[Huck]

Have you ever listened to a particular sample tune from a particular band through your headphones,maybe on Amazon.com,while sitting at your computer,only to find out,or better yet, hear later later after you buy the c.d. and listen to it on your "main rig",(non headphones)that it basically sounds like *rap?! I am not talikng about the music itself,just they way it was recorded. I have bought I few just recently that sounded fairly good while listening to a few samples on headphones,that ended up on my "junk" pile,that's just listening to a few or maybe just one song.....I can get a drift of what the whole disc will sound like. Anyone else here has done this? Thanks,Huck

[Guy 13]

Have you ever listened to a particular sample tune from a particular band through your headphones,maybe on Amazon.com,while sitting at your computer,only to find out,or better yet, hear later later after you buy the c.d. and listen to it on your "main rig",that it basically sounds like *rap?! I am not talikng about themusic itsekf,just they way tit was recorded. I have bought I few just recently that sounded fairly good while listening to a few samples on headphones,that ended up on my junk pile,that's just listening to a few or maybe just one song.....I can get a drift of what the whole disc will sound like. Anyone else herehave done this? Thanks,Huck

Hi Huck.
i bought several CD and one LP from Amazon
after listening to samples and when I got them,
all of them sounded good, no problem.
Don`t know what else to say ? 

Guy 13 on planet Vietnam.

[timind]

Yep, even after listening to several samples I've bought the cd only to be disappointed. Porcupine Tree comes to mind. On the other hand, I've also been happily surprised with some purchases. Ben Howard's Every Kingdom is one of those winners.

[rockadanny]

Yes I have, but also the opposite experience as well. The audio quality sounded poor, or the music too uninvolving. Then at some point in the future a friend loaned me those CDs, insisting I play them. When played on my main rig the audio quality sounded very good and/or involving enough that I ended up purchasing for myself.

[Huck]

Yep, even after listening to several samples I've bought the cd only to be disappointed. Porcupine Tree comes to mind. On the other hand, I've also been happily surprised with some purchases. Ben Howard's Every Kingdom is one of those winners.

Yeah...That particular c.d. has a 5 out of 5 rating with 127 customer reviews....but....no music samples?! I also have learned lately that although a particular disc has a 5 out 5 rating,that will not sway my decision to buy.....also I have bought music based on recommenations of others,on different forums, that don't really equate to 'good sound' to me,which is what I am all about when buying c.d.'s.
Buying music that sounds good for me lately is a real gamble....same goes for music videos....I have maybe 20 and out of those 20,I could say that maybe 2 of them have good sound (Toto and Gov't Mule).
 Picture quality is a number two for me... music quality is #1! Thanks,Huck

[*Scotty*]

My advice is to check youtube for material from the artist you are curious about before purchasing anything.
Scotty

[Huck]

My advice is to check youtube for material from the artist you are curious about before purchasing anything.
Scotty

Thanks....but that was my whole point...using You Tube for music samples,has for me,been a let down,because the samples or whole video,may in fact sound "not bad'on my headphones but,in fact sound like crud(usually after I buy them!!) on my main listening(non headphone) rig. Huck

[Don_S]

I use 30 second clips from Amazon mostly but also from other sites when Amazon does not have demo tracks for that album.  I use a cheap Altec-Lansing 2.1 speaker system on my computer.  So far I feel the demo tracks have been an adequate gauge of recording quality. I get enough of a feel to make a decision. I do appreciate when customers mention the recording quality. I always do. Most just gush over the artist.  I realize that they probably have not been exposed to high-quality, revealing  systems. Those customers that mention recording quality probably share my affliction. 

[ACHiPo]

I listen to samples as samples--to see if I like the music enough to go further, either buying an LP, SACD, or downloading hi-res.

[Phil A]

I listen to samples on the PC all the time.  Most of the time I just have the speakers in my monitor hooked-up but when I listen to music samples I switch to the M-Audio 192 Sound Card which (for now) goes to an old Sony ES receiver powering B&W LM-1s with a 50W powered sub.  That way I can get some idea of how music sounds on one of my other systems.  I also have JRiver on the PC so if I burn a CD or extract DSD files, I can get some idea of what they sound like on a better system.

