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Can CD's be loud and ok?

I've read on an other thread how a lot of new releases on CD are overcompressed or eq'd to distortion levels.
Certainly heard that on the last Jayhawks record.
However,surely (or maybe not)CD's can be mastered to a higher volume without distorting the original recording?
Yes?
No?
Just that I have some new CD's that are loud but seem (to me at least)to have a good balanced sound.
Madonna's last record and the last Blur album sound like that to me(to name but 2)-loud in regards to some older CD's.
Likewise if you listen to remastered versions they do get noticeably louder.
Check out Pink Floyd's DSOM from Mob.Fid to the 94 version to the SACD hybrid.
ben_campbell
Post removed 
ben_campbell OP
1,169 posts
 
Ok I'll put it another way because I am still confused.
Is it possible to make a good recording without compression and the CD sound reasonably loud.
No?
Yes?
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,215 posts
 
The latest Steely Dan release is mixed loud, but it sounds quite good. The audible distortion you hear on some records is because at some point in the recording process they exceeded digital zero. Sometimes this is done by accident, and though it's hard to believe, sometimes it's done on purpose. To call an engineer's use of compression distortion is to miss it's creative uses. Virtually all of your classic (60's - 80's) rock has used compression as a creative device. Check out the Kinks "All Day & All of the Night". One of the reasons alot of professionals love recording to analog tape is the gentle compression effect it gives. Vinyl mastering also has some well known compression artifacts.
ben_campbell OP
1,169 posts
 
Ah now were getting somewhere thank you Onhwy61......
trelja
3,223 posts
 
Lucinda Williams' "Car Wheels On A Gravel Road" is both one of the loudest and best sounding CDs I have ever come across.

It is an HDCD, and easily sounds better than a "normal" CD on a regular player. But, on my HDCD player, the difference becomes much larger.
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