View Full Version : Why music sounds like crap these days
Here's a small portion of why music sounds like crap these days. Those of us that are older will remember what CDs used to sound like or even tapes and vinyl. They sounded nothing like the albums of today. For more info, look up loudness wars on wiki
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122228767729272339.html#project%3D
Hidro
09-25-2008, 07:27 PM
Wow that is bad....:rolleyes:
LowBuckX
09-25-2008, 09:04 PM
Heard the new Metallica album today and it was horrible.... This exsplains it.
Shiro666
09-26-2008, 05:38 AM
Mixing and recording heavy music is VERY difficult. Having listened to a lot of different types of Metal recorded with varying budgets, a good sound really seperates the men from the boys.Thoughtfull guitar and bass tones help too.
I have never liked Metallica's recording style. All I can ever hear is James Hetfield's Guitar and drums.
For a nicely balanced and recorded metal album, pick up Slayer's latest effort Christ Illusion.
Solid Gold!
Restomod
09-26-2008, 07:02 AM
Heard the new Metallica album today and it was horrible.... This exsplains it.
X2 They have been on a suckfest for several albums!
twosaturns
09-26-2008, 07:36 AM
the WSJ article hits home for me. years ago an audiophile friend (he had a $5K turntable, pre amp, dedicated power supplies, etc) would talk to me about dynamic range, and how digital music was 'compressed'. I remember doing an A-B comparison of U2's 'achtung baby' on CD and vinyl; the vinyl sounded SO much better, not as harsh.
more to the point of this article, I just 'rediscovered' my CD copy of Pink Floyd The Wall, that I bought some years ago. I had to turn up the volume all the way in my car to hear all the details. but that album is produced SO well, you can get the gentle childs talk and acoustic guitars all the way up to the helicopters and the smashing TVs. listening to this album reminds me why I hardly buy any new rock albums anymore.
EFI69Cam
09-26-2008, 08:32 AM
Heard the new Metallica album today and it was horrible.... This exsplains it.
Listen to the latter half of the CD. Its good.
Without Cliff Burton they will never match their first three albums, but this one is on par with the Black Album.
novanutcase
09-26-2008, 08:55 AM
It's all about frequencies and how you arrange them.......
When you are recording in a studio the best way to figure out if the mix is right is to listen to them on very small speakers. This will ferret out any levels or frequencies that are being stepped on or over lapping.
John
silver69camaro
09-26-2008, 09:32 AM
IMO vinyl and tube amps can't be beat. I love 'em.
Sure like my Marantz 2265 though. Something about the old transistor units that can make music come to life.
SHANE 73Z
09-26-2008, 02:38 PM
I must say that this article is the best explanation Ive seen that matches what my ears are tellin me.
I love the content, but agree the recording is surprising. It is the only CD I own that sounds good cranked up on my junk OEM head unit.
Shane
BonzoHansen
09-26-2008, 05:38 PM
this is perhaps the worst sounding CD I have ever heard. a sonic diaster. I hear it is being released on vinyl - if so I may buy it.
From a discussion I was in elsewhere...
SteveR, I am reading reports that the new Metallica album is a sonic mess. Waiting for some verification of this source, but damn.
I did not realize Rick 'I also like it all wrong' Rubin mixed this. I've read complaints about his work with Mars Volta too.
Distorted and clipped all to hell. Way to go, guys. Try reading this before releasing your next album...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudness_war
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2008/09/a2ymir-1.png
So the average reader here is probably saying "golly, why does this matter to me, I like it loud". It's not loud like 'my amp goes to 11'. It's a matter of complete loss of sonic quality. You lose the nuances, the 'light & shade'. Even metal has nuance. This can make a even a great song sound bad.
As once described to me, they could not do this with vinyl, they were actually physically controlled by the allowable size of the grooves in the record. Yet another reason why CDs killed music.
Good article on it: http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/17777619/the_death_of_high_fidelity
that was actual cd, as is this:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
Engineer disowns Metallica's 'Death Magnetic'
Metallica fans have been complaining about the quality of the CD recording of the band's new album, 'Death Magnetic', with many saying the version available on the 'Guitar Hero' computer game is better.
A YouTube clip comparing sound on the two formats can be viewed by clicking on the video below.
Fans have complained on internet forums that the dynamic range heard on the CD version is not as good as the 'Guitar Hero' version, reports Musicradar.com.
While many fans have blamed the mastering process used on the album, Ted Jensen of Sterling Sound, who mastered the album, has reportedly written a forum post about the process.
"I'm certainly sympathetic to your reaction, I get to slam my head against that brick wall every day," he wrote. "In this case the mixes were already brick-walled before they arrived at my place.
"Suffice to say I would never be pushed to overdrive things as far as they are here. Believe me, I'm not proud to be associated with this one, and we can only hope that some good will come from this in some form of backlash against volume above all else."
