Do old CDs just sound better?

Laundrew · « **on:** 4 Nov 2012, 05:47 pm »

Is a picture always worth a thousand words?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TlQo9k827c&feature=related

Be well...

mkaiser · « **Reply #1 on:** 4 Nov 2012, 08:44 pm »

That's the first time i ever heard that modern CD's sound worse than the ones from the earlier days. Every site i've read always went on about how lousy digital recordings were back then. Just google and you will quickly find out.
However, it doesn't surprise me that people out there "buck the trend".... it certainly fits with regards to audiophiles - one day it is awesome, tomorrow it is shit.....

Mark

Mag · « **Reply #2 on:** 4 Nov 2012, 08:46 pm »

I don't think all new cds are hyper compressed like that! I can usually tell when listening which cds are hyper-compressed that I have and I can only think of three off hand, and I don't listen to them anymore.

Another factor is many cds, particularly Sony, are not redbook standard but called cd compatible. They don't have the proper thickness. A good example of this is the cd layer of sacds. I've tranferred the cd layer from sacds to cd-r and it sounds a heck of a lot better.

In fact I transferred almost my entire originals to cd-r and I use jitter correction when ripping. Jitter correction butts the sectors together rather than overlap them giving a noticeable improvement in playback.

medium jim · « **Reply #3 on:** 4 Nov 2012, 08:49 pm »

Didn't we already have this discussion in another thread?

Jim

low.pfile · « **Reply #4 on:** 4 Nov 2012, 09:23 pm »

It's pretty easy to hear without seeing the levels. but the visuals nail the coffin. that video really shows it on that new release.

Here is The Civil War's Barton Hollow CD from 2011,
Birds of a Feather song.
It sounds great and does not suffer from over compression

sometimes we just have to deal with the poor production, and look past it. sure it could be better, but not much we can do.

Rclark · « **Reply #5 on:** 4 Nov 2012, 11:26 pm »

Yeah that myth has been popped

niels · « **Reply #6 on:** 4 Nov 2012, 11:27 pm »

An example how not to do a recording, Joe Bonamassa , Driving Towards The Daylight
:

niels · « **Reply #7 on:** 4 Nov 2012, 11:38 pm »

And the right way, joni Mitchell Cort and Spark 1983:

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #8 on:** 4 Nov 2012, 11:42 pm »

Quote from: niels on 4 Nov 2012, 11:27 pm

An example how not to do a recording, Joe Bonamassa , Driving Towards The Daylight
:

Seems in this album Joe Compression is Driving us Towards the Deafness...

thunderbrick · « **Reply #9 on:** 5 Nov 2012, 03:16 am »

What?

Quiet Earth · « **Reply #10 on:** 5 Nov 2012, 05:54 am »

Quote from: medium jim on 4 Nov 2012, 08:49 pm

Didn't we already have this discussion in another thread?

Jim

Quote from: Rclark on 4 Nov 2012, 11:26 pm

Yeah that myth has been popped

Sho 'nuff ... http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=110553.0

*Scotty* · « **Reply #11 on:** 6 Nov 2012, 05:16 pm »

Mag, what ripping program are you using that allows jitter correction?
Inquiring minds want to know. I am presently using DBPowerAmp for ripping with C2 error correction enabled.
I would be interested in using one with jitter correction.
Scotty

geowak · « **Reply #12 on:** 6 Nov 2012, 05:32 pm »

I bought my first CDs and disc player in Germany about 1984 or 85. They were available in Germany before the states.
Like an earlier poster commented, the CD players were crude. If I remember Philips and Sony co-developed the format.

So I guess I agree with three things here-
The CD players were the weak link #1
The production of the artist's work was the second weak link #2
The label/production company was the third weak link #3

I think at the time the classical CDs made by TELARC sounded worlds better than many of the pop CDs.
I had an early copy of Springsteen's Born to Run, Banarama, Blondie and a Beethoven CD among many others. The Beethoven was the best!

redbook · « **Reply #13 on:** 6 Nov 2012, 09:19 pm »

For sure. Pop music has generally seemed recorded with less care. than jazz and classical My cds are mostly ambient and recent electronic material and they lack nothing in dynamics. These are all from about 1995 and later. Even my Norada new age records (1985-89) iseem quite well recorded even though they were mixed for tape cassette ( when that was the main source for awhile during the 80's). My older cd classicals are rougher than the newer releases .

niels · « **Reply #14 on:** 6 Nov 2012, 10:50 pm »

Error correction is another word for jitter correction. Are you using a Plextor drive turn Error Correction off as this is corrected in the drive. Otherwise the rip will take much longer time.

Mag · « **Reply #15 on:** 7 Nov 2012, 12:56 am »

Quote from: *Scotty* on 6 Nov 2012, 05:16 pm

Mag, what ripping program are you using that allows jitter correction?
Inquiring minds want to know. I am presently using DBPowerAmp for ripping with C2 error correction enabled.
I would be interested in using one with jitter correction.
Scotty

I'm using Nero 7. When copying cd to computer files or cd-r, click on the options tab at bottom right and the another menu opens, then click on Jitter correction. Like a normal rip will takes less than 5 mins, with Jitter correction it can take 20 minutes or more depending on how many files your transferring.

*Scotty* · « **Reply #16 on:** 7 Nov 2012, 05:02 pm »

Thanks for info Mag, it is appreciated.
Scotty

vegasdave · « **Reply #17 on:** 9 Nov 2012, 03:50 am »

Not all 80s cds are better. It varies.

skunark · « **Reply #18 on:** 10 Nov 2012, 12:01 am »

I would highly recommend that you check out:
http://www.dr.loudness-war.info/
But sadly a lot of the remasters sound horrible these days.

BTW; Weren't CDs only designed to last 20 years. (not the CDRs)... It's been too long, but thought the "cd rot" was suppose to be a big deal, lol. At one point I considered backing up all of my CDs to CDRs.......

Rclark · « **Reply #19 on:** 10 Nov 2012, 12:44 am »

I have a few cd's from the very early 80's now, and several dozen from the mid to late 80's. None of them have gone moldy, they all smell fresh and play great.