music "quality"

[Theli]

while reading a few threads some people commented on the fact that some pop music is or sounds "compressed". What does this mean? Is there any sites that explains such concepts? I have no musical training of any kind, and never really got into music until my mid-teens. So sometimes I wonder about good sound and what it's supposed to sound like.

[Volenti]

When the music is compressed it means that there is little difference in volume between the loud and quiet parts of the music, it lacks dynamic range.

Music that is compressed will tend to sound "louder" than uncompressed music at the same volume setting, and in my experience is more fatiguing than uncompressed music.

[Guss]

Boosting mids at arround 5k often make the whole mix sounds louder. You loose quality and the mix may end up with softer low end so nothing clips or distort.

[elizard]

http://sound.westhost.com/compression.htm

good read

[fivaxis]

I would say most if not all current pop music is compressed.