Poor cd quality - guilty artists?

Lol999 · « **on:** 21 Jan 2018, 08:25 pm »

As it says, who releases lousy cd's?
One of my biggest bug bears is Meatloaf, I've had a few Bat out of Hell cd's and they just sound muffled and compressed, whereas I remember the vinyl being quite the opposite years ago.

Genesis apparently don't do audiophiles any favours either reportedly being over processed and compressed soundstage.

Opposite end of the spectrum the amount of sibillance on George Michael's Ladies and Gentlemen album was almost unbearable.

I just think that if you are paying good money you should get the gear - end of!

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #1 on:** 21 Jan 2018, 08:50 pm »

Quote from: Lol999 on 21 Jan 2018, 08:25 pm

As it says, who releases lousy cd's?
One of my biggest bug bears is Meatloaf, I've had a few Bat out of Hell cd's and they just sound muffled and compressed, whereas I remember the vinyl being quite the opposite years ago.

Well this is a metal band, chances are his studio totally unknow what is audiophile.

Quote from: Lol999 on 21 Jan 2018, 08:25 pm

Genesis apparently don't do audiophiles any favours either reportedly being over processed and compressed soundstage.

SMT the rock CDs now adays are mastered and compressed to car audio use not home audio, as they think car audio is his target audience.
The Genesis SACDs were mastered to an higher sound quality in mind:
http://www.sa-cd.net/search/genesis

Quote from: Lol999 on 21 Jan 2018, 08:25 pm

Opposite end of the spectrum the amount of sibillance on George Michael's Ladies and Gentlemen album was almost unbearable.

SMT the pop music are mastered to MP3 to use in cell phones and ears buds, so in home audio the poor work is very audible.

Both artists, studios and executive producers are guilty from this poor sound quality.

Photon46 · « **Reply #2 on:** 21 Jan 2018, 09:13 pm »

Shins. Great music, crappy sounding recordings. Aimee Mann's recent vinyl releases are pretty substandard too.

timind · « **Reply #3 on:** 21 Jan 2018, 09:58 pm »

Tame Impala. I bought a couple cds after a friend's recommendation. I might like the music if I ever get past the awful sound.

maplegrovemusic · « **Reply #4 on:** 21 Jan 2018, 10:45 pm »

Bob Mould - Two seconds of his discs and you are running to skip it . Gots to be the worst in the history of recordings.

RichPark · « **Reply #5 on:** 21 Jan 2018, 11:04 pm »

I have found that some really crappy recordings are out of phase. Some however are poorly mastered. There is an art to mastering a recording few have been able to produce.

On older albums/CDs there are multiple pressings/Burns and many sound very different but all of them will have the same upc code. How to identify the best recording is a crap shoot. Finding good recordings is extremely frustrating. I recommend that you Listen to different releases from around the world.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #6 on:** 21 Jan 2018, 11:11 pm »

An old analog prog rock bad sound CDs usually the producer dont do upsampling from the master tapes and a new mix to CD, they use the vinyl mix to press the CDs to less costs.

rockadanny · « **Reply #7 on:** 22 Jan 2018, 03:00 pm »

Iggy and the Stooges, especially Raw Power. Though purposely mastered to sound "raw", still, it makes for physically painful listening. And as such, even though I really like the music I rarely listen to it because of the sound quality. A pity.

Photon46 · « **Reply #8 on:** 22 Jan 2018, 04:43 pm »

Quote from: rockadanny on 22 Jan 2018, 03:00 pm

Iggy and the Stooges, especially Raw Power. Though purposely mastered to sound "raw", still, it makes for physically painful listening. And as such, even though I really like the music I rarely listen to it because of the sound quality. A pity.

Yep, Iggy & the Stooges rank at the top of the charts for bad sound. Another release I wish had been recorded a bit cleaner was the Stones "Exile on Main Street." I have a hard time enjoying that one for the same reasons.

