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Post by frozenhero on Aug 28, 2019 11:07:43 GMT
Well, this is mainly for geeks like me, although I keep saying that compression levels tend to influence people's enjoyment of music on a subconscious level (e.g. QPQ often being called 'noisy', which is just as much down to the mix/mastering as the music itself - although I suppose the vinyl does not have this issue). Anyway to the point, I ran the song "Backbone" from the Classic Rock sampler CD through the DR meter and this is what came out: That's really good for a modern rock production, and it confirms what I heard: rocky yet crankable - just like in the old days! The DR is very similar to, say, Andy Pearce's remaster of "Piledriver" from the 2014 deluxe edition, and that's not a bad comparison at all. It's also noteworthy that these magazine samplers tend to get some extra mastering to have everything on a similar level, so it's possible the actual album version is even a bit more dynamic. All of this means we're looking at the least compressed new Quo studio CD since 2002, maybe even since 1996! So whatever complaints there may be about the album (and I already feel it could have done with a bit more reverb), the loudness wars thankfully are not among them. I'm really relieved about that.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2019 11:14:01 GMT
Great post!
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Post by 4th Chord on Aug 28, 2019 11:38:18 GMT
Well, this is mainly for geeks like me, although I keep saying that compression levels tend to influence people's enjoyment of music on a subconscious level (e.g. QPQ often being called 'noisy', which is just as much down to the mix/mastering as the music itself - although I suppose the vinyl does not have this issue). Anyway to the point, I ran the song "Backbone" from the Classic Rock sampler CD through the DR meter and this is what came out: That's really good for a modern rock production, and it confirms what I heard: rocky yet crankable - just like in the old days! The DR is very similar to, say, Andy Pearce's remaster of "Piledriver" from the 2014 deluxe edition, and that's not a bad comparison at all. It's also noteworthy that these magazine samplers tend to get some extra mastering to have everything on a similar level, so it's possible the actual album version is even a bit more dynamic. All of this means we're looking at the least compressed new Quo studio CD since 2002, maybe even since 1996! So whatever complaints there may be about the album (and I already feel it could have done with a bit more reverb), the loudness wars thankfully are not among them. I'm really relieved about that. Nerd!
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Post by frozenhero on Aug 28, 2019 11:39:28 GMT
Well, this is mainly for geeks like me, although I keep saying that compression levels tend to influence people's enjoyment of music on a subconscious level (e.g. QPQ often being called 'noisy', which is just as much down to the mix/mastering as the music itself - although I suppose the vinyl does not have this issue). Anyway to the point, I ran the song "Backbone" from the Classic Rock sampler CD through the DR meter and this is what came out: That's really good for a modern rock production, and it confirms what I heard: rocky yet crankable - just like in the old days! The DR is very similar to, say, Andy Pearce's remaster of "Piledriver" from the 2014 deluxe edition, and that's not a bad comparison at all. It's also noteworthy that these magazine samplers tend to get some extra mastering to have everything on a similar level, so it's possible the actual album version is even a bit more dynamic. All of this means we're looking at the least compressed new Quo studio CD since 2002, maybe even since 1996! So whatever complaints there may be about the album (and I already feel it could have done with a bit more reverb), the loudness wars thankfully are not among them. I'm really relieved about that. Nerd! Definitely! But I also like to spend my money on something I can actually listen to and enjoy. I'm still angry at ZZ Top, for instance
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Post by 4th Chord on Aug 28, 2019 12:51:17 GMT
Nerd! Definitely! But I also like to spend my money on something I can actually listen to and enjoy. I'm still angry at ZZ Top, for instance I'm still angry at ZZ Top for their follow up to Eliminator, Recycler. Apart from "Doubleback" and especially "My Head's in Mississippi" which were decent.
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Post by paradiseflats on Aug 28, 2019 12:54:33 GMT
Definitely! But I also like to spend my money on something I can actually listen to and enjoy. I'm still angry at ZZ Top, for instance I'm still angry at ZZ Top for their follow up to Eliminator, Recycler. Apart from "Doubleback" and especially "My Head's in Mississippi" which were decent. 2000 Blues is decent also
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Post by 4th Chord on Aug 28, 2019 12:58:51 GMT
It helps when the album is recorded in Dubly.
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Post by gentlemanjoe on Aug 28, 2019 14:01:58 GMT
Of the ‘modern’ Quo, Rock til you Drop was For me the worst recording techniques used since Back to. Back.
RTYD sounded compressed, their wasn’t a really good live sound to it, and at certain points Rossi’s guitar sounded like a xylophone.
