Ok, I admit for free you cant complain, but it seems various digital streams are all over the map regarding EQ, level and maybe even compression FAIK...
Seems someone got the idea "we can process this stuff any way we want and as long as it sounds better over someone's Amazon Echo, they'll land on us over that other station"
Why? Advertising revenue? Are people really that lazy that they cant adjust the sound to taste on their own device - so the station has to do that for them?
I believe my beloved Jazz Groove boosts the bass. Damn them! Other streams like our local KNKX and international "Mother Earth" do not. A stream like "Smooth Jazz Boston" is modulated so strong it knocks me out of my chair when I pick that station.
All the CD ripped music on my server is more quiet than any of the internet streams...
Seems someone got the idea "we can process this stuff any way we want and as long as it sounds better over someone's Amazon Echo, they'll land on us over that other station"
Why? Advertising revenue? Are people really that lazy that they cant adjust the sound to taste on their own device - so the station has to do that for them?
I believe my beloved Jazz Groove boosts the bass. Damn them! Other streams like our local KNKX and international "Mother Earth" do not. A stream like "Smooth Jazz Boston" is modulated so strong it knocks me out of my chair when I pick that station.
All the CD ripped music on my server is more quiet than any of the internet streams...
Well...... It complicated.
First there is volume leveling. You want all the songs to be about the same level and adjusting down will only frustrate most users, so you level up.
Then there is the target audience. Who are they, where are they, what do they like?
Next the target device. Computer, car, earbuds, phone speaker? Does the device have any bass or dynamic range?
Radio stations have done the same thing for decades. Make it sound "Amazing!". Everyone makes it louder, more bassy and whatever other EQ tricks the station manager thinks will get people to stick around. Have you noticed how loud FM has gotten?
I do remember when Spotify first began we compared its versions to CD rips and they did not seem to be altered, just bit compressed for transport. Pandora has always had EQ and dynamic control. Maybe that has changed. I grew up with France Musique on FM which was a superb quality broadcast. Although I love their streaming music programming, they do squeeze the dynamics right out of the stream. As far as I can tell its dynamically compressed by 8-10dB on classical music. No fun!
First there is volume leveling. You want all the songs to be about the same level and adjusting down will only frustrate most users, so you level up.
Then there is the target audience. Who are they, where are they, what do they like?
Next the target device. Computer, car, earbuds, phone speaker? Does the device have any bass or dynamic range?
Radio stations have done the same thing for decades. Make it sound "Amazing!". Everyone makes it louder, more bassy and whatever other EQ tricks the station manager thinks will get people to stick around. Have you noticed how loud FM has gotten?
I do remember when Spotify first began we compared its versions to CD rips and they did not seem to be altered, just bit compressed for transport. Pandora has always had EQ and dynamic control. Maybe that has changed. I grew up with France Musique on FM which was a superb quality broadcast. Although I love their streaming music programming, they do squeeze the dynamics right out of the stream. As far as I can tell its dynamically compressed by 8-10dB on classical music. No fun!