jjd@bbncca.ARPA (James Dempsey) (11/07/83)
When I compare some CDs I have to the record of the same recording, I find that there is a lot more high frequency material in the CD. In some cases, I like the record better than the CD. I have this theory about it and I was wondering if anybody can back me up. Could it be that the original master was mixed with the high end "enhanced" since most turntable/electronics will have a high frequency rolloff? Could it also be true that this "doctored" orignial master was used straight for the CD instead of remixing it properly? Or is it just that CDs have much better frequency response and I am now hearing things which I couldn't hear before? I do not notice this phenomenon with classical CDs. --Jim Dempsey-- ARPA: jjd@bbn-unix UUCP: ..!decvax!bbncca!jjd
burris@ihopa.UUCP (11/08/83)
Analog album pressings require a mastering engineer to cut the master disk on a cutting lathe. This engineer has control over the equalization of the signal which is used to operate the cutting head of the lathe to obtain what he feels will make a good pressing. This is considered an art and each mastering engineer develops their own philosophy about how this should be done. The CD technology eliminates this step of the process, thus eliminating the mastering engineer. There are various opinions of whether this is desirable or not. The advantage is that the mastering engineer can compensate somewhat for a master tape which he feels is poorly equalized. The disadvantage is it adds at least one more person's opnion of how it should sound before it reaches the final product. -- Dave Burris ..!ihnp4!ihopa!burris AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, Il.
saf@floyd.UUCP (Steve Falco) (11/08/83)
I don't understand why people feel there is a loss of flexibility in mixing down to produce a CD. There is still a multitrack master which gets mixed down to stereo and any needed eq can be done at that point. Much of the tweaking that goes on in cutting an analog master is to overcome limits of that medium - such as with whistling on the letter 'S'. These limitations hopefully don't exist with CDs and thus they won't need that sort of tweaking. Steve Falco
bertoni@uiucdcs.UUCP (bertoni ) (11/10/83)
#R:bbncca:-27200:uiucdcs:22700028:000:461
uiucdcs!bertoni Nov 9 14:10:00 1983
Masters for analog records have always had the high end enhanced
to compensate for rolloff (Ever hear of George Szell and the Cleveland
Orchestra's problems?). When these masters are used to make a CD,
they should be remixed, but often aren't. See some of the reviews
in some of the audio magazines from about the time CD's became
available. There are other problems with transfer (bass!).
Jonathan Bertoni rdg@hpcnoa.UUCP (11/13/83)
#R:bbncca:-27200:hpcnoa:3500007:000:291 hpcnoa!rdg Nov 11 09:20:00 1983 Aaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!! Thank GOD not ALL CD's & records are "mixed down" from half a million tracks. The best sounding recordings that I have heard are those made from two (yes, 2!!!) track masters without any mixing down! Robert Gardner ihnp4!hpfcla!hpcnoa!rdg
rmd@hpcnoa.UUCP (11/13/83)
#R:bbncca:-27200:hpcnoa:3500008:000:1348
hpcnoa!rmd Nov 11 18:40:00 1983
I have noticed this phenomenon on pop CD's. I spent a couple of
hours one night playing a CD and an LP simultaneously, switching
back and forth, playing with the equalizer, etc. There seems to
be something like 3-4 db more high frequency energy on the CDs.
However, it is not strictly a matter of different of different
equalization. Turning the treble up on the the LP does NOT
make it sound like the 'flat' CD nor does turning the treble
down on the CD make it sound like the 'flat' LP. There is
still a very noticeable difference which is somewhat difficult
to describe other than to say that when the total amount of
high frequency energy is equalized, the CD sounds more 'clear'.
I suggest that this is due to two causes: 1) the frequency
response of the CD and the entire process used to produce it
is flatter than for the LP; and 2) the dynamic range of the CD
is noticeably greater. Since much high frequency energy is due
to percussion or guitar strings, higher dynamic range will
increase the apparent level of high frequencies.
For the particular CDs I have, I much prefer CD to LP. I am
somewhat curious about the person who prefered to listen to
the LPs because of the high frequency problems. Did he try
turning the treble down on his system? Is his system overly
'bright'?
-Rick Dow
hpfcla!rmd