the circle of confusion will never end ?

[fredoamigo]

it was while reading a review of Beck's album "Morning Phase" that I came across the interview https://en.audiofanzine.com/sound-t...s/engineer-with-the-grammy-winning-touch.htmlof the chief sound engineer for this album that got a Grammys for that...

of course I thought about Floyd Toole's circle of confusionhttp://seanolive.blogspot.com/2009/10/audios-circle-of-confusion.html and I thought he wouldn't like to read this interview.

the problem is that this gentleman had a grammy for this album and that all the new suitors have a career in sound recording risk taking an example from this way of doing things.

 

[flowjm]

Any chance of a TL;DR summary?

 

[fredoamigo]

Any chance of a TL;DR summary?

I'm looking for it, but listening to it there's too much dynamic compression

 

[fredoamigo]

I'm looking for it, but listening to it there's too much dynamic compression

http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/list?artist=beck&album=morning+phase

 

[ahofer]

I've been listening to it. I like some of the songs, and the sound is interesting. I think "phase" is a good word to put in the title, based on listening. I think there's some processed stage-widening going on. It does sound kind of marvelous, as a studio creation.

 

[fredoamigo]

I've been listening to it. I like some of the songs, and the sound is interesting. I think "phase" is a good word to put in the title, based on listening. I think there's some processed stage-widening going on. It does sound kind of marvelous, as a studio creation.

we may not have the same conception of a good recording?
for me a good recording is not much dynamic compression, a good recording is definition, transparency, dynamics, sound level, timbres, spectral balance...you want an example?
beyond the qualities or defects this album is above all the way it was recorded with regard to fidelity and the circle of confusion that is questionable.

 

[ahofer]

we may not have the same conception of a good recording?
for me a good recording is not much dynamic compression, a good recording is definition, transparency, dynamics, sound level, timbres, spectral balance...you want an example?
beyond the qualities or defects this album is above all the way it was recorded with regard to fidelity and the circle of confusion that is questionable.

I get it. But with studio creations, I just don't take accuracy very seriously (you are free to differ). If Beck was in the room playing it, it would sound different, and likely worse (concerts generally suck, and a lot of pop musicians can't live without vocal processing, etc.). There was a whole thread here on how rock/pop concerts sound goddawful.

Beck might as well have been working with samples and DSP the whole way (and so much contemporary music does exactly that). In the end, then, the album sound is a collaboration between Beck and the engineer and IS the music. I enjoy it for what it is, without much reference. Sometimes all the studio DSP is fatiguing, but I haven't really noticed it in this album. I do notice a very wide presentation, hence my comment.

Now, I take a completely different attitude to live, acoustic music - classical/concert hall and bebop, for instance. There if it is inaccurate to live it is a distraction. And live is the best. I have a totally different attitude when I put it on and sit down.

 

[Soniclife]

There was a lot of complaining about digital versions of this when it came out. E.g.
https://audiophilestyle.com/ca/bits-and-bytes/And-The-Winner-Is-…/

 

[ahofer]

There was a lot of complaining about digital versions of this when it came out. E.g.
https://audiophilestyle.com/ca/bits-and-bytes/And-The-Winner-Is-…/

I’ve been streaming it on Qobuz. Not sure which version that is, and I can’t remember whether they had it marked hi-res.

 

[fredoamigo]

Yes, it had the merit of opening the eyes of the audiophile community that a grammy winner for sound recording could be mediocre. But how can it be otherwise when you watch the interview?

""

What monitors do you use the most in your studio?

I have these English speakers called Acoustic Energy. They're the AE1 Classic model.

How big are the drivers, 8-inches?

No they're 4 inches.

So you use a sub woofer?

No.

Really? And do you have larger speakers that you listen on?

I do everything on those, and I have little Bose computer speakers, because everyone's listening to stuff on computer speakers. ""

 

[GrimSurfer]

Yes, it had the merit of opening the eyes of the audiophile community that a grammy winner for sound recording could be mediocre. But how can it be otherwise when you watch the interview?

""

What monitors do you use the most in your studio?

I have these English speakers called Acoustic Energy. They're the AE1 Classic model.

How big are the drivers, 8-inches?

No they're 4 inches.

So you use a sub woofer?

No.

Really? And do you have larger speakers that you listen on?

I do everything on those, and I have little Bose computer speakers, because everyone's listening to stuff on computer speakers. ""

Yes. It seems the prizes now go to ppl mastering for the masses, because that is what sells (and what sells makes the mare go round).

 

[Soniclife]

Yes. It seems the prizes now go to ppl mastering for the masses, because that is what sells (and what sells makes the mare go round).

Always been that way, industry awards go to those that make the industry money.