs two due to the type of material and running time. The SACD is heavenly.
Vinyl DR scores are, for me, completely useless. Sounds like the next revamp of the DR database will include a suggestion I've made a few times over the years, have a toggle on/off to include vinyl in the results. This measures an exact digital file that will be identical no matter how many times you or I send it to each other and measure it. No two vinyl rips of the same record will be identical even if they have the same DR score. The founder of Dynamic Range Day, mastering engineer Ian Shepherd, explains more here:
https://productionadvice.co.uk/tt-meter-not-for-vinyl/
3) For Peppers50 lots of people complained because why on Earth did they have to make it sound so loud? It's The Beatles! We don't need them to sound like Metallica. They didn't master the 2009 stereo releases like that, so why start now? Fortunately they listened. Why do mastering engineers do that? Who knows why it happened? At first, perhaps to stand out more? I remember in 1992 Dirt from Alice in Chains sounded so much louder than all the other CDs we had in regular rotation. Not anymore! And with all the platforms like Spotify, Apple, YouTube, etc., adding their own reductions to avoid blasting the listener, this style of mastering no longer makes sense but continues. Is it the artist? Mastering engineer just doing what they assume will be wanted? Producer? A&R guy? Just stop it already! There is nothing wrong with carefully utilized compression, but it went to silly levels some time around 1995 with Oasis and now we all look back in anger. (Pretty sure that was Vlado Meller who did What's The Story)
4) Any number of things that compromise the original dynamics of the performance or make things sound strained or almost distorted. The way I relate to it is...hyper compression, brickwalling, clipping, etc., when used egregiously result in you wanting to turn it down over extended listening sessions. Well-mastered material should make you want to turn it up.
For an example, you can listen to
this well known video with one caveat - don't change the volume midway or you lose the effect and thus the point.
Some other good reading/info:
Kevin Gray (well known lacquer cutter and mastering enginner, cut Luther College vinyl and the hope was he was going to do BTCS all analogue) -
https://web.archive.org/web/20110704...?go=cdloudness
Greg Reierson from Rare Form Mastering "The Loudness War Is Over" (not yet, sadly) -
https://www.mixonline.com/news/loudness-war-over-420885
Friedemann Tischmeyer (founder of Pleasurize Music and the first TT DR meter) -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUcgg2vMX_s
Bob Ludwig praising Axl for choosing the most dynamic of three separate masterings he prepared for Chinese Democracy -
https://web.archive.org/web/20120211...udnessWars.asp
Hope that helps explain things a little more! Sorry if some bits are jumbled or poor grammar - I broke my right wrist a fortnight ago and typing is laborious.