Annoying trend? New vinyl equalization and compression


Hi...I searched discussions and didn’t find much mention of this. Direct me if there is a thread.

Is this just a few of the recent (maybe last 5 years or so) albums I’ve picked up reissued on vinyl or a trend by the big manufacturers (such as Rhino records etc.....not talking about "audiophile" Mofi etc.).....

-------Albums sound dynamically compressed, thick in the bass and very rolled off on top--------.

Of the thousands of albums I have.....these recent pressings/purchases have this same sound.

A couple recents.....David Bowie Scary Monsters, A new Samantha Fish Death Wish Blues, A reissue of Ozzy Osborne Blizzard of Oz etc.

Not sure if this might be an EQ that compliments new vinyl purchasers and sounds better on USB or maybe inexpensive tables or systems???

Or is it just a few of the releases I purchased and not so widespread?

 

foeraus

 

dogberry

361 posts

 

I don't know that it is a new trend: there have always been dreadful sounding records of otherwise good music. You have to know which ones you have and refrain from using them when comparing two pieces of equipment! I have many records I love that I would never ever use for such a comparison, and a few that I'm don't particularly care for as music, but which make great records for comparisons.
 

These recent releases all have this sameness of sound that….it may either be a trend….or the same engineer….either way, I really don’t like it.

Shame. So glad I held on to my LPs for over 50 years. It was a real pain with every move but so worth it.

My son and his girlfriend are around 40 and have one of those junk suitcase players.  She is so proud of the expensive lps that they buy from Barnes and Noble.  One time I couldn’t refrain from expressing my true feelings instead of just politely sitting through the sonic dreck and she hasn’t spoken to me since (yes, there were other issues, this seems to have been the straw).

  Are 90% of new lps being played back on such systems?  And is compression being used to accommodate them?  I listen primarily to Classical so I am out of touch as to what transpires in other genres.  One never sees the Audiophile press, when they crow about the triumph of vinyl over CD, mention any of this.  They assume that all purchasers are connoisseurs such as inhabit this site, not the gullible