The Dumbing Down of Audio

[Ponzio]

Aahhh!!! The good old days. Let's not kid ourselves, they weren't that good. I'll be 59 in a month and I have no desire to go backwards in time or technology.

Remember when albums & 45's sounded better? When? When did they ever sound better than modern day cd's & mp3/flac/wav files? How did the hum and inevitable crack & pop of an album sound better than todays formats? Yeah, if you had gobs of money and you could afford a high-end turntable with a state of the art phone cartridge and you were willing to pay $35 for re-mastered music fidelity albums. Otherwise it was, tuff tits kid, you'll have to make do with these inferior pressings. Are you kidding me?

Sometimes people talk about todays music industry (technology/artists/etc.) like we've entered the Dark Ages. More and affordable choices for the masses overall compared to the previous priesthood that existed for a select few. Yeah, I know, the masses are a$$e's but sadly I'm in the same income bracket as the masses. As far as I'm concerned, keep it coming.

At this rate I'm waiting for the clop-clop hoofing of a horse to come down a street and the rider telling me it's better than a car. Really?

I find the new found love for turntables totally mystifying. Yes I understand that analog is favored by the human ear vs. digital but how do you justify the expenditures & the inconvenience to access all the moving parts involved?

I guess it's true, one mans ceiling is another mans floor.

 

[Adam]

Go for the head. It's the only way.

Nah, if this thing is going to live again, I'll chime in. I doubt that I read the article, as it came out before I joined, so let's see if I'm anywhere near topic...

To me, vinyl, tapes, 8-tracks, and low-cost sound systems were the good old days. Why? Because that's what we had...and I loved it. I didn't know any better, so it was all great to me. I remember putting scratchy records on the portable turntable/speaker system that my parents had - everything from Christmas music to Star Wars to the thin-vinyl humpback whale record that came in the National Geographic magazine issue. I absolutely loved that whale record (and, I believe, still have it). I can still remember hurdling over my brother's bed to crank up "Urgent" by Foreigner on his clock radio...a clock radio that used flip down numbers because digital was still so new to consumer gear. I wouldn't be able to tell if the music was compressed or not on that thing.

I'd record albums to tapes because they were more portable and easier to use. Then CDs came out. Ooooh. The crispness. That's what I remember: crispness. I had no complaints about it at all, but I was still mostly a radio listener back then. CDs were also more convenient, which is a huge deal to me.

So, convenience. Nowadays, after the explosion of the internet for mainstream uses, access to music is astonishing. There's more out there right at our fingertips than I will ever know exists. I can go to YouTube and listen to songs from my youth, or songs from right now. On my computer speakers, they sound better than the systems that I grew up with, so I'm happy as a clam.

After all, music is about enjoyment. If someone enjoys what they're listening to, be it compressed or whatever, that's all that matters in my book.

 

[Ponzio]

Gene wrote a very cogent article and I understand his point of view; I even agree on some specific points but I can't help but think that there's an egalitarian bent to it. Most people don't have access or can afford some of the high-end equipment bandied about here. As a music collector I feel like I'm living in the golden era compared to the "old" days where I had to parse my budget to buy 10 to 15 albums a month on a working mans wages.

OK, I'm getting off the soapbox.

 

[JerryLove]

Gene wrote a very cogent article and I understand his point of view; I even agree on some specific points but I can't help but think that there's an egalitarian bent to it. Most people don't have access or can afford some of the high-end equipment bandied about here. As a music collector I feel like I'm living in the golden era compared to the "old" days where I had to parse my budget to buy 10 to 15 albums a month on a working mans wages.

For reasons I cannot quite fathom, while my car was in the shop, the dealer had Enterprise give me a Nissan Juke. As you can imagine: the stereo in the rental version of a $17k car isn't particularly good.

Regardless: my high dynamic-range CDs still sounded much better than my low dynamic-range CDs. One does not need particularly good equipment to hear the difference. Heck: I'm pretty sure you'll hear it on your computer speakers or tablet earbuds. Try: The Loudness War - YouTube

 

[JerryLove]

Now regarding the modern music - yes, you wont find anything good on the radio/tv, but doesn't mean that good music is all dead. There are plenty of modern musicians who create great music (and not hyper-compressed pop which is overplayed on radio) - the problem is to find them

If you are discussing the musician, then I think you and are are on different pages. The issue is the recording / mastering sound engineer (and his bosses).

