The Loudness War
Category music recording
WARNING! Extreme Audio Geekiness Ahead!
There is this thing going on in the recording and audiophile communities called The Loudness War. This has to do with some of the recording techniques implemented in recent years that are causing audio tracks to sound less dynamic and more muddy. No, were not going to get into the CD vs analog argument here. This one has nothing to do with the medium itself. It has to do with engineers using compression and cranking the volume up to be as loud as the next guy so he gets noticed. Let me explain.
When recording, engineers use a process called compression. It can be either a hardware compressor or plugin in the audio software. It's main purpose is to make sure that one track is not way louder than the others. Its so when the vocalist lets out that glassbreaking scream he's not so dominant on the mix that you can't hear anything else. So, inherently, this reduces the range of sound in a recording (range being the lowest level of volume to the highest). There is no way around it, it has to be done. Compressors have been around for a long time so they are nothing new. But misused it can be abused. So what's the problem?
In most people's eyes (or ears rather) louder is better in the sense that it grabs you more easily. So, you want to grab the listeners ears you turn up the volume. And since everyone else is doing the same thing you have to, too. Else your track sounds wimpy and weak compared to their loud monster. In essence, when they use compression in this way they are keeping the louds loud and the softs loud as well. So you lose that dramatic range. Paul Lamere has a pretty good post that brings up lots of numbers and analysis.
This video gives a great example of why this is a problem.
OK, OK. I know there are bigger issues in this world to think about. But this is annoying. As the video shows, by doing this the engineers have taken the EQ and volume control away from you, the listener. Metallica's newest CD, "Death Magnetic" is a good example of this. Yes, I know, metal is loud. And I love my metal. But its loud and distorted and all at the same level with little range and it sounds bad.
Go listen to your stuff and let me know what you think. And remember - just because it's "remastered" doesn't mean it sounds better
WARNING! Extreme Audio Geekiness Ahead!
There is this thing going on in the recording and audiophile communities called The Loudness War. This has to do with some of the recording techniques implemented in recent years that are causing audio tracks to sound less dynamic and more muddy. No, were not going to get into the CD vs analog argument here. This one has nothing to do with the medium itself. It has to do with engineers using compression and cranking the volume up to be as loud as the next guy so he gets noticed. Let me explain.
When recording, engineers use a process called compression. It can be either a hardware compressor or plugin in the audio software. It's main purpose is to make sure that one track is not way louder than the others. Its so when the vocalist lets out that glassbreaking scream he's not so dominant on the mix that you can't hear anything else. So, inherently, this reduces the range of sound in a recording (range being the lowest level of volume to the highest). There is no way around it, it has to be done. Compressors have been around for a long time so they are nothing new. But misused it can be abused. So what's the problem?
In most people's eyes (or ears rather) louder is better in the sense that it grabs you more easily. So, you want to grab the listeners ears you turn up the volume. And since everyone else is doing the same thing you have to, too. Else your track sounds wimpy and weak compared to their loud monster. In essence, when they use compression in this way they are keeping the louds loud and the softs loud as well. So you lose that dramatic range. Paul Lamere has a pretty good post that brings up lots of numbers and analysis.
This video gives a great example of why this is a problem.
OK, OK. I know there are bigger issues in this world to think about. But this is annoying. As the video shows, by doing this the engineers have taken the EQ and volume control away from you, the listener. Metallica's newest CD, "Death Magnetic" is a good example of this. Yes, I know, metal is loud. And I love my metal. But its loud and distorted and all at the same level with little range and it sounds bad.
Go listen to your stuff and let me know what you think. And remember - just because it's "remastered" doesn't mean it sounds better