ralphpnj wrote: > I'm not sure but I believe that the dynamic range compression used on so > many popular music CDs is the result of trying to push the overall > volume of the CD way, way up. Remember that dynamic range compression > was originally used on radio broadcasts to make the quiet passages > louder so that there was never anything close to silence, and silence, > aka dead air, is a major no-no in broadcasting. But when one boosts the > quiet passages one must also lower the loud passages otherwise these > loud passages get way too loud, hence the result is dynamic range > compression. > > So it's not just dynamic range compression but also an overall boosting > of the volume level. One can test this by simply playing an older CD, > say from the early 1990s, and then playing a new CD, say from the last > few years, and comparing where the volume knob is set for each CD to > produce the same relative volume. > > Edit: In other words, for the CD first everything is compressed and then > the volume level for the entire compressed recording is raised. So now > all the music is way above the noise floor but also very near the > highest available level. > > Finally I believe that there are several "masters" in use when making a > CD or an LP. There's the master tape, which is then used to make a > separate CD master and then a different LP master. Since the overall > volume of an LP can't be boosted like that of CD there is no reason to > use as much dynamic range compression on the LP master. > > Please note that if anything above is not correct, then by all means > post a correction.
I agree. Overall volume was probably the driver (no pun intended), necessitated by the propensity of yoofs to stick low quality earbud speakers into their ears for use with mp3 players (or more likely m4a players from a well known brand) with only a low power amp on board. The buds you get with your standard player device are not of the highest quality. I can't stand them - even the expensive ones which do have a wee bit of bass are rubbish IMHO. Regular followers of the "What are you listening to..." thread will know that I do use various iOS devices with iPeng player but I use an inline headphone amp and a decent pair of B&Ws. I would also suggest those people that listen to Classical or Jazz music are less likely to do so using an mp3 player and therefore the need to "boost" the volume just isn't there. I am generalising but in the main they are a more mature bunch. On the question of masters. There are usually more than a couple. As I understand it the process was to take the original and then copy it to a number of secondary masters for use in the manufacturing process which could in turn be copied for re-mastering purposes etc etc. *Vortexbox LMS 7.8 music on QNAP TS419p via NFS* iThingys/iPeng/Tablets *Living Room* - SB3 -> Onkyo TS606 - > Celestion Ditton F20s - Zone 2 -> Sony TA FE 320 -> Sennheiser RS 130 & B&W P7 *Office* - RPi -> Sony TA FE320 -> Celestion F10s / SB3 -> Onkyo CRN 755 -> Wharfedale Modus Cubes *Dining Room* -> SB Boom *Kitchen* -> UE Radio (upgraded to SB Radio) *Bedroom (Bedside)* - SB Touch -> Topping TP21 -> AKG Headphones *Bedroom (TV)* - Amazon Fire TV (SB Player) -> Topping TP20 -> Wharfedale Modus Cubes ------------------------------------------------------------------------ d6jg's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=44051 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105070 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles
