curious about sound from cd's

[STEELHEART]

I've got a question for all the audioholics out there,iv'e been going online doing research of home theatre gear to purchase in the near future and
iv'e been seeing alot of complaints about people who have bought new gear and when they listen to their favorite music they hear things that
weren't there before which means the recording wasn't hi quaility when their music was recorded at the time, now I love music and have loved it since i can remember especially 80's hard rock/heavymetal, my question is when i buy new gear will all my music sound this way or is it just the music of the
70's and 80's that isn't exactly hi quality recordings?

 

[MDS]

Everyone has an opinion on the 'sound quality' of various recordings. Some of the complaints are real and some are just perceived. Room acoustics and speakers have the most effect on what you ultimately hear, but a poor recording will sound poor in even the best room.

However, I beg to differ with a generalized statement like 'the music of the 70s and 80s is poorly recorded'. 70s and 80s music makes up the VAST majority of my collection and much of it is way better than modern CDs. The CD loudness wars and the era of hyper compression didn't start until the mid 90s. Most stuff recorded and mastered to CD prior to that is done very well (with some exceptions, of course). Is it any coincidence that the mid 90s is also when the music died and was replaced by bubble gum pop and offensive rap?

 

[j_garcia]

I have to agree with MDS about 70s-80s vs 90s; particularly the "when did music die?" part. There's still good stuff out there, it is just a lot harder to find IMO

When it was recorded/mastered/mixed has nothing to do with the price of cheese. It all depends on HOW WELL it was all done. I have CDs that sound like crap and others that sound amazing, so that tells me that it is not my gear that is making the bad stuff sound bad... Decent gear will show you just how awsome a good recording can sound, but it will also show you just how awful a bad one sounds as well.

 

[mtrycrafts]

I have CDs that sound like crap and others that sound amazing,... .

Maybe your gear has that built in ID chip? Able to discriminate what music it likes, or not?

 

[j_garcia]

Maybe your gear has that built in ID chip? Able to discriminate what music it likes, or not?

Yeah, I think my system has something against Norah Jones... It sounds like crap no matter how good a recording they used

 

[JaceTheAce]

Yeah, I think my system has something against Norah Jones... It sounds like crap no matter how good a recording they used

Haha, I never could get into listening to her. Same as Diana Krall.

 

[j_garcia]

Haha, I never could get into listening to her. Same as Diana Krall.

I like Diana Krall, just not all of her songs.

 

[Nomo]

Maybe your gear has that built in ID chip? Able to discriminate what music it likes, or not?

That explains a lot. What component do I need to replace to start enjoying Grunge? Nevermind.

Back to the subject: I think the quality of the CD depends on how well the master tape was originally mixed and recorded. One band that comes to mind is ELO ( I'm talking the early 70's stuff). I recall purchasing the LPs only to be disappointed by the sound quality on the first listen. I have recently picked up CD versions, granted greatest hits and compilations, hoping the transfer to digital would be of help, Only to be reminded that the original recording really must suck.
On the other hand; CD or SACD versions of quality conscious bands such as Pink Floyd never sounded better than they do on my modestly nice system.

 

[mtrycrafts]

That explains a lot. What component do I need to replace to start enjoying Grunge? Nevermind.

Back to the subject: I think the quality of the CD depends on how well the master tape was originally mixed and recorded. One band that comes to mind is ELO ( I'm talking the early 70's stuff). I recall purchasing the LPs only to be disappointed by the sound quality on the first listen. I have recently picked up CD versions, granted greatest hits and compilations, hoping the transfer to digital would be of help, Only to be reminded that the original recording really must suck.
On the other hand; CD or SACD versions of quality conscious bands such as Pink Floyd never sounded better than they do on my modestly nice system.

Absolutely. It is in the mastering at any stage. Even if the original is great, subsequent reissues are remixed and at times for the worse.

 

[MDS]

Back to the subject: I think the quality of the CD depends on how well the master tape was originally mixed and recorded. One band that comes to mind is ELO ( I'm talking the early 70's stuff). I recall purchasing the LPs only to be disappointed by the sound quality on the first listen. I have recently picked up CD versions, granted greatest hits and compilations, hoping the transfer to digital would be of help, Only to be reminded that the original recording really must suck.

I'm curious which CD. I have Strange Magic: The Best of ELO and I think it sounds fairly good. It is definitely hotter than older ELO CDs (afterall it was mastered in the nineties. )

 

[STEELHEART]

thanks

thanks for responding guys i wasn't trying to bash any of the recordings of
the 70's and 80's i'm just hoping that when i finally have a nice set-up that
i wouldn't be disappointed listening to my favorite music like alot of people have been you know what i mean, and by the way are the not so good recordings of music you guys own tolerable to listen to i mean whatever you
hear in the recordings that you didn't before are they subtle or are they so annoying that you have to say "time to change cd's now"?

P.S. btw I ALSO LOVE 60's & 70's MUSIC!!