2 ms·

What’s really funny about this is that although CDs objectively can present a greater dynamic range, the loudness wars have created a lot of highly compressed C

What’s really funny about this is that although CDs objectively can present a greater dynamic range, the loudness wars have created a lot of highly compressed CDs that do sound worse than a lot of vinyl, where it often seems that more cars is taken with mastering because of the limitations of the medium. Additionally, a lot of early 80s albums sound better on vinyl because digital mastering wasn’t as good then. It is an absolutely night and day difference between my vinyl copy of Unknown Pleasures and my CD.

Nav_Panel 4y ago
Yep. This is why I like buying original 80s CDs where they just chucked the master tape onto a digital disk, rather than post-2000 reissues where they slap a limiter on the master and jack it up +8 dB.
btown 4y ago
> it often seems that more cars is taken with mastering I know this was a typo, but tools like https://shop.audified.com/products/mixchecker https://shop.audified.com/products/mixchecker (with a literal "sedan" button) and articles like https://ask.audio/articles/the-final-mix-using-your-car https://ask.audio/articles/the-final-mix-using-your-car are sadly indicative of the emphasis in modern mastering on sounding good on car speakers - which is the entire problem in a nutshell.
- palimpsests 4y ago
  modern mastering does not optimize fidelity in a car at the expense of other modes of listening, and these articles do not indicate as such. modern mastering does take into account a highly popular listening environment, to ensure that the mix sounds good there as well. the second article you posted is talking about using a car as one of several environments in which to test a mix. because it’s a “known” reference in a real-world environment (your ears are used to listening to mastered music on a car stereo).

2 ms·

What’s really funny about this is that although CDs objectively can present a greater dynamic range, the loudness wars have created a lot of highly compressed C

by cammikebrown 4y ago

Nav_Panel 4y ago
Yep. This is why I like buying original 80s CDs where they just chucked the master tape onto a digital disk, rather than post-2000 reissues where they slap a limiter on the master and jack it up +8 dB.
btown 4y ago
> it often seems that more cars is taken with mastering I know this was a typo, but tools like https://shop.audified.com/products/mixchecker https://shop.audified.com/products/mixchecker (with a literal "sedan" button) and articles like https://ask.audio/articles/the-final-mix-using-your-car https://ask.audio/articles/the-final-mix-using-your-car are sadly indicative of the emphasis in modern mastering on sounding good on car speakers - which is the entire problem in a nutshell.
- palimpsests 4y ago
  modern mastering does not optimize fidelity in a car at the expense of other modes of listening, and these articles do not indicate as such. modern mastering does take into account a highly popular listening environment, to ensure that the mix sounds good there as well. the second article you posted is talking about using a car as one of several environments in which to test a mix. because it’s a “known” reference in a real-world environment (your ears are used to listening to mastered music on a car stereo).