Second Toughest in the Infants

[Dunwho]

Bullshit!! Crank it up all you want but louder is certainly not better. I was listening to this album all day yesterday and found myself once again gob-smacked at the depth of sound that they achieved in that album. If you "remaster" (pretty much just make louder) that album you will most likely squash out the real detail that is buried in the sound.

By bringing the levels up the louder sounds will drown out the quieter sounds and the dynamic range will be minimised dramatically.

It is perfect... dont touch it.. dont even look at it!

Just listen!


And does nobody have any appreciation for the album sounding like it was made in 1996? I mean you can butter it up and make it all fresh and 2010.. but then it loses all its character.. i think people need to learn how to appreciate the character of the album and the time it was made and not just the music.

[potatobroth]

it just seems like it was mastered too low but im not clammoring for a remaster either. it is what it is.

[ultradave]

Originally Posted by potatobroth

so freaky. i was just listening to Juanita on my way into work today and realized i had my iPhone craked up, and my car radio really freaking high. still sounded a bit flat.

YES! This was my original reason for posting. I have since taken out the use of listening to the actual CD's. I'm just moving with the times, however, I do still own a record player, cassette deck, and a CD player w/a built in CD-Recorder - you just never know when you'll need these.

I listen to my music mostly while driving and I like most these days hook up my iPod and I almost always have to MAX out my volume for STITI... and I have a pretty good sound system in my car!!!

[ultradave]

Originally Posted by Dirty Saint

Check out the remasters of all Depeche Mode's back catalogue if you want to know how good they can sound if done properly......

This is true. The same as with STITI is if anyone has the original CD of Black Celebration can note. It too lacked in volume and bass.

The Remaster of Black Celebration to date is my favourite Remastered album. STITI will be up there too if it ever gets a good Remastering.

As for dubno - I'm totally satisfied with the mixing of the album at it's present state. If it were to be remastered, would I buy it? Of course, but only for the extra's!

[ultradave]

Originally Posted by Dunwho

By bringing the levels up the louder sounds will drown out the quieter sounds and the dynamic range will be minimised dramatically.

And does nobody have any appreciation for the album sounding like it was made in 1996?

My ears have matured since 1996... I wasn't referring to bringing up the sound or just making it louder - you can do that with an equalizer and all you'll get is a muffled loud experience. No thanks.

I'm talking about enhancing the highs and lows, primarily the lows - Banstyle/Sappy's Curry is the best example - and really, it's the only track on the album that I feel was mixed too low - Maybe it was UW's intention to start that track at such a quiet state - but that beginning bass would kick if it was a little more pronounced! Kind of like Cups when the bass ignites or even Jumbo...

I don't want to have to turn my volume up to enjoy the album - I just feel that the experience could be better w/out making the album sound like 2010... although I am still thinking about wearing my space suit to the next uw show in San Diego...

[Troy McClure]

Wasn't there some discussion back when 1992-2002 came out, that some people thought that Pearls Girl sounded worse on the '92-'02 disc than on STITI? That there was clipping when looking at the wave files?

Jason

[Jon Paul]

Barking is bass heavy...but I figured that was due to the collaborative production effort. But things are getting mastered too loud these days for sure (Health, Neon Indian...etc) and the overall effect is a headache. Or maybe I'm getting old.

[bryantm3]

Originally Posted by Jon Paul

Barking is bass heavy...but I figured that was due to the collaborative production effort. But things are getting mastered too loud these days for sure (Health, Neon Indian...etc) and the overall effect is a headache. Or maybe I'm getting old.

you're not old, unless you've noticed some kind of dramatic change between 2000 and now, cos the problem first really got mainstream in the late 90s.

[Professor]

I already worked on it. It's pressed low. No doubt about it.... arguably the rest of stuff today is 'maximized' way too much... one big flat wavefile... that's no bueno either...


So I just made it a little louder.


http://www.sendspace.com/file/hwp8hm

[King of Snake]

it's true STITI is just pressed low. Not sure why they did that. So yes you can make it louder without touching the dynamics or "remastering" if you just rip the cd, normalise the wav's to 0dB (or -0.1 dB for safety) and then compress that result to mp3 or whatever to put on your iPod (as Prof demonstrated here).