5 ms·
I have it set to "Very High" and have their normalisation turned off. I can provide samples demonstrating distortion and break-up; the waveforms even look compl
by willtim 6y ago
I have it set to "Very High" and have their normalisation turned off. I can provide samples demonstrating distortion and break-up; the waveforms even look completely different visually. It's even audible over non-audiophile headphones. On my HD800S it's unlistenable. I have no idea what they are doing to the sound, but I have found many recordings that sound awful on both Android and Windows.
- raverbashing 6y agoThen I'd think it's the "audio watermarking" some companies insist on using. Because for some rights holders, you're paying for their product but f-you nonetheless. Edit: watermarking not fingerprinting
- xnx 6y agoFingerprinting or watermarking?
- SSLy 6y agoWould you be able to share specific passages? The neighbour commenter mentioned fingerprinting, it might be that or bad master.
- willtim 6y agoSure, one example is the first minute opening of Osmo Vanska's Mahler 5. The big crescendo between 40-45 seconds sounds particularly bad, lots of break-up and distortion. Sounds fantastic on the CD.
- kingosticks 6y agoThis https://open.spotify.com/album/1V5q6IEheMUjOTYJar4f54 https://open.spotify.com/album/1V5q6IEheMUjOTYJar4f54 ? It sounds fine to me but the exact copy I get might well be different to you if we are in different regions.
- kingosticks 6y agoThe Spotify version sounds identical to the tidal "hifi" version (to me). I'm actually pretty curious now what this amazing CD version sounds like! I'm currently on a Tidal free trial but I won't be moving from Spotify when it's up. I personally can't tell the difference. Maybe I'm half deaf but ignorence is bliss.
- willtim 6y agoI've uploaded a small example, a small clip taken from the CD followed by the same clip captured from Spotify: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1F3NvOpqcMfvNSmyyvbgfUlV6XMO1HLJ5/view?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/file/d/1F3NvOpqcMfvNSmyyvbgfUlV6XMO...
- kingosticks 6y agoCool, thanks! I had a go at a comparison. This is Spotify ("Very high" and volume normalization disabled), then Tidal ("HiFi") and then yours (CD then Spotify). https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Stns23J5aRoj9EeZBVKrX35Cxfhjdg3C/view?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Stns23J5aRoj9EeZBVKrX35Cxfh... https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rAITjrK39fiJYOT53ghq9DbC-e4AAlnn/view?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rAITjrK39fiJYOT53ghq9DbC-e4... If it's helpful for you, the code 'LIDLMUSIC' gives a free 6-month Tidal trial. It might be UK specific I have no idea.
- willtim 6y agoVery strange, I can confirm that your Spotify sample does sound much better than my one. Mine sounds identical on Windows and Android though, two very different platforms, so it may indeed be a UK problem. Thank you very much for the code.
- SonOfLilit 6y agoLinks: https://open.spotify.com/track/2in7T2TWPkJW6Z6Ih9P4Ew?si=7e65d98c5ae74195 https://open.spotify.com/track/2in7T2TWPkJW6Z6Ih9P4Ew?si=7e6... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTcl20dgHSM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTcl20dgHSM Sounds identical (and very noisy) on Spotify and Youtube on my very crappy laptop speakers. I don't own the CD.
- willtim 6y agoThis reply might be interesting: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26354999 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26354999
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]
- svantana 6y agoThat sounds more like error on the label's/uploader's behalf? Most often that should be the same across platforms, including lossless. I've heard cd skips, vinyl crackle and tape warble on spotify so I know what you mean.
- jakub_g 6y agoMight be related: https://www.mattmontag.com/music/universals-audible-watermark https://www.mattmontag.com/music/universals-audible-watermar...