Revelatory

Posted by: J.N. on 18 August 2014

The recording quality of some current popular music is a bÊte noire of mine as some of you will be aware. I recently bought an EU copy (via Amazon UK) of 'Lost in the Dream by The War on Drugs, which I think is musically superb. The recording quality is however execrable - mp3 fodder.

 

I have just received the same CD, manufactured in the US. The difference in sound quality is astonishing - the US version sounding so much better.

 

Why?

 

Both copies appear ostensibly, to be the same on the 'Secretly Canadian' label with the same catalogue number. The matrices on the discs are however, different - indicating different pressing plants.

 

This reinforces my past experiences that it is worth procuring CD's from their country of origin for optimum sound quality.

 

John. 

Posted on: 18 August 2014 by Huge

OK, when I read that I assume you meant vinyl and it could be poor production of the disk.  Re-reading you have CDs.  In this case it can't be the same master, so it has to be an intentional downgrade, and thats utterly disgusting.

 

Do you think it was re-mastered for the EU market using too much compression and/or too much HF filtering?  Is this to make it less bad sounding on cheapo MP3 players with bargain basement in-ear 'phones?  Presumably this is all they see of the EU market.

 

I've riled against the same practices since the 1980s.

Posted on: 18 August 2014 by fathings cat

Either way it's really frustrating..... at JN's we both played a cd version of AM's Future Son's and Daughters. It was like someone had covered the uk version with marmalade, it really was night and day in terms of sound quality V the US version.

 

I too have modified my buying habits and don't always just by the cheapest which frankly is a ball ache as you have to research.

 

Gary

Posted on: 18 August 2014 by m0omo0

I don't know if it's true, but I thought I read things about some pressing plants running quick EQ/compressor/you name it as part of their process. In any case, the SH Forum is full of comparison of different pressings of the same release of the same album.

 

That could also explain why a 16/44.1 download of a particular release of an album might sound different than the rip.

 

It's not getting easier and I understand your frustration, John. I agree with FC: it always gets me mad when I'm in a shop and I see this CD at a reduced price, and I have a doubt about the remastering or the release and I find myself the nose down on my bl**dy iPhone reading Discogs and the SH Forum.

 

I could start assuming getting old and start complaining that when we had record shops, at least we could rely on a good advice of a passionate shop owner, but unfortunately that wouldn't even be the truth as when I was still young, record pressings were already crap and I only learned about it 20 years later...

 

Same old, same old. And no way back to mono, the only shellac you get these days is on organic apples to make them shine.