The Loudness War has NOT reduced dynamic range

  • Thread starter Thread starter benage
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Mo Facta said:
I'm afraid it's a lot worse than that. Using the top 4-6 bits would mean the material has got 24 to 36dB of dynamic range since each bit is roughly equal to 6dB of DR. You will be hard pressed to find this in even the most dynamic material. Sadly, most modern pop music has anywhere from 3 to 6 dB of dynamic range, and less! This would mean this music is utilizing only the top bit. And yes, I said BIT. ONE.

Cheers :)
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that doesn't sound right. If you're staying at the top of the range and are always up to the last bit before peaking, then in a 20 bit system wouldn't that mean you're always using 18-18 bits? At least as far as accuracy and fidelity goes.
You may only be varying the dynamics by 1 bits' worth but you're using all the bits but 1.
 
I've been collecting issues of albums with the most dynamics for a year and a half now. Guess I have to get rid of my vinyl transfers and 80s cd rips and find the latest remasters, because someone came up with formulas to prove there's the same amount of dynamics regardless of the use of tools to reduce them.
 
LeadPaint said:
I've been collecting issues of albums with the most dynamics for a year and a half now. Guess I have to get rid of my vinyl transfers and 80s cd rips and find the latest remasters, because someone came up with formulas to prove there's the same amount of dynamics regardless of the use of tools to reduce them.
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Let me know when you are ready to get rid of them...I'll give you and address where you can ship them. :)
 
Lt. Bob said:
that doesn't sound right. If you're staying at the top of the range and are always up to the last bit before peaking, then in a 20 bit system wouldn't that mean you're always using 18-18 bits? At least as far as accuracy and fidelity goes.
You may only be varying the dynamics by 1 bits' worth but you're using all the bits but 1.
Click to expand...

I guess if you look at it inversely but that's not really what I'm saying.

The OP commented on some material using the top 4-6 bits. By "top", I am assuming that he means full scale. Since 24 bit audio (and I'm using 24 as an example), 144 theoretical dBs of dynamic range equals 6dB per bit, it stands to reason that while all bits are being used, only the last bit is reflecting the dynamic range. 4-6 bits would be 24-36dB of DR. The whole discussion was centered around dynamic range and loudness.

Cheers :)
 
Forget the theory. Use your ears. The Black Box Sabbath remasters just didn't sound right, you could hear the vocals dipping and then getting louder the overall mixed was over compressed. Modern music is probably mixed with that sort of compression in mind, but it doesn't work on the majority earlier music. Listen to Dark Side of The Moon remaster (not the latest, the last one) and you can hear the dynamics are gone, the bit at the begging when Breath starts used to build up and 'bang' suddenly it came in, taking you by surprsise. on the remaster that's lost. but if I listen to the new rush stuff, you can see it's suashed, but it doesn't sound wrong because it's been mixed with that kind of compression in mind.
 
I read this article in the cafe of a B&N and got dirty looks from various passer-by types as I unapologetically laughed out loud. Just goes to show you that people will attempt to justify anything out of either stubbornness, greed or laziness. Or D) All of the above.

The author obv doesn't understand [or perceive] the difference between drums that 'pop' and drums that are flat and get buried in the mix.

No comparing the 2.
 
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