Unlistenable albums

[Tear Drop]

The annoying thing with U2 is that War is so well recorded. Why couldn't they maintain that standard? Too much Eno influence with their later albums.

The Joshua Tree (original) is a stunning sounding album, Eno's influence was severely diminished with the atrocious remaster/remix of recent years, sounding awful and extremely dull by comparison.

 

[SteveR750]

So, what are they? What are these so poorly recorded and mastered albums or tracks that become less satisfying, or even completely unlistenable with the more money you spend on your system?

I'll start with, er none, but someone has them, as I keep reading reviews that refer to them (whatever they are).

List them here, and we'll all look them up and play them and note our observations. Not very scientific I know with all the bias voting that could occur, but a bit of fun.

Hi Steve,

I often go for Savages : City's Full. The distorted guitar is very agressive and forward. I noticed that you really need a dark sounding system otherwise the song kinda of hurts. Otherwise with a proper system its pretty good and as a quick tigh bass riff that does not go very low and benefits from a slight bass boost in the upper bass region. Equalizer really helps here!

I shall seek that out in the cathedral of music that Spotify is, assuming their version is just as nasty?

 

[BigH]

Re RHCP - Californication

There is an unmastered version on youtube for fans who want better sound quality.

Various others on internet, brickwallhater version on DRdatabase scores 15, original cd is 4, HDTracks is also 4 but as its 24/96 I'm sure it sounds better.

 

[jjbomber]

True, but is this equipment related, which was my OP.

Nobody ever answers the OP. All threads go off topic on the first page.

 

[SteveR750]

True, but is this equipment related, which was my OP.

Nobody ever answers the OP. All threads go off topic on the first page.

Hence the need for self moderation.

 

[Oie]

Dire Straits. They don't sound as they should/could.

But Mark Knopfler tends to sound great.

 

[Tear Drop]

Re RHCP - Californication

There is an unmastered version on youtube for fans who want better sound quality.

Various others on internet, brickwallhater version on DRdatabase scores 15, original cd is 4, HDTracks is also 4 but as its 24/96 I'm sure it sounds better.

I've heard the unmastered version and it still sounds awful, just in a different way.

 

[BigH]

Re RHCP - Californication

There is an unmastered version on youtube for fans who want better sound quality.

Various others on internet, brickwallhater version on DRdatabase scores 15, original cd is 4, HDTracks is also 4 but as its 24/96 I'm sure it sounds better.

I've heard the unmastered version and it still sounds awful, just in a different way.

Yes I agree. Also one of the Rush albums is meant to be awful but I think there are all awful so I won't be trying any.

 

[BigH]

Dire Straits. They don't sound as they should/could.

But Mark Knopfler tends to sound great.

Which part of Mark Knopfler?

 

[steve_1979]

So, what are they? What are these so poorly recorded and mastered albums or tracks that become less satisfying, or even completely unlistenable with the more money you spend on your system?

To answer the OP...

I'm very sensitive to harsh treble and find that most systems are either very detailed but too harsh or smooth and comfortable to listen to but lack detail. Many revealing HiFi systems including my previous Neutron 5 system can make harsh recordings sound, well, harsh. The magic of the DM5's that I have now is their ability to sound smooth with even very harsh music but still be ultra detailed and revealing at the same time. Apart from Quested and AVI I've never heard this combination of detailed and smooth treble quality anywhere else.

Examples of music that can be too harsh in the treble area on some systems is the Cypress Hill song 'Rock Superstar' and a few of the Status Quo tracks.

 

[steve_1979]

Re RHCP - Californication

There is an unmastered version on youtube for fans who want better sound quality.

Various others on internet, brickwallhater version on DRdatabase scores 15, original cd is 4, HDTracks is also 4 but as its 24/96 I'm sure it sounds better.

I've heard the unmastered version and it still sounds awful, just in a different way.

While the pre-mastered version of Californication is still pretty bad quality it's much better than the official CD release IMO and in 320kbps MP3 it sounds better than any official version no matter what format or bit-rate.