And I've got some very high DR pop. My acoustic version of Fields of Gold, for example, is 17db. Indeed: even the version on "Ten Summoners Tales" is 13db (which is excellent by modern standards). The problem is endemic, with perhaps classical being the one least impacted (there my complaints are usually around the recording itself)

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

If you are discussing the musician, then I think you and are are on different pages. The issue is the recording / mastering sound engineer (and his bosses).

And I've got some very high DR pop. My acoustic version of Fields of Gold, for example, is 17db. Indeed: even the version on "Ten Summoners Tales" is 13db (which is excellent by modern standards). The problem is endemic, with perhaps classical being the one least impacted (there my complaints are usually around the recording itself)

My thoughts regarding musicians was not as response to you, but a response to Dan Banquer Commentary (in original article)

But to be back on the subject, I find that less known bands use less known recording studios and maybe not all of them obsessed with hyper-compressing recordings..

Granted, these are harder to find, but they are out there...

 

[scattershot]

One would have thought the Apple, with all its marketing muscle and penchant to try and offer "the best experience" would offer an 'HD Track' download option, albeit for more.
If not for financial reasons (e.g. charging higher prices) one would think Apple would have offered high-fidelity lossless audio downloads for no other reason then to say they offer the best quality music. As well, they could also help push upgrading by saying that HD audio requires a minimum of iPhone 5, iPad Air, iPad Mini 2, latest generation iPod's, etc.
Honestly I just don't understand why Apple hasn't offered HD audio options yet...
The worst thing about Apple's current status quo is that Apple is a titan in the music sales industry, and they could change the reality of what consumers are looking for in music purchases merely by offering "HD Quality" music and marketing the hell out of it. Apple could be the one company to get this change done but they seem to have no interest in doing so...

As the editorial alludes to, when my friends and family come over to listen to a HD Audio (e.g. DTS Master HD and Dobly True HD) contemporary movie like the Lord of the Rings trilogy, they are amazed at the sound fidelity of those movies and can easily tell the difference over DVD yet when it comes to music none of the major labels have been brave enough to offer HD Audio versions of all the latest music -- one would think there would be numerous marketing opportunities around that (financial incentives for charging more for HD audio tracks is just one aspect).

 

[skizzerflake]

I've had this discussion with many people in recent years and have concluded that, in the main, they don't even hear audio problems (compression, noise, dirty sound, auto-tune singing, lack of dynamics) that make me wince, and, for the most part, don't really give a sh*T. Only the people with backgrounds as musicians and a few audiophiles seem to even notice. I hate to be cynical, but if you tell most people that they can have great sound with little convenience or lousy sound that they can carry in their pocket and hear through 10$ earbuds, they will choose the latter over the former all the time. Some have told me that they like music more than sound, an argument that I just don't comprehend, others just don't hear the difference and others don't care.

 

[jinjuku]

It's a double edged sword. On the flip side:

Measurement Systems for $300
Modeling software that's affordable or even free (Passive Cross Over Designer by Jeff Bagby)
Stuff like MiniDSP with high end features like Bi-Quad Filters
Low cost amplification couldn't be touched for the price just 5-6 years ago

Killer DACS for $200-$500

In some ways the time has never been better for the audio enthusiast.

 

[skizzerflake]

.....In some ways the time has never been better for the audio enthusiast.

That's what bothers me...so much good equipment and software and all that crappy sound.

 

[jinjuku]

That's what bothers me...so much good equipment and software and all that crappy sound.

Speak for yourself

 

[GO-NAD!]

That's what bothers me...so much good equipment and software and all that crappy sound.

You know, it wouldn't bother me in the least that most people don't listen to their music on good equipment - if it hadn't resulted in the problem of dynamic compression of recordings. The record companies are catering to the lowest common denominator, which don't really care about recording quality, as long as it's all loud, all the time. If there's any dynamic range to their music, these people will be annoyed with having to turn it up and down. So, people who care about SQ have to suffer as a result.

 

[lsiberian]

I guess liking Adele and Colbie Caillat makes me evil.

 

[GO-NAD!]

I guess liking Adele and Colbie Caillat makes me evil.

I like Adele, but I never heard of Colbie Caillat. I guess I'm only half eveil...

