Old, Deaf, Senile, Better Hi-Fi, or all of the above?

[Barry]

Sometimes I go to play a record or CD, only to find I don't actually have a copy of it. Conversely, I have bought quite a few albums then found I already have a copy. My collection really isn't very large, but I've probably got more albums than brain cells.

One day I'll get round to posting said titles on here, assuming AOS has any members with similarly poor taste.

Occasionally I'll revisit something I bought 30 or more years ago and didn't care for, only to find I still don't like it. I should probably offload those too.

There have been no end of times when I have bought a CD from a charity shop only to find that I have it already! Conversely there have been times when I have passed over on a CD or record thinking I have it in my collection, only to find that I do not have a copy, and when I return to the shop the copy has been sold!

Even my partner seems to have a better idea of what I have in my collection.

[AJSki2fly]

There have been no end of times when I have bought a CD from a charity shop only to find that I have it already! Conversely there have been times when I have passed over on a CD or record thinking I have it in my collection, only to find that I do not have a copy, and when I return to the shop the copy has been sold!

Even my partner seems to have a better idea of what I have in my collection.

What you need is https://www.collectorz.com, there is a phone app for iPhone or other Smart phones and you can scan the barcodes to enter you collection, then when you're out and about you can check what you have. Alternatively there is Discogs which is free and you can put up your collection on it as well and access it through a web browser.

[Macca]

Is that so? Doesn't seem to make sense for most, at least working from LPs as they have a smaller dynamic range. Do you mean from the master tapes - if they're still available, or digital masters? In that case compression might be applied to make the live dynamic range manageable, but that would probably have been done to a greater extent for the LPs.

Regrettably applying shedload of compression is what a lot of artists choose to do these days. The only reason it isn't as bad on LP is because you can't physically add as much compression due to the limitations of the medium. You can still add enough to make it sound rubbish on a decent system, though.

[walpurgis]

Another blast from the past, a Man off shoot I think?

That's reminded me. I have the LP somewhere, I'd totally forgotten. Might dig it out!

[Stratmangler]

Is that so? Doesn't seem to make sense for most, at least working from LPs as they have a smaller dynamic range. Do you mean from the master tapes - if they're still available, or digital masters? In that case compression might be applied to make the live dynamic range manageable, but that would probably have been done to a greater extent for the LPs.

Yes, it is so.
And it's using the best master version available.
A mastering engineer wouldn't be working from a vinyl source unless (a) there wasn't anything else available, or (b) they'd been asked to do it. The early King Crimson LPs remastered by Steven Wilson came with a download of a flat recording from original LPs from Robert Fripp's own personal archive. Fripp never played them.

If you listen to a series of CD releases that have been remastered several times you'll notice the major difference between an early CD release and a recent CD release is that the later release has more apparent detail in the quieter bits.
That's simply because the noise floor has been pushed upwards in the analogue domain, before it hits the ADC.

[Oddball]

From Anto;
"Then I put my brother in laws copy of Brothers In Arms (hes forgotten he left it here !!) ,and that was cool cool cool .
Yet back in the day I shied away from it - DOH"

That had a reputation for being toppy, how do you find it?

I take it that means too much treble ?? It certainly didnt because the Rel Q50 was turned up high (everyone was out ) and I loved it !!
I always like lots of treble , I cant fathom how some people like stuff that seems as if it being listened to under an owd blanket

I have quite a few of my bro inlaws albums , despite me giving him a deck and amp /speakers ,he doesnt get around to firing them up!!
Suzanne Vega , Stevie Nicks , Fergal Sharkey, and a lot of Beatles , bit of Hendrix!

[AJSki2fly]

That's reminded me. I have the LP somewhere, I'd totally forgotten. Might dig it out!

Don’t forget to dig out the Budgie and Groundhog ones to, and of course any Pink Fairies

[Stratmangler]

Regrettably applying shedload of compression is what a lot of artists choose to do these days. The only reason it isn't as bad on LP is because you can't physically add as much compression due to the limitations of the medium. You can still add enough to make it sound rubbish on a decent system, though.

It helps if you actually have some understanding of compression and how it's applied.

[Macca]

It helps if you actually have some understanding of compression and how it's applied.

Yes I know all that. I'm talking about compression in mastering. Not in recording. And yes, I know you ideally need to use some compression in mastering.

[Pigmy Pony]

Is that so? Doesn't seem to make sense for most, at least working from LPs as they have a smaller dynamic range. Do you mean from the master tapes - if they're still available, or digital masters? In that case compression might be applied to make the live dynamic range manageable, but that would probably have been done to a greater extent for the LPs.

My understanding is that compression wouldn't be applied to 'make the dynamic range more manageable', rather to make the music louder overall and more attention grabbing when played alongside other stuff. Google "Loudness Wars" for more info. The result would usually be pretty poor from a SQ point of view (Oasis' What's The Story being a famous example).