Very compressed is, some is just fine. There are those of us that don't get off on 115db peaks.
tasteful compression is often enjoyed by the audience/listener. You don't think the singer or guitar player can really play so consistently do you? It really is part of the music in many cases.
It's generally what happens after to the 2 track mix that is often what robs the music of its life. But that is a big mixture of commercialism, sales beliefs, voodoo beliefs, etc.
But if you are comparing field recordings to commercial releases, it's definitely in large part, the processing applied to the commercial that you are noticing. And anyway it really is a totally different process to make the two different things.
Alan
It's generally what happens after to the 2 track mix that is often what robs the music of its life. But that is a big mixture of commercialism, sales beliefs, voodoo beliefs, etc.
But if you are comparing field recordings to commercial releases, it's definitely in large part, the processing applied to the commercial that you are noticing. And anyway it really is a totally different process to make the two different things.
Alan
That's because the vast majority of consumers cannot get to 115 dB peaks in a room. Worse yet, many don't even know whather that's a weird kind of a new sandwich, or what. In other words, they have no clue what they are missing.
It's not just sheer loudness for headbangers, it's lack of proper scale, the wonderful ability of music to sound BIG when necessary. An example which pops to mind is laying Blue Man Group's first CD, song No.8, when a guy hits a 12 foot drum at full force. Admittedly, that's abit rigged because it assumes tremendous bass capability, but it typically sounds small and constrained in most systems, but will sound phenomenal in a system capable of achieving better that 100 dB SPL in a peak. My own system is capable of about 114 dB SPL (speakers 91 dB/1W/1m) power amp delivers 23 dBW sustained, and I'm almost there. Once you get there, there's no coming back.
There are plenty of clean, uncompressed recordings available to those who would like to listen to them. With ADC and excellent microphones , and digital storage, dynamic range is better than ever. But even with some excel master analog recorders, the difference you hear of uncompressed sounds directly is quit different from an LP. The masters from Water Lilley records were made with 2 mics directly to recorder of small ensembles of acoustic instruments. Many other uncompressed recordings exist more than ever with todays greater dynamic range systems.
Sure many recordings are EQ'ed and compressed to be played in a car environment. Wide dynamic range need not apply.
But there are plenty of uncompressed accurate and realistic recordings avail if you want to know how good your system is. Or you can try recording yourself to find out. But, its a lot more than uncompressed sound involved in hearing such recorded music as direct as possible. The advantage of doing your own recordings is that you know what it is supposed to sound like and can accurately correct/improve your system.
THx-RNMarsh
Sure many recordings are EQ'ed and compressed to be played in a car environment. Wide dynamic range need not apply.
But there are plenty of uncompressed accurate and realistic recordings avail if you want to know how good your system is. Or you can try recording yourself to find out. But, its a lot more than uncompressed sound involved in hearing such recorded music as direct as possible. The advantage of doing your own recordings is that you know what it is supposed to sound like and can accurately correct/improve your system.
THx-RNMarsh
Is this one Dejan?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1rhrCzmiW4&list=PLC3B2E37FE3AA6586&index=8
George
I'm not sure I understand what you are meaning by a peak here. Peak with an SPL meter or peak with a calibrated mic. Bar the odd spectacular (dafos for example) most of the classical recordings I have hover around the (expected) -20dBFS rising up to about -12 for the crescendos. This would be as measured by the SPL meter or registered by the ears, but that -12 fff section will crest up to -0.1dBFS (which gives the game away that is has been at least gain ridden if not compressed).
So when you talk about a system that can hit 114dB SPL, do you actually mean music peaks of 102dB?*
BTW which blue man group album Album list - Dynamic Range Database don't seem to show anything spectacular.
I would like to think that there are new albums being released with 'near live' transients, but the only ones I have seen are on SACD and you need the full 5.2 to get the effect.
* I know I'm probably 3dB somewhere here as the speaker sensitivity will have been measured with a sinusoid with a CF of 3dB.
So when you talk about a system that can hit 114dB SPL, do you actually mean music peaks of 102dB?*
BTW which blue man group album Album list - Dynamic Range Database don't seem to show anything spectacular.
I would like to think that there are new albums being released with 'near live' transients, but the only ones I have seen are on SACD and you need the full 5.2 to get the effect.