I still find it a very difficult listen.
Quid Pro Quo was by for the best sound I think I’ve heard since NTL and the songs were quality as well, which for all these reasons I think it did so well I’m the charts
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Post by frozenhero on Aug 28, 2019 15:16:43 GMT
Definitely! But I also like to spend my money on something I can actually listen to and enjoy. I'm still angry at ZZ Top, for instance I'm still angry at ZZ Top for their follow up to Eliminator, Recycler. Apart from "Doubleback" and especially "My Head's in Mississippi" which were decent. Erm, the sequel to Eliminator (1983) was Afterburner (1985). Then came Recycler (1990). Which is still the last ZZ Top album on which I like more than half of the songs (aside from the ones you've mentioned I also like 2000 Blues, Give It Up, Concrete and Steel, Lovething, Penthouse Eyes and Decision or Collision). La Futura is what I was talking about, some potential there, but horrendous sound - really can't listen to the CD. Only live I was able to appreciate how good "I Gotsta Get Paid" really is (and Dusty played a bass synth, yay!). Of the ‘modern’ Quo, Rock til you Drop was For me the worst recording techniques used since Back to. Back. RTYD sounded compressed, their wasn’t a really good live sound to it, and at certain points Rossi’s guitar sounded like a xylophone. I still find it a very difficult listen. Quid Pro Quo was by for the best sound I think I’ve heard since NTL and the songs were quality as well, which for all these reasons I think it did so well I’m the charts That's funny because it was the first time they went back to recording it live, mostly all together in one room, since the glory days. ITAN and AC especially were "constructed" records with quite a bit of sequencing going on. Sound quality wise there was nothing wrong with them though. RTYD came at a time when guitars were in fashion again, and when CDs started getting louder. I don't really have an issue with it. It's certainly far less heavily compressed as QPQ, which is a bona fide loudness war victim: dr.loudness-war.info/album/view/9461 (RTYD) dr.loudness-war.info/album/view/9478 (QPQ)
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gav
Veteran Rocker Rollin'
Posts: 2,138
Favourite Quo Album: On The Level
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Post by gav on Aug 28, 2019 15:37:21 GMT
Afterburner has "Planet Of Women" on it, so it's a win for me.
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Post by frozenhero on Aug 28, 2019 15:58:44 GMT
Afterburner has "Planet Of Women" on it, so it's a win for me. I like the album. But I don't really see it as a ZZ Top album. Neither Frank nor Dusty played one note on it, as far as I know. Dusty sings two songs at least... Still, it's one of those great productions that people have seemingly forgotten how to do these days.
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gav
Veteran Rocker Rollin'
Posts: 2,138
Favourite Quo Album: On The Level
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Post by gav on Aug 28, 2019 16:16:56 GMT
Afterburner has "Planet Of Women" on it, so it's a win for me. I like the album. But I don't really see it as a ZZ Top album. Neither Frank nor Dusty played one note on it, as far as I know. Dusty sings two songs at least... Still, it's one of those great productions that people have seemingly forgotten how to do these days. Was that not the case with Eliminator also?
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Post by gentlemanjoe on Aug 28, 2019 16:21:10 GMT
You’ve surprised me there, as I knew QPQ was recorded using their old recording techniques, but it sounds great to me, it’s got that live feel, compressed or not. They sound like they enjoy playing it.
However they recorded RTYD it’s sounds very flat to me, almost like the much maligned Rockin all over the World album, virtually no reverb etc.
Thankyou for your input though, enjoyed reading it👍🏻
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Post by paradiseflats on Aug 28, 2019 16:31:57 GMT
You’ve surprised me there, as I knew QPQ was recorded using their old recording techniques, but it sounds great to me, it’s got that live feel, compressed or not. They sound like they enjoy playing it. However they recorded RTYD it’s sounds very flat to me, almost like the much maligned Rockin all over the World album, virtually no reverb etc. Thankyou for your input though, enjoyed reading it👍🏻 That surprises me as it sounds terrible to me. Polished and over produced. Sounds completely sterile.
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Post by frozenhero on Aug 28, 2019 16:44:44 GMT
I like the album. But I don't really see it as a ZZ Top album. Neither Frank nor Dusty played one note on it, as far as I know. Dusty sings two songs at least... Still, it's one of those great productions that people have seemingly forgotten how to do these days. Was that not the case with Eliminator also? Yes. On that album, the line-up should have read: Billy Gibbons Terry Manning Linden Hudson
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