It's a shame the pre-mastered version isn't available legally and has to be downloaded from dodgy file sharing sites. I'd buy it in an instance if they re-released it in the pre-mastered format on CD.

 

[Andrewjvt]

Hey guys, im listening to this cd right now on moderate level - I dont get what you guys are saying - It does not to me sound any worse than any other - although now im aware might see the bad recordings more - Is it harsh on your ears - grainy or what

tell me what to look out for - since ive had my kefs ive not listened to this album

ignorance is bliss

 

[steve_1979]

Hey guys, im listening to this cd right now on moderate level - I dont get what you guys are saying - It does not to me sound any worse than any other - although now im aware might see the bad recordings more - Is it harsh on your ears - grainy or what

tell me what to look out for - since ive had my kefs ive not listened to this album

ignorance is bliss

It's the compressed dynamic range and very excessive clipping. If you download the pre-mastered version and do a direct comparison it's very obvious to hear the difference in quality.

Here are two images taken of the track 'Parallel Universe' shown in Audacity. The top one is the pre-mastered version and the bottom one is the official CD version. The red lines show clipping.

 

[SteveR750]

Interesting.

I find all of the Dire Straits albums to be well recorded, if missing some deep bass on the earlier analogue mastered 70s recordings.

Steve, I wonder if the treble thing is also age related - I too used to have an intolerance of excessive treble, but now that I'm (just) the right side of 50 I'm pretty sure my hearing FR is tailing off at the top end. I know in my late teens / early 20s i could pretty accurately detect a 20Khz signal from the various hearing tests I did at the time, whereas now I'm pretty sure I can't. I haven't done a clinical hearing test in nearly 10 years so can't be sure, but it's what I'd expect. It's different from being slightly deaf - I'm sure I have the most sensitive hearing in my household, and most hi fi shop salespeople; it was always pretty good in those hearing tests I undertook all those years ago.

 

[radiorog]

Interesting.

I find all of the Dire Straits albums to be well recorded, if missing some deep bass on the earlier analogue mastered 70s recordings.

Steve, I wonder if the treble thing is also age related - I too used to have an intolerance of excessive treble, but now that I'm (just) the right side of 50 I'm pretty sure my hearing FR is tailing off at the top end. I know in my late teens / early 20s i could pretty accurately detect a 20Khz signal from the various hearing tests I did at the time, whereas now I'm pretty sure I can't. I haven't done a clinical hearing test in nearly 10 years so can't be sure, but it's what I'd expect. It's different from being slightly deaf - I'm sure I have the most sensitive hearing in my household, and most hi fi shop salespeople; it was always pretty good in those hearing tests I undertook all those years ago.

There's plenty of apps out there where you can crudely test this. I have signal generator, I lose it at about 15500

 

[SteveR750]

Interesting.

I find all of the Dire Straits albums to be well recorded, if missing some deep bass on the earlier analogue mastered 70s recordings.

Steve, I wonder if the treble thing is also age related - I too used to have an intolerance of excessive treble, but now that I'm (just) the right side of 50 I'm pretty sure my hearing FR is tailing off at the top end. I know in my late teens / early 20s i could pretty accurately detect a 20Khz signal from the various hearing tests I did at the time, whereas now I'm pretty sure I can't. I haven't done a clinical hearing test in nearly 10 years so can't be sure, but it's what I'd expect. It's different from being slightly deaf - I'm sure I have the most sensitive hearing in my household, and most hi fi shop salespeople; it was always pretty good in those hearing tests I undertook all those years ago.

There's plenty of apps out there where you can crudely test this. I have signal generator, I lose it at about 15500

I know, but I'd rather not be reminded of my age. It's bad enough that the frequency at which one visits the docs only increases!

