Why is it so hard to find top quality classical cd's?

[AIWGuru]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
are you sure?

http://georgegraham.com/compress.html
http://www.proaudiorx.com/dynamicrange.htm


What is dynamic range anyway? Dynamic range is the difference between the softest and loudest sounds we can hear. Or, to put it another way, the difference between the softest and loudest sounds in a recording. Dynamic range is measured in decibels (dB). The typical dynamic range for a cassette recording is around 60 dB, while today's digital recordings can reach a dynamic range of over 90 dB. Compare this to 100 dB or more for live performances.

hah,k just noticed i googled the same thing as him... bah added 2nd link.

Yes, that's exactly what I just said. Nearly word for word in fact.
Note: there's a direct correlation between the range of frequencies produced and the volume (dB). Maybe that's where you're getting stuck: the different terminology.
What the original link you provided was talking about was compression the audio BELOW 22khz (the maximum of a CD) to get higher dBs (to make it louder.)
For example, the new Barenaked ladies remake of "Gordon" is much louder than the original CD. Were you to open it in Soundforge (as I have) you'll see that the sound has been highly compressed. This means that the dynamic range reaches far below 22khz and the highest parts of the track are not being reproduced. This is to make the re-release CD louder than the original CD which produced a recording mastered to 22khz, appropriately.
Hope that helps.

 

[AIWGuru]

Note: it's interesting that people swear that DVD-A sounds much better than CDs. That may be true but when CDs are being mastered to sound worse than they were ten years ago to give them extra volume, one has to wonder if the same will happen with DVD-A. What happens to the wonderful added bredth of DVD-A when someone in charge of an audio engineer decides it needs to be louder. We're not even taking full advantage of our current medium (intentionally) so how will improving it help anything?

 

[TechnoKid]

Originally posted by: AIWGuru
Note: it's interesting that people swear that DVD-A sounds much better than CDs. That may be true but when CDs are being mastered to sound worse than they were ten years ago to give them extra volume, one has to wonder if the same will happen with DVD-A.

i hope this does not happen

 

[AIWGuru]

Maybe this will help.
This is what the article was describing. Not what is being discussed here with very low volume recordings.
THIS is what the original CD track 01 of gordon looks like.
THIS is what track 01 of the re-release looks like.
If it helps, imagine that all sound above and below those two lines are lost.

 

[imported_Ziggy]

Frequency means pitch, amplitude means volume

 

[AIWGuru]

Originally posted by: DrEvilEvil
Frequency means pitch, amplitude means volume

The 'dynamic range' for human hearing is 20hz-22khz for infants and it goes down from there. This is not pitch. It's frequency.
Pitch is *not* frequency. A changing pitch *will* most certainly change frequency but the terms are not interchangable.
The amplitude of these recordings as visualized in the two pics above is increased by decreasing the range (frequency)

 

[Howard]

2Hz? Right.

 

[AIWGuru]

Originally posted by: Howard
2Hz? Right.

Typo. 20hz-22khz. Right. Dogs and such can hear MUCH higher frequencies.
frequency range of human hearing.

 

[Pepsi90919]

 

[Skyclad1uhm1]

I either get cheapo $2 CDs from a store which buys them from Eastern Europe, or I get them for $20 from a specialized store. Depends on how hard to find that specific piece of music is.

 

[Pepsi90919]

Originally posted by: AIWGuru
Maybe this will help.
This is what the article was describing. Not what is being discussed here with very low volume recordings.
THIS is what the original CD track 01 of gordon looks like.
THIS is what track 01 of the re-release looks like.
If it helps, imagine that all sound above and below those two lines are lost.

why? that's only 6dB in either direction

 

[AIWGuru]

Originally posted by: Pepsi90919

Originally posted by: AIWGuru
Maybe this will help.
This is what the article was describing. Not what is being discussed here with very low volume recordings.
THIS is what the original CD track 01 of gordon looks like.
THIS is what track 01 of the re-release looks like.
If it helps, imagine that all sound above and below those two lines are lost.

why? that's only 6dB in either direction

That's not what that represents and you know it. I think you're just trying to be difficult.
The dB, which I have now removed to make things less confusing, represents only the increased volume from the centre (not 0dB). As you know, dB is not a linear scale. So:
If the measured intensity is double or half the standard intensity we have:

Double: N = 10 log(2) = 3.013dB up re. 1mPa

Half: N = 10 log(0.5) = -3.013dB down re. 1mPa

Notice the terms 'up' and 'down' which reflect whether the intensity is greater or less than the reference value. You can see that this is a much more compact (smaller numbers) way of comparing quantities with radically different magnitudes.

 

[Pepsi90919]

where are you getting this arbitrary six from and why can't i hear anything louder again?

 

[AIWGuru]

Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
where are you getting this arbitrary six from and why can't i hear anything louder again?

There's no 6dB. That's you not understanding soundforge and indeed the decibel system. Regardless:
It's not LOUDER that you can't hear. It's FREQUENCY. Jesus....
If you look at a sine wave oscillator, you'll see that very high frequencies go by very, very fast. It's like a sampling rate. Hence the term "frequency." (that the wave occurs.) Likewise, low frequencies are very long, infrequently occuring sines.
If it helps you to perceptualize it, think of a dog whistle. It's very high frequency. You can't hear it. not because of volume, but frequency.