Bill Ward - "We mixed the new album using $25 earbuds"

Target demographic fail.

 

I think the idea is that an older album would be quieter in spots, meaning any additional background noise can drown it out. A compressed album doesn't really have that problem. Perhaps that is why radio stations would play the songs compressed, because they were often played in one's car with road noise.

I still agree with your larger point, however - the choruses and beats would just sound more vibrant if they weren't so compressed.

 

Bill Ward's just full of good ideas these days.

 

Earbuds suck.

 

I know; I just couldn't pass up taking a shot at Born Again.

 

Sure, 13 is way too LOUD, but B.A. just sounds like crap.

 

Is an earbud mix part of The Unsignable Contract?

You know, the one wherein Wrongs Must Be Righted?

 

I've recorded an album for Polydor in '93 and they did mix it on very cheap car speakers.

 

Do we know that when the CD version comes out it will have the same mix/mastering?

Btw, Stephen Marsh is credited with mastering the album.

 

These kids with their hard drives and digital inputs.

 

300%

 

Great to see he has finally got an album out - and Beyond Aston is still another project he has to complete.

Not so keen on this earbud mix though! I dont listen to online samples so will wait on the CD release but hopeful its been mixed correctly for that format and my car stereo system.

 

Ozzy Osbourne: "We goin to Family Dollar! Gunna get one dollar earbuds!"

 

400%

 

I don't think you can blame the loudness on earbuds, as it started long before they came into being. Also, you can tell the difference on earbuds between normal compression and when it's been brickwalled.

 

Amen!
Even my home recordings are mixed with more care, and I can assure you I'm not audiophile nor a recording connoiseur.

 

Loudness war has nothing to do with what you listen to it on while mixing. I know in some studios I've been in they deliberately have crappy speakers in the control room so you can hear what it sounds like to a normal person. This makes some sense. We used to do the car test where they'd dump a mix out and run out to someone's car to hear what it sounds like in there. I doubt they mixed the whole thing only with crappy earbuds.

 

He got us discussing him and his music didn't he? Not so dumb.

 

Yeah, this is my old saw. Stuff that's mastered to sound great on a great system won't suck over $25 earbuds.

 

Maybe next time around, they can use the $25 for everything: tracking, monitoring, mixing, and mastering. It'll keep it pure.

 

First album in 18 years from one of the all time greats. Sometimes, being an "audiophile" really needs to take a break.

I'm not an itunes guy, but I might have to download this. I hope it turns out that this mix is intended for the typical earbud listener and a CD will be forthcoming. But man alive, what a bunch of whining in this thread.

NEWSFLASH: Most people who enjoy music aren't audiophiles.

His statement seems clear to me. He's having to understand the realities of modern music listening and wants this album to appeal to this type of listener.

 

Back to the important question. Is 100, 300 or 400% more than 25?

 

25 to 100 is a 300% increase

 

I think he's simply reporting what is going on the studio, not that it's a new idea, or that they didn't listen to the album on any "regular" speakers either.

I think this is happening in studios in general these days.