 

[Andrewjvt]

ok yes its terrible to look at the graph but i could still listen - i think i have not had it loud enough to feel the effects yet. ill try soon

Can anyone send a graph of this cd or thoughts on: Cold Play MYL OXYL OTO some of the songs on there sound bad to me

 

[Tear Drop]

ok yes its terrible to look at the graph but i could still listen - i think i have not had it loud enough to feel the effects yet. ill try soon

Can anyone send a graph of this cd or thoughts on: Cold Play MYL OXYL OTO some of the songs on there sound bad to me

I always found Coldplay to sound poor on CD, particularly Mylo Xyloto. The vinyl versions always seem to be less compressed by some degree. A shame then that their live albums haven't seen vinyl releases.

 

[MeanandGreen]

Original version of Whats the Story Morning Glory by Oasis. When I played it for the first time I thought there was something wrong with my system. Brickwalled to hell, drums sound like cardboard boxes.

I haven't heard the remastered issue though.

Yep, and definitely maybe. Its not unlistenable, but a shame its not better,as the music is A1. Anyone know if the recent remasters sound better on decent HiFi equipment?

I can confirm that the re issues do not give any improvement over the originals. The new versions are brighter when compared back to back with the originals. Listening to them on their own, there is no real obvious difference.

The re issues are more about the extra material and the artwork. If you're a fan as I am, it's worth having the re issues.

 

[manicm]

A lot of U2s albums sound poor, esp. Rattle and Hum

That album is poor in more ways than just sound. It's possibly the worst U2 album. It's possibly the worst live album. It's possibly the worst album full stop. And apparently the band didn't care for it either - they followed it up with Achtung Baby - the first half of which is possibly the best U2 album, but the second half again....

 

[steve_1979]

I always found Coldplay to sound poor on CD, particularly Mylo Xyloto.

+1

 

[steve_1979]

Can anyone send a graph of this cd or thoughts on: Cold Play MYL OXYL OTO some of the songs on there sound bad to me

This is the song Paradise.

 

[Andrewjvt]

the song with Rihanna sounds the worse to me - very rough

which is a pity as its a good song - funny as i can hear the cd is a little bad but not so much with RHCP californication

When I demod The hegel a few months ago I used the cold play cd and thought that the amp was over driving the speakers lol

now i know it was a bad recording

 

[radiorog]

Interesting.

I find all of the Dire Straits albums to be well recorded, if missing some deep bass on the earlier analogue mastered 70s recordings.

Steve, I wonder if the treble thing is also age related - I too used to have an intolerance of excessive treble, but now that I'm (just) the right side of 50 I'm pretty sure my hearing FR is tailing off at the top end. I know in my late teens / early 20s i could pretty accurately detect a 20Khz signal from the various hearing tests I did at the time, whereas now I'm pretty sure I can't. I haven't done a clinical hearing test in nearly 10 years so can't be sure, but it's what I'd expect. It's different from being slightly deaf - I'm sure I have the most sensitive hearing in my household, and most hi fi shop salespeople; it was always pretty good in those hearing tests I undertook all those years ago.

There's plenty of apps out there where you can crudely test this. I have signal generator, I lose it at about 15500

I know, but I'd rather not be reminded of my age. It's bad enough that the frequency at which one visits the docs only increases!

Haha! True dat! :-!

 

[philpot1001]

Interesting.

I find all of the Dire Straits albums to be well recorded, if missing some deep bass on the earlier analogue mastered 70s recordings.

Steve, I wonder if the treble thing is also age related - I too used to have an intolerance of excessive treble, but now that I'm (just) the right side of 50 I'm pretty sure my hearing FR is tailing off at the top end. I know in my late teens / early 20s i could pretty accurately detect a 20Khz signal from the various hearing tests I did at the time, whereas now I'm pretty sure I can't. I haven't done a clinical hearing test in nearly 10 years so can't be sure, but it's what I'd expect. It's different from being slightly deaf - I'm sure I have the most sensitive hearing in my household, and most hi fi shop salespeople; it was always pretty good in those hearing tests I undertook all those years ago.

My Dire Straits album are my go to album to test my systems, the CD's are easily the best sound quality of all my albums - "Money for Nothing" soundstaging is spectacular.