technology is killing music.... - Page 3 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Zerohour3k · #31 02-18-2008, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chad300tdt

While I agree with most of what you've said, I am posting because I had to mention how cool I think the headlight/grill art in your signature is.

Heh heh! Thanks for the compliments! Although, "Gunther" isn't exactly the standard US-Spec headlights.. he has a set of Euro's (with grille-mounted PIAA foglights) on it. Good luck making ASCII art of euro headlights though. I tried, and every one came out looking like a damned Volvo.

Feel free to "steal" the art for your signature, by the way. I didn't come up with the original idea of that art.. someone else on the forum did, though their name escapes me.

Chad300tdt · #32 02-18-2008, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zerohour3k

Heh heh! Thanks for the compliments! Although, "Gunther" isn't exactly the standard US-Spec headlights.. he has a set of Euro's (with grille-mounted PIAA foglights) on it. Good luck making ASCII art of euro headlights though. I tried, and every one came out looking like a damned Volvo.

Feel free to "steal" the art for your signature, by the way. I didn't come up with the original idea of that art.. someone else on the forum did, though their name escapes me.

Cool, it's set for World Domination now.

75Sv1 · #33 02-18-2008, 11:16 AM

I'll agree with the 90% rule. Also, MTV and videos did some damage. Although there were some great videos back then. Genisis's 'Land of Confussion' is one of my favorites. Also a problem back then was that many artist had to sound like whatever the biggest hit or genre was at the time. Take Bon Jovi's first album. Then their second was close to hard rock. Then their movie themes. 'Living on a Prayer' I think got them back to their original sound. Part of what I liked about the early to mid 90's was that there was a bit of veriaty of music genre. It was a bit less cookie cutter. There are some good artist today. James Blount comes to mind and some put out one or two good songs. There are albums that have good songs throughout. But even during the 70's and 80's most have one or two good songs, then mostly filler. What I miss today is the drum solos and gitaur riffs, althoguh sometimes over done. Hey, I even enjoy some old disco.Actually, some of those divas had some pipes. They had to to be heard over the heavy beat.
Tom

Monomer · #34 02-18-2008, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgburg

One problem with music today (regardless the source) is that it's processed to be the LOUDEST F***ING THING ON THE F***ING DA*N DIAL!!!!

There's no dynamic range...everyone wants to be the loudest...if they can keep the "needle" between 99% and 100% legal loud, then they are doing their job. And that's just plain BS.

Music is suppose to breathe...soft softs...loud louds...and the ability to breathe between passages...on commercial radio, that method of processing audio died a painful death back in the later 60s...

Listen to any radio station in a large, metropolitian area...and I mean listen to it for 30 minutes or so. After 30 minutes...

Do you feel tense? Do you feel irritated? Even it it's the music you like?

That's because the loudness factor is set to "kill" and your brain and auditory nerve-system is being bombarded by a constant, mind-numbing level of audio that'd kill a normal lab rat.

Get yourself one of those "car-audio-analyzers" (Mal*Fart was selling one for about $29.95 the other day) and test up and down the radio dial to see...I'd venture to say that 99% of the stations on the dial don't have any more than 2-3 dBs. of dynamic range...the normal person can't put up with that kind of audio bombardment, regardless the format, for more than 30 minutes.

And the muddiness factor you think you're hearing?

You're hearing all right...It's your hearing that's telling you that you've damaged it.

Plus, some of you folks hit the nail on the head about talent (or lack thereof)...

As for me...I buy what I can tolerate in the CD player in the truck...hope my tires make less noise than the stereo, and keep on eye on the road to be sure I'm not impeding the progress of some emergency vehicle 'cause the stereo's too loud and I didn't hear the siren.

Since our Medium isn't the limiting factor anymore (to get loud on a vinyl record, you have to cut the grooves wider; and tape tends to distort when pushed) since CD's are digital - you have a bunch more headroom than before. This is why it started in the early 90's.

