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Vinyl succumbs to Loudness War: more than just collateral damage (2025)

magicvinyldigital.net

131–140 of 270 posts

Re: Vinyl succumbs to Loudness War: more than just collateral damage (2025)

#131

Vinyl literally has less than half the dynamic range of CD and has always been compressed before cutting. Hard limiting is a (stupid) choice, but some limiting has always been necessary. The "warm vinyl sound" is basically analog compression with added low-end distortion from the RIAA compensation and some wrinkles at the high end caused by stylus resonance.

Which is why it's so bizarre that CDs are generally less dynamic than vinyl. There's no technical reason that should be the case.

Re: Vinyl succumbs to Loudness War: more than just collateral damage (2025)

#132
post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I keep 3 pressings of Led Zep II out so I can demonstrate the difference to people who don’t believe that there is one. A first-week Robert Ludwig mastered version, a second-week pressing of the Ahmet Ertegun disaster, and 1977 remaster that really sounds just as good as the 1969 RL mix and is a lot cheaper. $20 for a VG+ copy compared to $1300. I am not insane so I did not spend $1300 on a used vinyl record, I found…

> I am not insane so I did not spend $1300 on a used vinyl record, I found mine for $2 at Goodwill. How is holding onto it instead of selling it for $1300 any less insane than buying it for $1300 in the first place?

all right let me buy one of your kidneys, after all you only need one.

Re: Vinyl succumbs to Loudness War: more than just collateral damage (2025)

#133
post #20
post #11

I don't understand why they still release super compressed and loud masterings when most of the modern headphones are so good you don't really need to master for the old cheap stereo sets. And isn't headphones with Spotify the most common medium for music nowadays?

Most headphones people actually use are crap. Yes you can buy studio monitors from sony. That isn't what people are listening to. They are using airpods which sound like earpods have always sounded: crap, absent lows, terrible separation. So you compress the hell out of the audio and make it loud so you can actually hear something with those headphones.

This is an absurd comment. Maybe you are just too young and ignorant to know what the average gear use to sound like.

Re: Vinyl succumbs to Loudness War: more than just collateral damage (2025)

#134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The logic is a little broken for me... If he really wanted the record, and got it for $2, why would he then sell it and then not have it? Replacing it would cost at least $1300. You're logic is why so much in this world if fucking broken. Everything is a grift, a hustle, an opportunity for profit.

People are getting angry at the math here. I'm Not the OP and have no moral judgement here, but from strict bank account balance perspective it's the same. Persuade me otherwise through addition and subtraction, not moral appeals. 1. I have 10,000 in my bank account. 2. I see a 1,300 record I like 3. I buy it 4. My bank account now has 8700 5. There's 1,300 difference if I choose to buy it or not 1. I have 10,000 in…

friction and transaction costs exists in our world which are absolutely factors that would delineate the economic utility of purchasing a new luxury item from selling an already owned luxury item.

Spend $2. Receive album worth $1000. Make $300 an hour at job. Have no immediate use case for $1000 in cash. Have somewhat immediate want for music on that album.

Time to sell album with high quality images/ description, deal with questions from discerning buyers (tire-kickers), post the album: 4 hours

Opportunity cost- $1,200 Sale value - $1000 Replacement album cost - $20

Deciding to sell would put this hypothetical guy down $220 vs just listening to his cool, potential appreciating album and working for the same amount of time.

Re: Vinyl succumbs to Loudness War: more than just collateral damage (2025)

#135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Buy for $x, have and not sell for $x, same mathematically. But oh boy will people get instantly riled up emotionally :). Price and value are not the same. The logic of your friend was basically putting a price on how "special" (or not) he saw your relationship versus some rando-buyer online. That is why people (close to you) get riled up emotionally: they're being treated in a way no different than a complete stran…

If you ask your friend for $100 for no particular reason, just because you want $100, that's an annoying request and "no" is a reasonable response. It's not putting a price on your relationship. It's technically the same answer they'd give a stranger, but that doesn't mean you're being treated like a stranger. (I do think a slight discount often makes sense just because a friend is probably quicker and easier to deal…

That's the thing. This was a $3000 camera. A 20% friends discount is 600. We've been best friends for two decades, but most days he doesn't give me $600 on cash. Don't get me wrong, we don't keep track who paid for dinner or cinema ticket or whatever. But there IS a threshold at which it really becomes a random cash gift.

Yes dealing with friends is nicer than strangers - but also when you're selling stuff, sometimes it's better to do strangers. Expectations of long term service and support are clearer and have more defined boundaries.

Re: Vinyl succumbs to Loudness War: more than just collateral damage (2025)

#136
post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Who taught you this? And why do you think this way?

He thinks that way because it's the only correct way to think. Try raising the value of the record and see what you think about it.

I have no idea, have not looked into the value of my record collection.

An easy end to that line of reasoning for me.

Re: Vinyl succumbs to Loudness War: more than just collateral damage (2025)

#137
post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Mathematically that's absolutely true. Emotionally, it feels different. It's fascinating to see downright angry gut reactions! A few years ago my friend was selling his expensive camera on Kijiji. I asked him to sell it to me for slightly less as a friendly discount. He told me that's the same as just randomly one day giving me a wad of cash, so why would he do that?? I thought he's crazy and was a little bit offende…

Usually you give your friends a friendly discount because it saves the hassle from advertising, packing, etc. and also your friends return the favor. But I would never sell something expensive to a friend, period. There be dragons.

You hit all the salient points.

Re: Vinyl succumbs to Loudness War: more than just collateral damage (2025)

#138
post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Mathematically that's absolutely true. Emotionally, it feels different. It's fascinating to see downright angry gut reactions! A few years ago my friend was selling his expensive camera on Kijiji. I asked him to sell it to me for slightly less as a friendly discount. He told me that's the same as just randomly one day giving me a wad of cash, so why would he do that?? I thought he's crazy and was a little bit offende…

Usually you give your friends a friendly discount because it saves the hassle from advertising, packing, etc. and also your friends return the favor. But I would never sell something expensive to a friend, period. There be dragons.

I'd be inclined to pay more for it getting it from my friend than on a second hand marketplace. It removes the chance I'm going to be scammed, or the product isn't as described, or the seller will leave me a bad review.

On the other hand, I wouldn't ask my friend to pay more if selling, so maybe a par price is fair.

Re: Vinyl succumbs to Loudness War: more than just collateral damage (2025)

#139

Vinyl literally has less than half the dynamic range of CD and has always been compressed before cutting. Hard limiting is a (stupid) choice, but some limiting has always been necessary. The "warm vinyl sound" is basically analog compression with added low-end distortion from the RIAA compensation and some wrinkles at the high end caused by stylus resonance.

Which is why it's so bizarre that CDs are generally less dynamic than vinyl. There's no technical reason that should be the case.

CDs were most commonly played in cars on the loud highway

Re: Vinyl succumbs to Loudness War: more than just collateral damage (2025)

#140
post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm guessing you're not a musician or studio worker, or I wasn't clear. If I am using an analog device (in my case tube amplifier) I want to listen to something that was mastered on analog equipment. If it's square wave pressed on to vinyl you might as well stream.

You should save the exaggerated euphemisms for your audiophile subreddits. "square waves pressed on to vinyl" just proves you have no clue of the physics to an HN audience.

Yep, never studied physics. Do know the difference between a sine wave and a square wave, though.

We can debate whether people can hear the difference, and mastering has as much (or more) to do with it, but I will take an AAA or AAD over an ADD all day.

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