2. analog
  3. 119720-40

Is New Vinyl Exempt from Loudness Wars?

I'm seeing new vinyl sold in many unexpected places these days.  

For those who have bought a lot of new vinyl,  I'm wondering if these tend to be mastered differently from similar newer CD  remasters that often show effects of the "Loudness Wars"?

Is it a mixed bag perhaps?   Much like CDs?

I wonder because if I knew there was a different mastering done for new vinyl I might consider buying some if I knew. 

But new vinyl is expensive and I would not want to get essentially the same end result in regards to sound quality as I would get with CD for much less.

Just wondering.
128x128mapman
audiotomb's avatar
audiotomb
1,112 posts
 

the new Peter Gabriel went to 45 rpm

they seem to put great care into everything but the sound

I have original US

first press UK

Japanese

Classic Albums from 2002

all from analog sources

sound great (us originals a little murky)


not sure what these are but they sound dreadful

lots of detail and dynamics but the top end sounds shrill and way off on tonal balance - no warmth in midrange


Amy Winehouse

BTB, Frank, Lioness

US - bright

UK- a little less bright

new box - haven’t opened it yet


Allah Las - new album

shrill on the lp

tonally balanced on the cd


new Booker T all crap shrill


who lets this stuff out to the masses

geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
"Geoffkait do you listen to Led Zeppelin through your Sony Walkman or through a regular stereo ? I have a problem with Led Zep. If I do put it on the Spl’s usually end up going high and I get in trouble."

Zeppelin CDs and cassettes as vintage as possible through Sony Walkman CD and Cassette players using vintage Sony Walkman Ultralight headphones. Is there such a thing as SPLs that are too high for Zeppelin?
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Next up, Rolling Stones.

Rolling Stones vinyl

Vintage vinyl

The Rolling Stones Between the Buttons [vinyl] i 1967   12 10 15 lossless Unknown
The Rolling Stones Some Girls (Australia CUN 39108) i 1978   13 12 15 lossless Vinyl
Rolling Stones It's Only Rock 'n Roll 1974 14 11 15 lossless Vinyl
Rolling Stones Out Of Our Heads 1976         12 10 13 lossless Vinyl
Rolling Stones Aftermath i 1984         14 12 14 lossless Vinyl
Rolling Stones Let It Bleed 1969         13 12 14 lossless Vinyl
The Rolling Stones Tattoo You [vinyl] 1981 13 12 15 lossless Vinyl
The Rolling Stones Miss You [12" vinyl] i. 1978   15 14 16 lossless Unknown
The Rolling Stones Exile On Main St. [vinyl] i 1973   12 10 14 lossless Unknown

Recent vinyl

The Rolling Stones Wild Horses (Acoustic Version)/Dead Flowers [7" vinyl] i 2015   10 10 10 lossless Vinyl
The Rolling Stones Sweet Summer Sun - Hyde Park Live [vinyl] i 2013                 09 08 12 lossless Vinyl
The Rolling Stones A Bigger Bang [Vinyl] i 2005   10 09 12 lossless Unknown
The Rolling Stones Doom And Gloom [Vinyl] i 2012   10 10 10 lossless Unknown

Here are some comparisons of CD vs Vinyl

The Rolling Stones Bridges to Babylon [vinyl] 1997   12 11 14 lossless Unknown
The Rolling Stones Bridges to Babylon (2009 Remaster) i 2009   06 05 07 lossless Unknown
The Rolling Stones Bridges to Babylon i 1997   07 06 08 lossless Unknown

The Rolling Stones A Bigger Band (Special Edition--CD only) i 2005   06  05  08 lossless Unknown
The Rolling Stones A Bigger Bang [Vinyl] i 2005   10  09  12 lossless Unknown

- cheers

















audiotomb's avatar
audiotomb
1,112 posts
 

can someone interprete these numbers


is it lowest level   highest level  dynamic range?


I would think the first number has to be lower


a 12 13 15 not as good as a 9 13


to me it's more - does it sound shrill and lack mid range and low level detail

mapman's avatar
mapman OP
22,304 posts
 
As I recall the three numbers are:

1. DR for the entire album/release
2. DR of the track with minimum DR
3. DR of the track with highest DR

So it tells you not just range for the whole album/release, but which tracks are best and worse. First number should always be in the range of second and third I would expect (average is somewhere in the range of min and max).

I don’t know how the site is managed or how the numbers are verified or not.

My gut interpretation from what I have seen so far is the numbers are of interest but should be taken with a grain of salt or two.    I personally would not use this alone to determine what to buy unless overall dynamic range is all one cares about.  I have many wonderful sounding recordings that do not rate particularly high here.  Amy Winehouse Back in Black is a good example.

Maybe others have more insight regarding the reliability of the numbers reported.
More to discover