Better mastered music could be on the way!
Hmmm, now where is that receipt of that Prefab Sprout: Jordan The Comeback CD I forced my parents to buy me for my 17th birthday???? Does that store even exist anymore? 
Oh enforcers here, where were you all those years ago 
Awww, you're over-tired, bless ya.
Hmmm, now where is that receipt of that Prefab Sprout: Jordan The Comeback CD I forced my parents to buy me for my 17th birthday???? Does that store even exist anymore? Oh enforcers here, where were you all those years ago
Awww, you're over-tired, bless ya.
And on that note I shall get some shut-eye Alec 
Hmmm, now where is that receipt of that Prefab Sprout: Jordan The Comeback CD I forced my parents to buy me for my 17th birthday???? Does that store even exist anymore? Oh enforcers here, where were you all those years ago
Awww, you're over-tired, bless ya.
aaand....better mastered music could be on the way! 
Better mastered music has been with us for years Cno, but it's just not followed across the (mixing) board. For every Barry Diament or Joe Gastwirt, there's somebody who's busy crunching something up into a near unlistenable mess.
Better mastered music has been with us for years Cno, but it's just not followed across the (mixing) board. For every Barry Diament or Joe Gastwirt, there's somebody who's busy crunching something up into a near unlistenable mess.
Not disagreeing......but giving a gentle reminder of what we're all supposed to be discussing.
Here's a reminder of what the loudness war is all about.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers album 'Californication' is famous for being one of the worst victims of the loudness war. The retail released CD version of this album is so bad that I actually thought the speakers were broken the first time I heard it on a decent hifi.
Hmmm, now where is that receipt of that Prefab Sprout: Jordan The Comeback CD I forced my parents to buy me for my 17th birthday???? Does that store even exist anymore? Oh enforcers here, where were you all those years ago
That would've been your parents responsibility - nae luck son!
Jings, out of all the CDs ye've got, you had to pick to one you never bought... #epicfail
The point is that they should both have the same amount of dynamic range.
They do.
No they do not.
Please take a careful look at these three pictures again. The downloaded Linn MP3 is differerent to the 'no compromise' studio FLAC version. But the MP3 that I converted myself looks (and sounds) exactly the same as the 24bit FLAC version.
Downloaded Linn MP3
Downloaded Linn 24bit FLAC (this is the 'no compromise' studio mastered version)
My MP3 converted from the Linn 24bit FLAC file
Yes see it now.
The best speakers in the world only have a continuous SPL of 120db's, likes of BW and ATC's. And with room noise around 30 db's there is only around 90db's of listenable range, with lesser (normal) speakers around 75 to 80db's, 13bit.
. . . around 90db's of listenable range, with lesser (normal) speakers around 75 to 80db's, 13bit.
Which is probably equivalent to, or a bit better than the best vinyl, most of which is about 10 to 12 bit equivalency, and can sound extremely good.
Properly implemented 16 bit CD sounds wonderful, with no surface noise, no end-of-side distortion, and dynamic range which exceeds human hearing and room environments.
Whilst 24 bit is necessary in the digital recording domain only (for mathematical reasons), no replay system can exceed approx 20 bit performance due to thermal noise at normal temperatures. Even then human hearing cannot discern that level of performance by a long chalk.
Having made a 24 bit recording, there is no reason why it should not be used for replay purposes, other than file sizes, which consume bandwidth, but it is not possible for humans to appreciate anything better than 16 bit.
Sampling rates higher than 44kHz do not provide any humanly audible information, in the replay environment, but they do make the construction of the recording equipment slightly easier (filter slopes, etc), Even this advantage is diminished by modern digital technology.
A well recorded, and well produced (sensibly mastered), recording is a pleasure to listen to, in the replay environment, regardless of medium or format.
JC
. . . around 90db's of listenable range, with lesser (normal) speakers around 75 to 80db's, 13bit.
Which is probably equivalent to, or a bit better than the best vinyl, most of which is about 10 to 12 bit equivalency, and can sound extremely good.
Properly implemented 16 bit CD sounds wonderful, with no surface noise, no end-of-side distortion, and dynamic range which exceeds human hearing and room environments.
Whilst 24 bit is necessary in the digital recording domain only (for mathematical reasons), no replay system can exceed approx 20 bit performance due to thermal noise at normal temperatures. Even then human hearing cannot discern that level of performance by a long chalk.
Having made a 24 bit recording, there is no reason why it should not be used for replay purposes, other than file sizes, which consume bandwidth, but it is not possible for humans to appreciate anything better than 16 bit.
Sampling rates higher than 44kHz do not provide any humanly audible information, in the replay environment, but they do make the construction of the recording equipment slightly easier (filter slopes, etc), Even this advantage is diminished by modern digital technology.
A well recorded, and well produced (sensibly mastered), recording is a pleasure to listen to, in the replay environment, regardless of medium or format.
JC
good posting. we need more posts like this! improves S/N ratio.
Here's a reminder of what the loudness war is all about.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers album 'Californication' is famous for being one of the worst victims of the loudness war. The retail released CD version of this album is so bad that I actually thought the speakers were broken the first time I heard it on a decent hifi.
Here's a (very loosely) related thread on the AVI forum that you might find interesting.
Hmmm, now where is that receipt of that Prefab Sprout: Jordan The Comeback CD I forced my parents to buy me for my 17th birthday???? Does that store even exist anymore?
Oh enforcers here, where were you all those years ago 
Arcam Solo Mini/Monitor Audio RX1/Cambridge Audio 751BD/Samsung 37” LCD