Brickwalled Music - The Loudness Wars - When Does It End?
 

So I'm literally on my last nerve with the increasing audio levels and dynamic range compression in recorded music. Obviously not all recordings are Brickwalled but there are plenty. Some with DR levels of under 8. My ears bleed when I attempt listening.

I've dusted off my CD's that were released in the 1980's and darn if they don't sound much better than their remasters. I suspect that with trying to get as many CD's released when they first were introduced they were flat transfers from whatever generation tapes they were using.

Best of the bunch seems to have been released in W. Germany. Ahh those Target CD's look so pretty as well. :D

So my question if anyone is listening is:

When does the "LOUDNESS WAR" End?

End of rant.

It's been going on for much longer than many realize. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudness_war

I find refuge in XRCD personally. Of course some vinyl is good and so are some CD's. I would think anything produced to engage the "masses" such as the flavor of the day pop and rap would still be produced to sell in greater numbers to the unsuspecting. :D

Agreed, I just don't understand why the engineers do it. You would think they would have a decent set of ears. Don't they listen to the product they produce??

It's all about profit. Perhaps it may change now that the model has shifted towards streaming significantly. CD sales are way down while vinyl is up. There is hardly a need to make your product LOUDER to sell better when the revenue comes from subscriptions to streaming services. Let's hope. :yes:

Not really, just take a look at 99% of hdtracks downloads, they suffer from the same loudness war issues.

Am I the only one who chooses the music I want to hear based on how it makes me feel and not on its dynamic range?

My experience is similar to yours in that DR is not a major indicator of how “good” the album sounds to me. For me, it’s more about the overall mastering that sets the sound.
I’ll freely agree with the OP that this loudness thing is ridiculous. I think it contributes to the crappy sound in a lot of modern music. I can usually tell as soon as I start an album. If I have to turn it down several notches, it’s going to sound like crap.

You are not alone. I feel the same way in that I choose the music on how it makes me feel as well but when given a choice on remaster that has a lower DR level that the original I almost alway prefer the original.

Brickwalled music also is fatiguing to my ears. I can not listen nearly as long if listening for extended period of time.

With that being said if a new album comes out that I like it does not matter what the DR level is. I will buy it and listen to it. I will tell you my listening experience will not be as enjoyable.

Brickwalled Music - The Loudness Wars - When Does It End?
 

I own a lot of SHM-SACD's Japanese and love most of them, like a year ago I was getting annoyed by something with the song Innuendo, went back to my original U.K. CD and found that the bass on the SHM-SACD was flat on all bands and super loud and was destroying the voice of Freddy, I went back to the original U.K. CD's of all my Queen's songs and am happy again .[emoji4]

IMHO the original Queen CD's are the way to go, especially the W. German targets.