Speaking of Adele, 21 is a major offender when it comes to SQ. IMHO, at least...

 

[Dster]

Being in my mid twenties, when hanging out with my friends, most would prefer to stream (pandora, youtube) over their crappy Iphone speakers. I personally would rather listen to nothing at all. The few times I have mentioned purchasing a new CD, I get laughed at. That, or confused/disgusted looks. Some hipster friends will preach the values of vinyl as though it's the pinnacle of sound reproduction. What I have gathered through my "Audioquest" , is that most people don't value music as it own form of entertainment. Any hit song now has to be accompanied by gangnam style twerking visuals in order to got "viral".

 

[Alex2507]

You know, it wouldn't bother me in the least that most people don't listen to their music on good equipment - if it hadn't resulted in the problem of dynamic compression of recordings. The record companies are catering to the lowest common denominator, which don't really care about recording quality, as long as it's all loud, all the time. If there's any dynamic range to their music, these people will be annoyed with having to turn it up and down. So, people who care about SQ have to suffer as a result.

Aside from a faucet I did get the girl some chocolate and music. The strength of good plumbing should have carried the day but I don't like having all my eggs in one basket. We both like the Chili Peppers. I had never bought any of their music before because I understood that their recordings are know offenders for heavy compression but I needed something the girl would like.

Most times when I get music into the house and play it on either system I am blown away by how much more I like it here than anywhere else I have heard it. Not so with the Chilis. I find myself enjoying their music most in the car or on some sh!tty radio at work. Here, I had more fun listening to the Bee Gees and Donna Summer on vinyl.

The funny thing is that I heard a Chili's Milan concert on Palladia in DD and I loved it. I guess that didn't get compressed for the car audio/MP3 audience so it was still fun to listen to. It sucks that music I enjoy is recorded in such a way that it can't be enjoyed on anything much better than a f^%&ing ear bud. Way to go Chilis. Enjoy your money. Buy some more tats.

 

[tmurnin]

I think the reality is that most people listen to music as background to something else - in the car, at the gym, walking the dog, working on the computer, etc. With the plethora of other entertainment options available today, the idea of just sitting in a room and listening to music the way people used to say "Come over and listen to this record," or a 15 year old boy trying to get a 16 year old girl to come to his room and "listen to records..." Oops, think I went off track there for a minute.....

Ahem. My larger point is that for most people, having almost unlimited choice in what to listen to at a very low price - even at somewhat compromised quality - is a vastly better choice than studio-quality recordings that are limited to your physical CD/album collection and are relatively expensive. Today people are exposed to a huge catalog of music of every genre - and almost all of it sounds pretty darn good, regardless of compression. Would it be better if were all available on lossless codecs and played on reference-quality equipment? Sure it would. Would that almost certainly meant that a large number of people who now enjoy that music would be cut out due to cost? Absolutely. I think we should celebrate the vast options we have in audio today. I read some of these posts and think it's actually pretty sad that people would rather listen to "nothing" than listen to some great music played at 64 or 98mps compression through pair of gimme earbuds. Enjoy the music. If it's just fun stuff, then enjoy it for what it is. If it's outstanding, then seek better recordings and better playback options, but don't let "audio" get in the way of music.

 

[goodman]

Dumbing Down

Thanks, Gene. The dumbing down of our music and music reproduction is just one aspect of the dumbing down of our culture in general. It manifests itself in film, television, and in print and internet magazines and newspapers, not to mention tattoos, piercings, hair styles, hair coloring, and clothing. We even have dumber schools and dumber teachers to accomodate dumber students.

 

[shadyJ]

Thanks, Gene. The dumbing down of our music and music reproduction is just one aspect of the dumbing down of our culture in general. It manifests itself in film, television, and in print and internet magazines and newspapers, not to mention tattoos, piercings, hair styles, hair coloring, and clothing. We even have dumber schools and dumber teachers to accomodate dumber students.

 

[fuzz092888]

Thanks, Gene. The dumbing down of our music and music reproduction is just one aspect of the dumbing down of our culture in general. It manifests itself in film, television, and in print and internet magazines and newspapers, not to mention tattoos, piercings, hair styles, hair coloring, and clothing. We even have dumber schools and dumber teachers to accomodate dumber students.

Hmm I'm not so sure I completely agree with that dumber teachers remark.