Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[MoreSpaceEcho]

that sleater kinney record is just comical it sounds so bad. which is sad because the songs are really good. but i think a lot of the comic loudness on that happened in the mix with dave friedmann. just my impression.

[carlsaff]

MoreSpaceEcho wrote on Thu, 02 February 2006 10:32

i think a lot of the comic loudness on that happened in the mix with dave friedmann. just my impression.

Not impossible. I prefer to think it was more that than the mastering.

[MoreSpaceEcho]

one good thing about that record is that it really helped me make my case for quieter records. i'm forever ranting about stupid loud records to everyone i know, and i'm sure they tuned me out long ago. but when that record came out, everyone was like "this sounds terrible! why does it sound like that? did they mix it through two rat pedals?"

i can understand wanting to make a 'blown out' sounding record, and for s/k it's entirely appropriate, even. but they just went too far, imo. 3db less would be worlds better and it would still be plenty loud.

[carlsaff]

Agreed. I think that Jon Spencer's "Now I got Worry" is a good example of a record that sounds "in the red," but isn't unpleasant to listen to.

[MoreSpaceEcho]

autolux' "future perfect" is another one. hopelessly, impossibly crushed (i believe steven marcussen mastered, but doubtless a lot happened in the mix as well) but somehow it still sounds good. there's none of the terrible 'rms distortion' i hear on other super loud records. and there should be, cause this thing is pummeling!

[Bob Olhsson]

I just sent a CD of part of my "hobby" project that was 4 or 5 dB lower than Doug Sax's average to the label's sales guy.

My partner got a call at 10PM the same night absolutely raving about how great our sound is compared to the label's other artists!

[bloodstone]

Personally, I think it's fascinating how loud some of these jokers can make a record sound.  I'm still trying to figure out how to to do it without making the songs sound like A**.  Some of the really loud records sound good, some do not.  It's older, but Urge Overkill's Exit The Dragon is a good loud sounding disc.  
_______________________
Dominic
Studio Wee

[lagerfeldt]

One loud record that still sound good to me is Linkin Park's Meteora. Also an example of mixing being responsible for loudness too.

[carlsaff]

bloodstone wrote on Wed, 22 February 2006 18:08

Urge Overkill's Exit The Dragon

I have that one. Not that loud by today's standards.... ~ -12db to -13db RMS. A Bob Ludwig master! He's averaging about 2-3db louder on most of his masters these days (and they're still sounding good).

[Pingu]

David Glasser wrote on Thu, 02 February 2006 08:10

carlsaff wrote on Wed, 01 February 2006 15:09 And many of those records sound loud AND great. So what's the problem?

I think the potential problem is that they could have sounded better.

[giraffe]

i don't really like crushed cd's, for the most part even the ones that sound good (and some really do) are very tiring.

but what i hate about it is the standard it sets for the mid level ME's that don't have the equipment, knowledge, or receive the mixes with the potential to be that loud, but do it anyway.

does that make the least amount of sense?

[bloodstone]

carlsaff wrote on Thu, 23 February 2006 00:49

bloodstone wrote on Wed, 22 February 2006 18:08 Urge Overkill's Exit The Dragon I have that one. Not that loud by today's standards.... ~ -12db to -13db RMS. A Bob Ludwig master! He's averaging about 2-3db louder on most of his masters these days (and they're still sounding good).

Mr. Ludwig did a fine job with Exile on Main Street, too.  He's a talent!  Not sure about Sticky Fingers re-do though.

[bobkatz]

bloodstone wrote on Sun, 26 February 2006 07:10

carlsaff wrote on Thu, 23 February 2006 00:49 bloodstone wrote on Wed, 22 February 2006 18:08 Urge Overkill's Exit The Dragon I have that one. Not that loud by today's standards.... ~ -12db to -13db RMS. A Bob Ludwig master! He's averaging about 2-3db louder on most of his masters these days (and they're still sounding good). Mr. Ludwig did a fine job with Exile on Main Street, too.  He's a talent!  Not sure about Sticky Fingers re-do though.

Ludwig's work on the Stones SACDs (and the Redbook layer as well) is so good that I am able to make some headway with some clients by simply asking them, "Why do you have to be louder than the Rolling Stones"?  Even if it doesn't get through and we squash it anyway, at least my point makes an impression.

BK