* I know I'm probably 3dB somewhere here as the speaker sensitivity will have been measured with a sinusoid with a CF of 3dB.
I just spent 2 days at the factory in Bangkok, Thailand working on the distortion level of Damir's power amp. With redone grounding all over the chassis, the THD and THD+N is about 10X lower now 🙂 Found the 2H almost gone at slightly higher OPS bias. Making progress!
What it takes for Today's High End loudspeaker system .... very low distortion, wide and flat freq response on and off axis, controlled and constant dispersion, high dynamic range.
http://webcache.googleusercontent.c...rochure_Jan2013.pdf+&cd=4&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=th
-RNM
What it takes for Today's High End loudspeaker system .... very low distortion, wide and flat freq response on and off axis, controlled and constant dispersion, high dynamic range.
http://webcache.googleusercontent.c...rochure_Jan2013.pdf+&cd=4&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=th
-RNM
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Yes and no, George. Yes, that's the CD I'm talking about, but I seem to have missed the number of the song, that one I mean is like over 8 minutes long. My fault, I am sorry. Hell George, you can't miss that sound, it rocks your liver and both your kidneys better that a glass of ouzo on bottoms up. 😀
Just make sure you have a power power amp ready and for the first go, go easy on the volume control, don't worry, you'll be back many a time later on, guaranteed. It's no electronic effect, it's a true live drum sound that sends the tympani running for cover.
Another impressive adventure is putting on brother Vangelis' number "Metallic rain", a part of the soundetrack from the movie "Blade runner", when the music goes from easy and relaxed to a thundering crescendo in like 2 uS.
JC, are you taking notes here? You should be, all this is ideal for demonstrating your amp hardware, easily available commercial software that makes its own point VERY clear.
Bill, you'll know what I'm talking about once you play the said CD using your usual volume level at home. If that drum comes across as anything but grand, you ain't got it. If it rocks you and sounds big, you're fine.
I have seen them live and have no wish to blow my lease trying to emulate live levels (or all the loo roll).
But 0dBFS remains as the max. So either it's recorded at a very low level or you play it very load. A more powerful amplifier will not compand the incoming signal.
But 0dBFS remains as the max. So either it's recorded at a very low level or you play it very load. A more powerful amplifier will not compand the incoming signal.
The advantage of doing your own recordings is that you know what it is supposed to sound like and can accurately correct/improve your system.
THx-RNMarsh
Yes, or tuning your stereo to your recording device...
THx-RNMarsh
Yes, or tuning your stereo to your recording device...
It’s either track #3 or track #13 then.
(coincidence. I’m just going out for some ouzos)
George
Here George, it was >25yr. ago and I scratched this out for the folks at The Naval Labs in Maryland. I "think" I built it but can't recall exactly. The bias stuff on the left is non-critical, you just want a cascode voltage that also gets the right drain currents for the FET's.
Attachments
A really good circuit, Scott. Personally, I think the the AD625 was one of your finest design efforts. Still, what is the final slew rate? Yet, with a 389 in the front end, this would be quiet enough for serious work.
Slew rate stays the same as the data sheet. This was for listening to enemy subs and maybe whales. Yes one or two pairs could get close to 1.5nV or so maybe 1nV at G = 1000.
I've done a lot of track analysis of recorded music. Not everything that sounds dynamic really is - at least not in terms of average to peak amplitude.
Many good recordings on CD are mastered with an average level 18dB below peak. Classical and modern big-band might be in the range of 22dB below peak. I rarely see anything with a greater dynamic ratio. There are some, but they are rare. They don't necessarily sound more dynamic than others.
One nice thing about recordings with at least 18dB average to peak is that they tend to be less annoying and fatiguing than more compressed recordings. More relaxed, more open - for lack of better terms. That's what I like about them.
Many good recordings on CD are mastered with an average level 18dB below peak. Classical and modern big-band might be in the range of 22dB below peak. I rarely see anything with a greater dynamic ratio. There are some, but they are rare. They don't necessarily sound more dynamic than others.
One nice thing about recordings with at least 18dB average to peak is that they tend to be less annoying and fatiguing than more compressed recordings. More relaxed, more open - for lack of better terms. That's what I like about them.
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