If YouTube recordings sound good, why do commercial digital releases sound so bad.
- Thread starter Rexp
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This thread is a bit of a rant about the poor quality of sound on Tidal/Qobuz, did you manage to compare the Norah Jones track?
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Because most of the youtube videos contain less processing. Unfortunately mixing and mastering involves a lot of processing in order to make a recording sound good but it kills the lifelike character. And I mean both digital and analog processing. That’s one of the many reasons why direct to disc recordings sound more lifelike.
Here's another one,
personally sampled and uploaded to YouTube:
For my ears the youtube upload sounds better than what is available on Tidal.
The version on Tidal sounds as if you raised the colors on your TV to maximum saturation.
What is the audiophile term "bright"?
personally sampled and uploaded to YouTube:
For my ears the youtube upload sounds better than what is available on Tidal.
The version on Tidal sounds as if you raised the colors on your TV to maximum saturation.
What is the audiophile term "bright"?
Yes, what I don't get is why the artists don't insist on more realistic recording quality, we know it's possible with a simple set up, like this recorded with Tascam X6:
Tascam Portacapture X6 | Audio Examples
SOS June 2023 Chris Timson These files accompany my...
Yes, assume it's a vinyl rip, sounds great! Blows the Tidal version away. So this is your YouTube channel?
no, just came across it
judging by the description,
the rip is from a CD
Youtube CD rip,
Label: Philology
Tidal version,
Label: CHET BAKER ESTATE
Do you think artists are audiophiles or care about sound quality? Do you think an average artist would ask better quality than mp3 at home? Additionally when recording and mastering engineers confidently talk about how they will make the recording sound better while sitting in front of mountain of gear it’s very convincing. Creators and consumers of art are two different groups. An artist may not always appreciate a work of art.Yes, what I don't get is why the artists don't insist on more realistic recording quality, we know it's possible with a simple set up, like this recorded with Tascam X6:
Tascam Portacapture X6 | Audio Examples
SOS June 2023 Chris Timson These files accompany my...www.soundonsound.com
This is interesting.
It had never occurred to me that Youtube might offer good sounding recordings until I heard an interview with someone talking about it. I'll see if I can find the link.
I agree it can be depressing how the dynamics is drained from the music on many recordings.
Are you comparing the Tidal/Qobuz and YouTube versions through your 2 channel system or through headphones from a laptop?
I'd be curious to hear an apples to apples comparison, but have no idea how I'd listen to YouTube through my system which streams either through Taiko's Xdms player or Roon....
It had never occurred to me that Youtube might offer good sounding recordings until I heard an interview with someone talking about it. I'll see if I can find the link.
I agree it can be depressing how the dynamics is drained from the music on many recordings.
Are you comparing the Tidal/Qobuz and YouTube versions through your 2 channel system or through headphones from a laptop?
I'd be curious to hear an apples to apples comparison, but have no idea how I'd listen to YouTube through my system which streams either through Taiko's Xdms player or Roon....
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I would guess most artists want their music to be heard as they intended it to be heard. This guy is certainly not happy with digital recording of his work produced in this session :
Yes,
that's strange effect that you can hear better SQ from a mic recording of speakers or a vinyl/cd rip uploaded to youtube, then playing i source.
examples:
Here's a live perfomance of the tracks on this album:
The video sounds muffled compared to the version available on Qobuz (same CD source, there is only one):
Open Qobuz
open.qobuz.com
When there are several digital releases of an album, it is always possible that one sounds better than the other, and that unfortunately the better one is not available on music streaming services (Tidal, Qobuz, etc...). I come across examples all the time, and that is why I still purchase CDs.
But this has nothing to do with the claims Rexp makes in this thread ("If YouTube recordings sound good, why do commercial digital releases sound so bad").
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