[*Scotty*]

You might try looking for online reviews concerning sound quality, the steve hoffman forum frequently has useful information.
I am afraid it is the lot of the audiophile to purchase music we think we would like to listen to only to find out that is sounds like CRAP!!!
 In this is one of the top 10 ways to know you that you might an audiophile.
Back in the VINYL AGE, I used to hear music on my FM tuner that I thought might sound good only discover that when I got my cherished
record home it was an epic fail. Most pop music has big problems with recording quality, this is SOP or SOS as the case may be.
Scotty

[Huck]

You might try looking for online reviews concerning sound quality, the steve hoffman forum frequently has useful information.
I am afraid it is the lot of the audiophile to purchase music we think we would like to listen to only to find out that is sounds like CRAP!!!
 In this is one of the top 10 ways to know you that you might an audiophile.
Back in the VINYL AGE, I used to hear music on my FM tuner that I thought might sound good only discover that when I got my cherished
record home it was an epic fail. Most pop music has big problems with recording quality, this is SOP or SOS as the case may be.
Scotty

 That is (SH Forum) one of my many places I frequent,in fact I buy most of my used music c.d.'s there. My whole point is that if I listen to some music samples through my computer and headphones and then I actually buy the music,generally it sounds like *rap! Even some forums have 'good' reviews on music recording quality(not the actual music),I tend to disagree with some! Huck

[FullRangeMan]

Have you ever listened to a particular sample tune from a particular band through your headphones,maybe on Amazon.com,while sitting at your computer,only to find out,or better yet, hear later later after you buy the c.d. and listen to it on your "main rig",(non headphones)that it basically sounds like *rap?! I am not talikng about the music itself,just they way it was recorded. I have bought I few just recently that sounded fairly good while listening to a few samples on headphones,that ended up on my "junk" pile,that's just listening to a few or maybe just one song.....I can get a drift of what the whole disc will sound like. Anyone else here has done this? Thanks,Huck

I never do it, but this is all about psyco-acoustics and MP3/4 is.
They spend $M in research to know how trick us to get our hard-earned money for a crap.

[Huck]

I never do it, but this is all about psyco-acoustics and MP3/4 is.
They spend $M in research to know how trick us to get our hard-earned money for a crap.

So how do go about whatever music you buy,actually sounds the way you want and not a lousy recording...not lousy musicianship,just put together badly? I won't go by what other forum members recommend,as I just bought four 'recommended' 2014 remasters and I would give them a 3/10 grade. Most remasters sound like crap,but some are good(very rare!) Thanks,Huck

[Huck]

From now on,when I want to check out some music before I buy it,I will refer to the Dynamic Range Database and if the proper numbered disc  in question does not have at least light green(12 or 13) (dark green preferred...14-20)),I just will not buy it! That is my New Years resolution....stop wasting my money on inferior sounding c.d.'s! Huck

[FullRangeMan]

So how do go about whatever music you buy,actually sounds the way you want and not a lousy recording...not lousy musicianship,just put together badly? I won't go by what other forum members recommend,as I just bought four 'recommended' 2014 remasters and I would give them a 3/10 grade. Most remasters sound like crap,but some are good(very rare!) Thanks,Huck

These samples are very useful to know the music before a purchase.
I thanks shops for it.

[Don_S]

Huck,

What is the Dynamic Range Database?

[Phil A]

Huck,

What is the Dynamic Range Database?

http://dr.loudness-war.info/

[Don_S]

Thanks Phil.  I did not find any explanation on the site.  Is DR/DR min/DR max album average/worst track/best track?

http://dr.loudness-war.info/

[Phil A]

Thanks Phil.  I did not find any explanation on the site.  Is DR/DR min/DR max album average/worst track/best track?

Don - does this help?  http://www.stereophile.com/content/unofficial-dynamic-range-database