Source: nme.com (http://www.nme.com/news/metallica/39816)
Youtube Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRyIACDCc1I
For any of you enterprising folks looking for a good version of the Death Magnetic album, go find the rips of the guitar hero metallica game. Guitar hero had to use pre engineered recordings so no loudness was put in. Pirate Bay I'm sure has it
BonzoHansen
09-30-2008, 05:30 AM
For any of you enterprising folks looking for a good version of the Death Magnetic album, go find the rips of the guitar hero metallica game. Guitar hero had to use pre engineered recordings so no loudness was put in. Pirate Bay I'm sure has it
I've been told that too. I heard (no conform) they are releasing it on vinyl - if so I may grab that
go-fish
09-30-2008, 07:01 AM
I just 'rediscovered' my CD copy of Pink Floyd The Wall, that I bought some years ago. I had to turn up the volume all the way in my car to hear all the details. but that album is produced SO well, you can get the gentle childs talk and acoustic guitars all the way up to the helicopters and the smashing TVs. listening to this album reminds me why I hardly buy any new rock albums anymore.
Pink Floyd's music is probably the best mixed and engineered, E V A R !!!
Listening to the music is like watching a good movie. I can pop in their music and sit down on the couch and just listen for an hour.
I bought Death Magnetic and I think it was pretty good money spent. The songs sound more like early Metalica than the previous 4. The instrumental is kikass. Could it be mixed better? Of course.
go-fish
09-30-2008, 07:04 AM
this is perhaps the worst sounding CD I have ever heard. a sonic diaster.
Sure aint now Misty Mountain Hop, What Is and What Should Never Be, Black Dog, or Ramble On. :headbang:
GBodyGMachine
09-30-2008, 07:22 AM
0XgHBWuwNp0
XLexusTech
09-30-2008, 07:25 AM
Music sounds so Horriable today beacuse of MTV :-)
go-fish
09-30-2008, 08:27 AM
Music sounds so Horriable today beacuse of MTV :-)
Why? That isn't a music oriented channel. Did you see the Hills last night. Loren totally busted Stephanie. She was sooo trying to see Doug on the DL. Brodie was so right about Steph.
Bring back the 80's hair bands:git:
XLexusTech
09-30-2008, 08:57 AM
Why.
IMHO the Garbage that passes for music today has been bolsterd up by MTV and popular media. The net effect on both the music and the culture has been devistating. Unless you think your kids trying to imulate I guy whos got his name selling 50 cent crack rocks is a good thing.
go-fish
09-30-2008, 09:36 AM
I was sarcasticaly trying to say that they don't even play music anymore. FYI
Scott Parkhurst
09-30-2008, 10:02 AM
The fact you had to explain yourself is the funniest thing I've read on here in ages.
go-fish
09-30-2008, 10:27 AM
I guess not everyone watches Road Rules, The Hills, Real World, Exiled,My Super Sweet 16, Parental Control, Made, Busted, Making The Band, I Want To Work For Diddy, From G's to Gents, Runs House, I love New York, .......
J/k. I don't watch anything on MTV. I just flipped through the Channel Guide and some from memory.
Whatever happend to the days when Remote Control was the only show other than vids?
I still miss the news updates. Remember, the one with the planet and then the typewriter keys punhing it.
Remember Spring Break coverage and Nelson songs?
maldo
09-30-2008, 11:37 AM
:sick:
megaladon6
09-30-2008, 03:48 PM
Bring back the 80's hair bands:git:
the real 80's hair(y) bands are still around;motorhead, slayer, ozzy, black sabbath, megadeth, sepultura, anthrax, exodus, testament...
XLexusTech
09-30-2008, 04:38 PM
I was sarcasticaly trying to say that they don't even play music anymore. FYI
No way really ... seriously I wounldn't have known.....
And if you believe that I have a bride for sale
nekkidhillbilly
09-30-2008, 10:29 PM
Listen to the latter half of the CD. Its good.
Without Cliff Burton they will never match their first three albums, but this one is on par with the Black Album.
which is when they began to suck i hate them anymore
nekkidhillbilly
09-30-2008, 10:30 PM
the real 80's hair(y) bands are still around;motorhead, slayer, ozzy, black sabbath, megadeth, sepultura, anthrax, exodus, testament...
plus you got alot of new that dont get airplay on regular radio or tv
black label society
I know the 80's bands are still around, but only place you can see them is on VH1. Check out 181.FM on the internet, you can listen to just about every type of music, including 80's hairbands.
go-fish
10-01-2008, 01:02 PM
Sirius Radio Hair Nation!
megaladon6
10-01-2008, 03:50 PM
plus you got alot of new that dont get airplay on regular radio or tv
black label society
i was going only with the ones from the 80's.
i love my sirius radio, between Hard Attack, octane and buzzsaw, i barely touch my CD's anymore.
Tony_SS
10-02-2008, 05:22 AM
With Metallica, all good things ended with Justice. They can compensate with loudness, but they'll never be young again.
BonzoHansen
10-02-2008, 09:45 AM
Sure aint now Misty Mountain Hop, What Is and What Should Never Be, Black Dog, or Ramble On. :headbang:
I hate 2 of those 4 songs.
If you think the audio quality on the Death Magnetic album sucks, get the guitar hero rips. I have them and the songs sound great now. Broken, beat, and scared sounded good but now sounds great. Night and day difference. I think I may actually like this album now. Unforgiven III is great
bobbaganoosh
10-04-2008, 03:45 PM
While I agree that the way most of these newer bands' music is recorded probably affects the way it sounds, there is another reason it sounds like crap. BECAUSE IT IS CRAP! I'm 34 & I've listened to hard rock & metal most of my life, and in the past few years it seems like the genre has taken a turn for the worse. It's either emo whining or just noise. There are some exceptions but alot of this stuff I can't get into.
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