I know this is a much.....much bigger problem in world of rock and pop, but I was wondering how many soundtrack remasters have been ruined (or almost ruined) by digital compression.
I remember FSM complaining about compression in a couple of reviews:
Indiana Jones: The Soundtrack Collection (2009) "Unfortunately, all three scores have also been volume-compressed, meaning that while the overall volume is louder, there is considerably less dynamic range. This is commonplace today among record companies, across all genres, but it’s long been a pet peeve of mine, and it’s a shame to see it done to Indy. Unfortunately, there’s no getting around it. For most listeners, the loss in dynamic range will be worth the overall improvement in sound."
- John Takis
Bernard Herrmann Film Scores (2004) "Compared to the original release, which has the exact same tracks, the new edition sports a remastering job that raises some questions. Overall, it's significantly louder. The sound of the recording venue's reverb and even the quietest musical notes are more easily heard, but at the sacrifice of the overall excitement the music. The string tone is silkier compared to the original, but the dynamic control of the orchestra is out of Mr. Bernstein's hands and into those of the mastering engineer. Make no mistake, this remastering did more damage than good."
- Ian D. Thomas
Personally, I also think that La-La records remaster of MOH Frontline is borderline problematic. Of course the original CD is one of the most dynamic CD's around.
Compressed re-releases(Updated)
Brass Target (2013 Varese Remaster) Chinatown (2012 Varese Remaster) The Formula (2010 Varese Remaster) Tai-pan (2012 Varese Remaster) Poltergeist II: The Other Side (2003 Varese Remaster) Peggy Sue Got Married (2014 Varese Remaster)
Medal of Honor: Frontline (La-La Records) Superman Returns (La-La Records)
Bernard Herrmann Film Scores (2004 Milan Remaster)
Halloween II 30th anniversary (2009 AHI records Remaster)
Varese's Encore releases are ridiculous, they claim to be straight reissues but they do muck around with the sound. Chinatown is good example of a badly compressed reissue. La-La's Superman Returns is another that comes to mind.
Halloween II's 30th anniversary release had people complaining it was mastered too loud (and in this case holding on the older Varese album). Wouldn't mind seeing a new release of this one more in line with the more professionally done expansions of the later movies.
Halloween II's 30th anniversary release had people complaining it was mastered too loud (and in this case holding on the older Varese album). Wouldn't mind seeing a new release of this one more in line with the more professionally done expansions of the later movies.
Two Things
1.) The Original VARESE release was mastered in the 1990's, so a remaster over 20 years later was without question in order.
2.) Mr. Howarth approved it, it was after all his score.
3.) If you think it's too loud, there is a thing called a Volume Control, if you don't know how to use it, consult the owners manual, I'm certain include directions as to how to use it to raise or lower the volume to the level you'd find to your liking.
Varese's Encore releases are ridiculous, they claim to be straight reissues but they do muck around with the sound. Chinatown is good example of a badly compressed reissue. La-La's Superman Returns is another that comes to mind.
They made Conti's THE FORMULA and Rosenthal's BRASS TARGETS, both great scores with a lot of dynamic range between moments of suspenseful quietude and thematic or violent outbursts, almost unlistenable on CD. I actually ended up just sticking with my Vinyl rips of both for listening purposes, as they sounded vastly superior!
I just hope they don't end up f*cking up Loek Dikker's THE FOURTH MAN and someone else releases that one in expanded form before Varese releases their own (awful and nonsensical) album reissue...
"If you think it's too loud, there is a thing called a Volume Control, if you don't know how to use it, consult the owners manual, I'm certain include directions as to how to use it to raise or lower the volume to the level you'd find to your liking."
If you think it's too loud, there is a thing called a Volume Control, if you don't know how to use it, consult the owners manual, I'm certain include directions as to how to use it to raise or lower the volume to the level you'd find to your liking.
If you think it's too loud, there is a thing called a Volume Control, if you don't know how to use it, consult the owners manual, I'm certain include directions as to how to use it to raise or lower the volume to the level you'd find to your liking.
Educate yourself please.
I love it when fanboys post this nonsense.
The bottom line I use something far superior.
My Ears, they tend to be what matter at the end of the day.
Now if you think something it too loud, Use your Volume Control, it's proved to be effective for the last 100 years or so fanboy.
If you think it's too loud, there is a thing called a Volume Control, if you don't know how to use it, consult the owners manual, I'm certain include directions as to how to use it to raise or lower the volume to the level you'd find to your liking.
Educate yourself please.
I love it when fanboys post this nonsense.
The bottom line I use something far superior.
My Ears, they tend to be what matter at the end of the day.
Now if you think something it too loud, Use your Volume Control, it's proved to be effective for the last 100 years or so fanboy.
Ford A. Thaxton
Well, maybe the waveforms and the numbers is just a way to confirm what you already hear with your ears.
And I guess the reviewers I quoted were fanboys as well.
