Why, oh why, do people ruin music with compression???

I'm glad you were able to buy even more vintage versions of old albums to solve your problem. The point I'm making is that modern equipment is optimized for modern mastering. They aren't doing this to be evil. They are doing it because it sounds better for the majority of listeners. So painting with a broad brush about the 'evils' of compression and assuming we are all 'suffering' with distortion and lack of nuance isn't right.

The HomePod is a great example of a product designed to compensate for all types of masters including those that are compressed. Good article here:

The Multipressor (an abbreviation for multiband compressor) is an extremely versatile audio mastering tool. It splits the incoming signal into different frequency bands—up to four—and enables you to independently compress each band. After compression is applied, the bands are combined into a single output signal.

The advantage of compressing different frequency bands separately is that it allows you to apply more compression to the bands that need it, without affecting other bands. This avoids the pumping effect often associated with high amounts of compression.

As the Multipressor allows the use of higher compression ratios on specific frequency bands, it can achieve a higher average volume without causing audible artifacts.

Apple HomePod Review: Smart Speaker for the High-End? | Part-Time Audiophile

 

Sidechain compression. Sounds very cool on techno/trance tracks. Not so great on anything else.

 

I haven't heard Bob and Tom in ages.

 

But they aren't hard limited and volume-maxed to the point of clipping. Compression isn't really the enemy, it's when the dynamic range is reduced to zero and the smiley faced EQ gets compressed within an inch of its life and then hard limited to reduce the peaks and then the volume max brings it to the point of constant clipping. Like on the commercial CD of Californication.

 

I can't speak for anyone else, but I've got multiple stereo setups of modern digital audio equipment. And compressed masters sound like crap no matter which system I play it on. It even sounds like crap on my car stereo (where well-mastered music sounds fine).

 

Cool. I don't buy Apple products. I'm strictly PC. I'm glad you found something that works for you. What I have works for me.

 

Some people simply don't hear it. Or have the Apple HomePod. Good for them. I guess.

 

People buying CD's, complaining about them, but then also complaining that people don't buy CD's anymore and that they won't listen to anything that's not on CD is like 80% of the content of this board.

 

To each their own, but it sounds like the someone's 7 year old brat snuck over to the mixing console and to get some negative attention he keeps turning the volume knob up and down for all the tracks, except vocal and drums. Then when they kick him out, the brat goes to the light switch at the door and turns it on and off in repetition. I wouldn't be surprised if this is roughly how the trend started.

 

Is there a version without auto-tune?

 

If it's too loud you are too old.

 

And then they tell you vinyl isn't worth the effort!

 

Hmmm! I've used multi band compressors in my studio, and whilst they work fine for some tracks, for other tracks the splitting of the frequency spectrum into bands can make for a rather disjointed sound. I certainly wouldn't use one for everything.

 

Agree. I prefer to listen to something that sounds great turned up, not something that sounds like it needs to be turned down. Give me something that makes me reach for the volume knob for the right reasons.

 

Yeah, it's called One Hot Minute!

 

Not until Anthony Kiedis learns to stop singing everything so damn sharp.

 

The RHCP were over for me when Keidis decided technology had finally advanced to where he could be a "singer." It hurts me.

 

I don't find that as hilarious as the general notion of apologists for the process claiming that "the general public doesn't care"...well, if they don't care, WHY THE HELL DO IT. What is the thought process that went into going out of your way to ruin your own production, thinking you're somehow satisfying a segment of the market you've already determined, is ambivalent to it.

 

oh look, people have been using them since the 30s.

1930s-40s – Compression created to control volume of TV/Radio presenters whispering/talking quietly as-well as an entire audience clapping.
The first compressors just had In/Out functions and no other controls.

1937 – ‘The Western Electric 110 limiting amplifier created, being considered to be the first commercially available compressor.

1980s – DAWs included Compression as standard in their software, rather than needing Compression Racks.

2007 – Tracks started using less heavy compression, experimenting with different compression levels

 

exactly my point

 

2007? This is been going on since about '91/'92. Unless we're talking about something else.

 

It should go without saying on this forum, but the issue of compressed mastering (a.k.a. loudness war) has nothing to do with listening volume. I like listening to uncompressed music at high volume, but I can't stand listening to compressed music that way. It's the exact opposite of what you're implying.

 

Bob retired, so you won't hear him.

 

I guess it's just Tom then. I used to listen to the Mark and Brian show years ago.

 

It's too bad we can't get a decent version on vinyl like Stadium Arcadium.