Excuses for compressing/limiting:

I have been debating the issue of compressing/limiting CDs to make them louder. Here are some of the excuses some of these engineer types have been using (Bear in mind that none of these guys are "name" engineers, many of them are musicians first. They represent the new breed, though.):

"We do it so it will stand out on radio."-Truth? Radio already does this, and the already over compressed FM station will make the music quieter and more compressed.

"The CD will be noticed if it is louder."-Most people judge a song by the first few seconds. If your CD is as loud as all the rest, it is really no different and does not stand out.

"We do it so the listener doesn't have to turn up the volume."-It's not your problem. If your listener likes your music, they will make the effort.

"No one will buy it unless it's loud."-If the music is lousy and the same as the next CD, no one will buy it anyway.

"The band is bad, so the music needs all the help it can get".-See above.

"We do it for creative reasons. Compression adds texture."-Making something 10db louder is creative?

"It works for our type of music."-Maybe so, but people are tired of alternative and grunge music. Maybe compressing/limiting is why.

"The listener likes it louder."-This may be the only reason that sounds honest.

I just had to let you guys know what these people are thinking. From the looks of things, the practice is not going to let up. The major companies are going to have to initiate the change.

 

This is sad. I have to turn the volume down on just about every new cd release.

 

I'm just wondering how many excuses these people can come up with.

 

Because no one is going to go out and buy a new player just so they can have a compressor built in...

 

Well-reasoned, Ken, IMO. The key here is allowing the listener to choose. Sometimes there are good reasons for manipulating the original signal, but that should be the listener's decision.

 

This hurts those who invest thousands into thier listening enviornment. On sub-par equipment, mostly Car Radio & Boom Boxes, once you put all of the PUSH into the sound, it sounds better than it should, still with too much of a high end boost. Sounds clearer? Welll.... maybe if you weren't used to high end recordings with depth, imaging and presence.

Slam it. Slam it as hard as you can. It's the same when you write a newspaper at a 3rd grade level. You reach more people's preference when you slam the sound so badly...

It hurts all of us really...

 

We thank you very much for being a minority Steve.

 

But times change and engineers are doing the digital compression deal, unlike what they said in the 1980s.

 

Glad to be counted with you, Steve.

Here's a follow-up question for you. Would you say that analog compression can be poorly used/abused as well? In other words, is this an analog/digital problem, or (as you've said elsewhere) more an issue of digital technology lending itself much more easily to abuse?

 

People get used to anything.

 

My car cd player has one. It's a Delco circa 1993. I never use it.

 

This is a very interesting post and Steve, thank you for your insight. I didn't know digital compression was so different from analog compression. Is it too complex or lengthy to ask why they're so different?

 

Steve,

I have been trying to do my part in educating the unwashed masses of young, would-be engineers doing their thing. Do you mind if I use your quotes to help get my points accross, like they will listen anyway?

 

I know that some CD players back in the mid-to-late-80s had compression circuits on them, if you wanted to limit the dynamic range for a tape you making for car use.

Ryan

 

I always liked the massive compression on "Listen To What The Man Said" (never heard the whole album), and the Jeff Lynne stuff. I hear it as a creative effect. Don't tell me MACCA applied compression over all of the album master...

 

Steve,

Believe it, or not, I wasn't aware that that there was a sibgle mix of the song. I just knew the song from radio in 1975 and what was on CD. I shall pick up the 45 at my earliest convenience.

Your second sentence was not clear.

 

Let me see if I can translate here...

"When they did the LP version, they recompressed the tape and sliced off the opening sax note."

Not too bad, eh?