Varese's Encore releases are ridiculous, they claim to be straight reissues but they do muck around with the sound. Chinatown is good example of a badly compressed reissue. La-La's Superman Returns is another that comes to mind.
They made Conti's THE FORMULA and Rosenthal's BRASS TARGETS, both great scores with a lot of dynamic range between moments of suspenseful quietude and thematic or violent outbursts, almost unlistenable on CD. I actually ended up just sticking with my Vinyl rips of both for listening purposes, as they sounded vastly superior!
More Fanboy fantasies...
FYI, as I recall both the LPS and CDS used the EXACT same 15ips album masters, as I further recall I don't think they do much processing for these CD releases.
As a matter of fact, I hear vastly more detail on the CDS then the old LPS.
The problem is that in both cases, neither score was recorded with a soundtrack release in mind and they both have that very harsh "Studio Recording sound" that you hear a lot from scores recorded in Germany, France and Rome during this time period.
CDs can be quite unforgiving in this manner, You can hear things that you wouldn't on a LP release that are just the nature of the original recordings.
Halloween II's 30th anniversary release had people complaining it was mastered too loud (and in this case holding on the older Varese album). Wouldn't mind seeing a new release of this one more in line with the more professionally done expansions of the later movies.
Two Things
1.) The Original VARESE release was mastered in the 1990's, so a remaster over 20 years later was without question in order.
2.) Mr. Howarth approved it, it was after all his score.
3.) If you think it's too loud, there is a thing called a Volume Control, if you don't know how to use it, consult the owners manual, I'm certain include directions as to how to use it to raise or lower the volume to the level you'd find to your liking.
:-)
Ford A. Thaxton
1. Just because something was originally mastered in the 1990s doesn't mean a remaster is needed "without question". That's arrogance speaking. "Huh, we can do everything better now". Well, no you can't. There are several well-known examples of atrocious remastering, especially in the pop world.
2. Maybe a busy man or his office signed a piece of paper about a minor project. This does little or nothing to prove your point.
3. Do you even understand what "too loud" means in this context? I won't bother edifying you but will note that your use of sarcasm here makes you sound stupid.
3.) If you think it's too loud, there is a thing called a Volume Control, if you don't know how to use it, consult the owners manual, I'm certain include directions as to how to use it to raise or lower the volume to the level you'd find to your liking.
And that comment from a record producer. No wonder many releases sound like junk...
If you think it's too loud, there is a thing called a Volume Control, if you don't know how to use it, consult the owners manual, I'm certain include directions as to how to use it to raise or lower the volume to the level you'd find to your liking.
Educate yourself please.
I love it when fanboys post this nonsense.
The bottom line I use something far superior.
My Ears, they tend to be what matter at the end of the day.
Now if you think something it too loud, Use your Volume Control, it's proved to be effective for the last 100 years or so fanboy.
Ford A. Thaxton
Well, maybe the waveforms and the numbers is just a way to confirm what you already hear with your ears.
And I guess the reviewers I quoted were fanboys as well.
Well, all I can tell you is that "Loudness War" isn't something I buy into, But what you'd be amazed at is how HARSH and FLAT LINED many soundtrack recordings done today are, in many cases you you have undo this in mastering as best you can in order to try and get a recording to just not be "Brick Walled", I've worked on scores that were delivered to us after they were put their the dreaded "Finalizer" and that is what the composers were asked to deliver.
But, the bottom line is this: If something sounds too loud, you can still just turn the Knob down a couple of points and the problem for the most part is solved for most people.
3.) If you think it's too loud, there is a thing called a Volume Control, if you don't know how to use it, consult the owners manual, I'm certain include directions as to how to use it to raise or lower the volume to the level you'd find to your liking.
And that comment from a record producer. No wonder many releases sound like junk...
It's always amazing how fanboys can't handle facts..
But, the bottom line is this: If something sounds too loud, you can still just turn the Knob down a couple of points and the problem for the most part is solved for most people.
For someone with good hearing, the loss of detail matters and listening to a loud mix even on lower volume still makes it sounds too loudly mixed. No volume decrease can change that.
Anyway, interesting thread and I wouldn't mind reading about more examples of compressed re-releases/remasters.
1. Just because something was originally mastered in the 1990s doesn't mean a remaster is needed "without question". That's arrogance speaking. "Huh, we can do everything better now". Well, no you can't. There are several well-known examples of atrocious remastering, especially in the pop world.
Having been doing albums since then and revisiting some of them, you can get a much better sound out of these old masters today in many cases, the tech has gotten much better in the last 25 years.
2. Maybe a busy man or his office signed a piece of paper about a minor project. This does little or nothing to prove your point.
You are guessing, I had some hand in that release helping Alan out on that one and he listen to it and signed off on it HIMSELF, I know, he called me up and said it in that many words...
3. Do you even understand what "too loud" means in this context? I won't bother edifying you but will note that your use of sarcasm here makes you sound stupid.
The composer signed off, the product has been released and if you think it's too loud, tune the knob down already.
