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CD mastering a lost art?

Okay, so a lot of my stuff is packed for my move, including vinyl. I have been listening to my digital collection (ripped CDs and downloads). I was thinking how it is interesting how harsh all this music sounds. That "digital" argument.

Then a song from Nine Inch Nails' "Pretty Hate Machine" (Ringfinger) came up (a FLAC rip from the original release..yes 1988.) It sounded amazing. Clear, no harshness..almost analog.

So what's up? Studio tricks from over 20 years ago or has an art-form been lost?
affejunge
magfan
1,583 posts
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudness_war

This should answer some of the points raised above. Some talk of the war being over....I'm not sure and haven't heard enough very recent stuff to know.

The very first CD I ever bought...John Mayall, Eric Clapton as the 'Blues Breakers', recorded in some garage in the '60s still sounds amazing. Bought it the day I bought my first CD player....A Magnavox / Phillips FD1000. A 14 bit reference player.
tomcy6's avatar
tomcy6
2,587 posts
 
I agree that most cds aimed at the top 40 sound like crap, but I find that many artists out of the mainstream put out very good sounding cds. Most of the remasters of classic rock, country, blues and jazz sound very good also.

There's more good stuff out there than I can afford to buy.
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,833 posts
 
Tomcy6,

Agreed. There are some really great recordings out there off the beaten path that don't require that big of a walk to find. One just has to widen their tastes a bit, and look outside the mainstream labels. The sonic rewards can be breathtaking.
joekras
60 posts
 
Dynamic compensation, equalization, whatever. Tonally they are unlistenable. This major fault of most recordings is intentional. I know this to be the case because a "poorly recorded" CD sounds listenable on my ipad or in my car, and is horrific on my hifi. Maybe someone should make a modern high end audio CD player that is voiced accordingly.
bjesien
1,283 posts
 
Nicely said Mezmo. Too bad.
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