Dynamic Range

[Jdsmoke]

Thought everyone might be interested in this. Album list dynamic range database.
http://dr.loudness-war.info

[krustycat]

Thank you, I have been using that for many years already.

Very helpful.

[jzzmusician]

Didn't know this existed. Thank you for posting!!!

- Bob

[Audiophilehi]

Thanks JD.....I've been using it for many years as well.

[Cohibaman]

Indeed, a good reference site. I use it every time I purchase a CD.

[Still-One]

What difference does the dynamic range mean? You either enjoy the album or you don't. You can find great music no matter how wide the dynamic range might be.

[Grasshopper]

Originally Posted by Still-One

What difference does the dynamic range mean? You either enjoy the album or you don't. You can find great music no matter how wide the dynamic range might be.

If you have a Ferrari, and enjoy driving in the hills I can agree. But having a map to identify roads that give you a more “spirited” drive can make a typical mountain drive even more fun.

The same is true for having an album you enjoy PLUS a presentation that shows what your system can do.

[Still-One]

Originally Posted by Grasshopper

If you have a Ferrari, and enjoy driving in the hills I can agree. But having a map to identify roads that give you a more “spirited” drive can make a typical mountain drive even more fun.

The same is true for having an album you enjoy PLUS a presentation that shows what your system can do.

The purpose of music is not to show off what your system can do. It is the systems job to present the music you enjoy in the best manner it can. No wonder people think audiophiles are nuts.

[doggiehowser]

Originally Posted by Still-One

The purpose of music is not to show off what your system can do. It is the systems job to present the music you enjoy in the best manner it can. No wonder people think audiophiles are nuts.

There are different schools of thought

A system that is designed to resolve detail can sound harsh and unforgiving with badly recorded material. It’s a given.

A system that makes harsher recordings sound good tends to mask detail so in a good recording, you won’t be retrieving as much as you could.

I don’t think one approach is any better than the other.

That being said, the DR database does provide one thing. If there is an album I like, I can try to find the best (highest DR) version of the album.

I have mentioned my obsession with Brothers in Arms [emoji51] before elsewhere

http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/li...others+in+arms

And this database tells me that the Mobile Fidelity versions are better. And they are.

Also, the latest version of DirectStream’s Snowmass OS seems to have achieved a bit of an anomaly in that it is both highly detailed and makes a lot of my harsher sounding recordings sound better. I haven’t quite explained that yet.

[cleeds]

Originally Posted by Still-One

What difference does the dynamic range mean? You either enjoy the album or you don't. You can find great music no matter how wide the dynamic range might be.

That's certainly true. But dynamics, and the nuance of dynamics, are key aspects of musicianship. So they are often a clue as to the quality of a performance or recording.