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Path: utzoo!watmath!watdcsu!herbie
From: herbie@watdcsu.UUCP (Herb Chong, Computing Services)
Newsgroups: net.audio
Subject: Re: Sheffield CDs and why they sound bad
Message-ID: <534@watdcsu.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 23-Oct-84 10:17:26 EDT
Article-I.D.: watdcsu.534
Posted: Tue Oct 23 10:17:26 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 24-Oct-84 03:33:04 EDT
References: <46@vice.UUCP> <1183@hou4b.UUCP>, <49@vice.UUCP>, <582@ucbtopaz.CC.Berkeley.ARPA>
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 30

The key point you mentioned was properly implemented.  The problem with
most recordings on CD (and on vinyl, for that matter) is the initial
recording and the microphone setup.  Admittedly, a digital recording
system is pretty impressive as far as the numbers go.  However, those
numbers assume a lot of things, like the recording engineer is familiar with
the technical side of his recorder and the consequences of what he does.
The digital systems are much less forgiving of errors and techniques of
analog systems don't cut it, most of the time, if you want to realize the full
potential of the medium.  A lot of manufacturers of CD's have admitted to
compressing the initial signal so that the dynamic range is "acceptable
for the consumer".  Where have we heard that one before?  With the
compression, where do you think all the original noise goes?  I would prefer
to make my own decison about compression and keep the noise where it belongs.
Some companies ddon't compress, but they are the ones that originally in the
audiophile record business with digital recordings of their own.  One
final point, at $1-2k per hour just for the recording time, wouldn't you
rather have a saftey blanket if you set the recording levels wrong?  And
wouldn't you rather have a few extra bits of dynamic range when you know
the signal is going to be compressed to the final dynamic range before
mastering?


Herb...

I'm user-friendly -- I don't byte, I nybble....

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