I.Greyhound Fan · « **Reply #9 on:** 22 Jan 2018, 04:48 pm »

I think that Adele's cd's are poorly recorded. Such a shame with that fabulous voice.

mikeeastman · « **Reply #10 on:** 22 Jan 2018, 04:51 pm »

Even her LPs are poorly recorded.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #11 on:** 22 Jan 2018, 05:52 pm »

Quote from: I.Greyhound Fan on 22 Jan 2018, 04:48 pm

I think that Adele's cd's are poorly recorded. Such a shame with that fabulous voice.

This is a top money singer its no lack of budget.
I was shocked in 2009 when I discover the German master of symphonic rock Klaus Schulze recorded in DAT tape Tascan DAT-30 and Sony DAT-2700A:

dB Cooper · « **Reply #12 on:** 22 Jan 2018, 05:55 pm »

Most any pop recording, especially early CD releases where they just 'rolled tape' and cranked out an end product. Some analog CD remasters can sound pretty good.

I don't think it's an 'artist' thing per se; more a producer and/or label thing. Most pop in particular they care very little about SQ, because, let's face it, their audience cares very little about it. So even if the band does care about it, they probably couldn't fix it because time is money. As Frank Zappa said in his autobiography, "...If the master doesn't sound right, it goes out anyway- it's only 'product' to them." Chances are, the artists mentioned are just casualties of the 'volume wars' or some such producer decision.

Lol999 · « **Reply #13 on:** 22 Jan 2018, 06:26 pm »

your'e probably right on the producer part but of course like most music consumers I know only the artist who lets me down and not the producer.

Mike B. · « **Reply #14 on:** 22 Jan 2018, 06:36 pm »

I remember at one time the blame was put on mastering to sound good on car and home radios. Not for hifi.

Elizabeth · « **Reply #15 on:** 22 Jan 2018, 07:38 pm »

Worst grungy CD I own is Joe Satriani: Surfing With the Aliens.
The LP is just as bad!

The sound has a horrible digitalitis grunge all through.
Like it was recorded with a 12 bit master.

Definitely the worst sound quality of any album I have ever heard.
I would really love this music.. except for the bad sound.

His other albums are much better sound quality.

Photon46 · « **Reply #16 on:** 22 Jan 2018, 09:35 pm »

Quote from: Elizabeth on 22 Jan 2018, 07:38 pm

Worst grungy CD I own is Joe Satriani: Surfing With the Aliens.
The LP is just as bad!

The sound has a horrible digitalitis grunge all through.
Like it was recorded with a 12 bit master.

Definitely the worst sound quality of any album I have ever heard.
I would really love this music.. except for the bad sound.

His other albums are much better sound quality.

That's interesting, I have Surfing With the Aliens on vinyl and my pressing is isn't terrible by any stretch of the imagination. Not great, but not bad either. On the other hand, his 1995 cd of "Joe Satriani" is horrible, sounds really low-res. I've got his "Engines of Creation" on SACD and that's one of the best rock recordings I've ever heard.

neekomax · « **Reply #17 on:** 23 Jan 2018, 12:46 am »

Quote from: I.Greyhound Fan on 22 Jan 2018, 04:48 pm

I think that Adele's cd's are poorly recorded. Such a shame with that fabulous voice.

Wholeheartedly agree... inexcusable.

BobRex · « **Reply #18 on:** 23 Jan 2018, 01:09 am »

I have an original pressing of BOH, bought when it first came out. It's not that good of a recording, and it is marred by the typical Jim Steinman problems - compressed, wall of sound, upper mid glare , rolled off bass...

Genesis albums are also ummm, off. Until Trick of the Tail (well, maybe Lamb), the albums were compressed with a less than linear mid EQ.

Given the flaws in the originals, I wouldn't expect much from the CD releases.

Doublej · « **Reply #19 on:** 23 Jan 2018, 01:11 am »

ZZ Top Greatest Hits, great music really poor sound quality. Barry White's Greatest Hits sounds so bad it's unlistenable.