I HATE car stereo. Poor box designs, the "bigger is better" (yeah, 100,000 watts my ass) just pisses me off. it makes my ears hurt just thinking of it. (far to much Doppler/harmonic distortion)

oh; and my ears are just fine - turn on your local alt. rock station and hear what I'm talking about. It looks like people abuse the "Simile Face" eq setting a bit much - no crunch on the guitar, snare sounds flat and vocals have no range. It's garbage.

I still buy everything on vinyl. Albums are usually cheaper (unless it's a new release) and anything decent still gets pressed.

LaRondo · #35 02-18-2008, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monomer

I still buy everything on vinyl. Albums are usually cheaper (unless it's a new release) and anything decent still gets pressed.

The problem with vinyl is not only are they heavy and space consuming, they also sound the best only the first time you play them.

From there the sound reproduction will only decline.

Some 20 years ago I have been befriended with a bunch of audiophiles, Half-speed and direct-cut hunters. What I got to hear exceeded by far any commercial record production.

Yet, their purpose of life (the audiophiles) wasn't so much about music, it was the continuous improvement of listening experience ...

LaRondo · #36 02-18-2008, 06:33 PM

Funiculi Funicula !

Monomer · #37 02-18-2008, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaRondo

The problem with vinyl is not only are they heavy and space consuming, they also sound the best only the first time you play them.

From there the sound reproduction will only decline.

Some 20 years ago I have been befriended with a bunch of audiophiles, Half-speed and direct-cut hunters. What I got to hear exceeded by far any commercial record production.

Yet, their purpose of life (the audiophiles) wasn't so much about music, it was the continuous improvement of listening experience ...

and after the first 100 or so plays, then you'll start to notice wear.

that's with modern, spherical styli. Elliptical will always sound better, and when ripping vinyl to .mp3 (a VBR .mp3) should be used.

I perfer analog waves, thanks

Hammertime · #38 02-18-2008, 10:24 PM

I grew up with 60's 70's rock and through the years there has been some good stuff. From TP to right up to NIN. It hasn't been all *****e. A lot of *****e...but not all IMHO
I believe back in the 60's there was typically one genre of music later to be expanded with disco and then pop.. I do not recall rap back in the 70's...not till the 80's I believe... with classics from the sugerhill gang and run DMC....holy smokes...I'm ancient...

LaRondo · #39 02-18-2008, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monomer

and after the first 100 or so plays, then you'll start to notice wear.

that's with modern, spherical styli. Elliptical will always sound better, and when ripping vinyl to .mp3 (a VBR .mp3) should be used.

I perfer analog waves, thanks

A 100 plays or so ... ? Depends on your system. Even though, or exactly because of a high end system, I started to notice quality reduction way sooner than around a 100 plays.

I also prefer analog sound transmission.
For the longest time, I used to amplify my bass with a tube amp only.

At some point I had to get practical. CD's are not a bad solution, you still can run it through an analog system and get the benefits of a touchless reading.
Most older stuff is AAD anyways, unless remastered, as they say ...

Monomer · #40 02-19-2008, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaRondo

A 100 plays or so ... ? Depends on your system. Even though, or exactly because of a high end system, I started to notice quality reduction way sooner than around a 100 plays.

I also prefer analog sound transmission.
For the longest time, I used to amplify my bass with a tube amp only.

At some point I had to get practical. CD's are not a bad solution, you still can run it through an analog system and get the benefits of a touchless reading.
Most older stuff is AAD anyways, unless remastered, as they say ...

SL1200Mk2

Shure Whitelabels, set to 2 grams. (proper overhang, 0 AS)

MTI · #41 02-19-2008, 06:38 PM

This past weekend I fired up the Technics DD turntable and started converting some vinyl to digital. I was reading album liner notes, checking out the ads and listings on the dust jackets, being annoyed that a typical LP was usually less than 25 minutes per side, but still marveling at the fidelity of "needle & groove" technology.

There was plenty of bad music in the days of vinyl . . . don't let nostalgia blind you to that basic truth . . . and our parents probably didn't appreciate it when the "Fish Cheer" on the Woodstock album was cranked up.